PhD Position Monitoring and Control of Bench-scale CHO Cell Culture

This PhD project focuses on developing and employing real-time monitoring and automated control of process flows in bench-scale CHO cell cultures for monoclonal antibody (mAb) production. You will be responsible for developing models to monitor key analytes in a biopharmaceutical process, including nutrients and product quality attributes. This means you will dive into process development for a standardized cell line and work on robust and transferable PAT monitoring models. Moreover, you will aim to use the real-time data to design strategies that allow you to (automatically) steer the process towards optimized productivity while maintaining product quality. This project includes wet lab (process development, data acquisition) and dry lab activities (spectroscopy-based model building, control).

Research group

The Klijn lab works on the implementation of real-time analytics in bioprocesses to faciliate automated monitoring and control strategies. We work on a broad range of processes, from microbial to mammalian, and we use a variety of process analytical techniques.

Job requirements

We are looking for an outstanding and creative researcher with a strong affinity to work at the boundary of multiple disciplines, namely bioprocessing engineering, multivariate data analysis, and automated control. This includes the internal motivation to expand your horizon, ablilty to learn quickly, and strong communication skills to easily connect with other experts in and outside the research group.

Required educational backgroud

• A MSc degree in biotechnology, bioprocess engineering, biochemical engineering, or a closely related discipline

We expect the candidate to have recent experience with:

• Running bioreactor-based mammalian cell culture processes (i.e., CHO, HEK, Vero)
• Using standard (bio)chemical analytical techniques (e.g., HPLC, bioanalyzer, cell counters)

This experience could be in the form of your current position, a MSc thesis project, or a MSc internship.

Skills that are considered a big plus:

• Programming for data analysis and/or modelling of bioprocesses (e.g., R, Python, Matlab)
• Multivariate data analysis, chemometrics, and/or machine learning

Sought-after transferable skills

• Pro-active and problem solving mindset
• Excellent written and spoken English skills
• Ability to break-down and communicate complex research data
• Thrives in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary, and highly collaborative environment

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3059 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society.

Faculty Applied Sciences

With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics.