PhD fellowship in Machine Learning for Crystallography

We are offering a three-year PhD fellowship in Machine Learning for Crystallography commencing 1st of September 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Project description: This fellowship forms part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded project "Deep Learning-Accelerated Crystallography Pipeline", a collaboration between University of Copenhagen, Durham University, and the MAX IV synchrotron. You will work closely with an international team of crystallographers, mathematicians, and data scientists. The project seeks to transform small‑molecule structure determination by integrating machine learning algorithms into crystallographic workflows. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of computational tools that will enhance data collection, refinement, and validation. The work will involve simulation of diffraction data, training and testing machine learning models, and integration into an open‑source modular pipeline for high‑throughput crystallography.

Principal supervisor: Associate Professor Anders Østergaard Madsen, Department of Pharmacy

Start: 1 September 2026

Duration: 3 years as a PhD student

Our group and research: You will join a dedicated research team focused on machine learning applications in crystallographic method development and applied crystallography on pharmaceutical systems. The team is part of the research group Pharmaceuticals, Processes and Products at the Department of Pharmacy, and is engaged in the Center for Pharmaceutical Data Science Education. This project involves close collaboration with partners at Durham University (UK) and the MAX IV synchrotron in Lund (Sweden), creating an international research environment. You will work alongside a postdoc and fellow PhD student in Copenhagen, with regular interaction with collaborators in Durham and at MAX IV.

Our department: The mission of the Department of Pharmacy is to advance the pharmaceutical sciences by performing drug-related research and research‑based teaching in topics including pharmaceutical technology and formulation, drug delivery, advanced drug analysis, and clinical and social pharmacy.

Your key tasks as a PhD student at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences are:

• Carrying out an independent research project under supervision
• Completing PhD courses or equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points
• Participating in active research environments, including a stay at another research team, preferably abroad
• Obtaining experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Teaching of undergraduate students in pharmaceutical sciences
• Writing a PhD thesis based on your project

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants: Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. physics, chemistry, nano‑science. Your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years). Other important criteria are:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Grade point average achieved
• Other professional activities
• A curious mind‑set with a strong interest in crystallography and machine learning

Place of employment: The place of employment is at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories and computing capabilities.

Terms of employment: The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week. The position is a fixed‑term position limited to a period of 3 years. The employment is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project to the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences. The PhD study must be completed in accordance with The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme (2025) and the Faculty’s rules on achieving the degree. The PhD student is expected to be affiliated to the graduate programme in pharmaceutical sciences, Drug Research Academy. Salary, pension, and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 31,600 DKK (roughly 4,200 EUR as of April 2026) plus pension.

Application procedure: Your application, in English, must be submitted electronically and must include the following documents in PDF format:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• CV including education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in a language other than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted. As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. Applicants with a Master’s degree from abroad should also enclose a short description of the grading scale used.
• References and recommendations (if possible)

The deadline for applications: 3 June :59 CET. We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not meet the above requirements. The University of Copenhagen welcomes all qualified candidates, regardless of personal background.