Metabolic Engineer (m/f/d) in Hamburg

About Us

Join the COLIPIan family as a Metabolic Engineer and help us develop next-generation microbial CO₂ transformation processes.

At COLIPI, we are developing sustainable bioprocesses that use renewable carbon, including CO₂, to produce valuable microbial lipids and biomaterials.

Our technology combines unconventional CO₂-utilizing microorganisms, metabolic engineering, and advanced fermentation to create sustainable alternatives to conventional lipid production.

We are looking for an experienced scientist who can combine experimental strain engineering with metabolic modelling, systems biology, enzyme engineering, and bioinformatics to improve our production strains systematically.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, design, and optimize metabolic pathways for converting CO₂ into lipids and other microbial storage molecules.
• Develop and implement strain-engineering strategies, including gene knock-outs, overexpression, heterologous pathway expression, promoter engineering, plasmid-based engineering, and CRISPR/Cas-based approaches.
• Establish, curate, and apply genome-scale metabolic models of our unconventional production strains to identify metabolic bottlenecks, predict engineering targets, and guide strain development.
• Select and optimize heterologous enzymes and apply enzyme-engineering approaches to improve enzyme activity, stability, expression, and performance within the host microorganism.
• Analyze and interpret transcriptomics, metabolomics, genomic, and sequencing data to understand cellular physiology and identify new engineering opportunities.
• Apply bioinformatics tools for genome annotation, pathway analysis, sequence comparison, enzyme identification, and promoter/regulatory-element prediction.
• Develop genetic tools and engineering strategies for COLIPI's unconventional CO₂-utilizing microbial strains.
• Plan, execute, and analyze metabolic and genetic engineering experiments and translate results into iterative strain-development strategies.
• Work closely with fermentation and analytical teams to evaluate engineered strains under relevant cultivation and gas-fermentation conditions.

Qualifications

• Ph D in Metabolic Engineering, Synthetic Biology, Systems Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or a related field, ideally combined with relevant academic and/or industry experience.
• Strong background in microbial metabolic engineering, molecular biology, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology.
• Hands‑on experience with strain‑engineering techniques such as knock‑out/overexpression, cloning, heterologous gene expression, CRISPR/Cas, and directed evolution.
• Demonstrated experience with genome‑scale metabolic modelling and constraint‑based metabolic analysis, ideally including model reconstruction or curation and experience with metabolic‑modelling tools such as COBRApy, COBRA Toolbox, Cell Net Analyzer, etc.
• Experience analyzing omics datasets, particularly transcriptomics and metabolomics, using computational and bioinformatics tools.
• Good programming and data‑analysis skills, ideally in Python and/or R.
• Knowledge of enzyme engineering, protein structure‑function relationships, and optimization of heterologous enzymes for activity and stability in thermophilic host microbe.
• Strong understanding of microbial physiology, central carbon metabolism, carbon fixation pathways, metabolic regulation, and cellular redox/cofactor metabolism.
• Familiarity with fermentation processes; experience with gas fermentation, autotrophic organisms, C1 metabolism, or non‑model microorganisms is a strong advantage.
• Experience with lipid/fatty‑acid metabolism or engineering of acetyl‑Co A and malonyl‑Co A pathways is advantageous.
• Ability to work independently, develop scientific strategies, and contribute to building and leading a highly effective strain‑engineering team.
• Legal permit to work in Europe, fluent in English (German B2 advantageous).
• Willingness to embrace startup dynamics and help establish scalable scientific processes for future growth.
• We Offer
• Competitive salary and 28 days of paid holidays
• Steep learning and growth curve
• Laptop and personal safety gear (goggles, coat, shoes) and training
• Be part of an international team, blending academia with passionate startup vibes
• Work on groundbreaking climate action technology with Europe's leading microbial carbon capture experts
• Embrace an open feedback culture, flat hierarchies, and short decision‑making processes
• Access a fully equipped lab, cutting‑edge technology, and ample room for personal development
• Participation in advanced training programs
• Annual performance appraisal meeting with manager, in addition to more frequent feedback and growth meetings
• Location
• Hamburg, Germany

Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the 2nd biggest city and 1st ranked city to live in Germany.

Experience unique maritime charm and blazing nightlife.

Immerse yourself in a city rich in cultural events, museums, and galleries.

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