PhD Student - Solid-State Characterisation & Powder Processability
Category: Education
Location:
Måløv, Capital Region of Denmark, DK
Pharmaceutical science is driven by curiosity, innovation, and bold ideas—and this PhD role is no exception. In collaboration between Novo Nordisk and the University of Copenhagen, you’ll step into a role where you don’t just study solid dosage forms—you help redefine how they’re developed. This is your chance to shape the future of medicine through scientific exploration, creativity, and purpose. Because only by taking untraditional paths can we deliver truly life-changing results.
Your new role
As a PhD Student in the Preformulation and Characterisation team, you will:
- Plan and efficiently conduct systematic studies in the laboratory
- Analyse and visualise complex data sets to uncover meaningful insights
- Collaborate with a cross-functional and highly diverse group of industrial and academic supervisors from Novo Nordisk and University of Copenhagen
- Disseminate your findings within the analytical and/or pharmaceutical field through scientific publications and presentations
Your work will concentrate on understanding how particle engineering influences particle surface characteristics, and how this will affect further the powder processability. You will be working with typical unit operations, such as milling and spray drying, for particle engineering. The main body of the material characterisation will consist of surface energy measurements performed by inverse gas chromatography (iGC). The processability of the obtained powder material will be evaluated by the well-established methods, such as intrinsic dissolution, ring shear tester and instrumented tablet simulator.
The position offers a unique opportunity to get an insight for industry relevant challenges when new drug products and their production unit operations are being developed. You will get an access to state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment both at Novo Nordisk but also at University of Copenhagen. You will receive relevant training needed in the project and supervision of a cross-functional group. Overall, the project aims to obtain knowledge and understanding, which will accelerate the development of new drug products.
Your new department
You will join a dedicated team of 5 scientists and 6 laboratory technicians. The Preformulation and Characterization team is part of the Oral Analytical Development department in Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control (CMC) Analysis & Characterization, which is a sub-division of CMC Product & Process Development. Our team is tasked with performing pre-formulation and solid-state characterization for both small molecules and protein drug substances, intermediates and drug product oral dosage forms for pre-clinical and clinical trials. The Oral Analytical Development department is also responsible for the development and validation of UPLC and dissolution methods for oral dosage forms. We are focused on creating an environment that enables both professional and personal growth for our employees.
Your skills & qualifications
To succeed in this role, you have:
- A master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, chemical engineering, chemistry or related areas
- Interest and passion in working on cross-disciplinary science in pharmaceutical area
- Laboratory experience, especially using various solid-state analytical techniques (e.g., laser diffraction, BET, DSC, DVS, XRPD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy)
- Experience with statistical approaches in data analysis
- Fluent in both written and spoken English
Additionally, experience with one or more of the subjects below will be considered a plus:
- Hands on experience on powder processability characterisation, such as wetting, flow and tabletability
- Knowledge on particle engineering, such as milling or spray drying
- Knowledge on surface energy and experience with iGCT
As a scientist in the making, you bring a proactive and structured mindset, a strong sense of ownership, and a passion for driving scientific progress. You have excellent collaboration and communication skills, thrive in a team-oriented environment, and are motivated by the opportunity to make a real difference. Your curiosity and dedications help you navigate complex challenges and contribute meaningfully to shared goals.
Working at Novo Nordisk
Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with an unconventional spirit, a rare determination, and a constant curiosity. For over 100 years, this unordinary mindset has seen us build a company unlike any other. One where a collective passion for our purpose, mutual respect and a willingness to go beyond what we know delivers extraordinary results.
What we offer
There is, of course, more on offer here than the uniqueness of our culture and the extraordinary results we produce. Being part of a global healthcare company means opportunities to learn and develop are all around us, while our benefits are designed with your career and life stage in mind.
More information
For further information, please contact Specialist Zacharias Brimnes Visby Damholt at +45 30 79 33 37 or Materials Science Specialist Jari Pajander at +45 30 79 35 46.
Deadline
15 August 2025.
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Please note that only online applications will be accepted. Your application must include a cover letter (max. one page) outlining your motivation and qualifications for the project, a full CV, and your Master's degree diploma with transcripts. If your degree is from outside Denmark, please include a brief explanation of the grading scale used. To strengthen your application, you may also include a list of publications and a recommendation letter.
We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.
We’re not your typical healthcare company. In a modern world of quick fixes, we focus on solutions to defeat serious chronic diseases and promote long-term health. Our unordinary mindset is at the heart of everything we do. We seek out new ideas and put people first as we push the boundaries of science, make healthcare more accessible, and treat, prevent, and even cure diseases that affect millions of lives. Because it takes an unordinary approach to drive real, lasting change in health.
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