DTU Energy and the Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery (CAPeX, www.capex.dtu.dk) are looking for a development engineer or experienced lab technician for the lab automation team in DTU Energy and CAPeX, which is responsible for the development and implementation of innovative and state-of-the-art automated (robotic) solutions for lab and lab-related processes, enabling and enhancing our R&D and operational processes, in the development of self-driving laboratories for design, development and testing of materials and cells for electrochemical energy conversion and storage, e.g., sustainable batteries and materials for Power2X.
We seek an experienced and skilled mechatronics/robotics engineer to join this innovative team and play a critical role in developing, implementing, and optimizing specialized automated platforms and devices. You will work closely with your lab automation team members, colleagues in CAPeX, and relevant sections at DTU Energy, and preferably share their passion for science, innovation and independent exploration. You collaborate with external specialized engineering companies to reach your goals.
The job
You will be involved in various research and development projects around automating and accelerating the discovery, synthesis, and characterization of new materials for Power2X and sustainable batteries. The work will focus on the automation of the synthesis and characterization of the new materials, where the key focus is accelerating the traditional and manual processes that are slow and cumbersome. Such automation is often achieved by reimagining the standard procedures and techniques to develop more efficient protocols, hardware, and software tuned for high-throughput synthesis and characterization.
We aim to develop custom-made hardware using off-the-shelf components and in-house software to achieve automation that is easy to customize and extend as the needs arise. You will design and develop custom electronic solutions where needed, including schematic capture, PCB layout, component selection, and firmware development for microcontrollers. Prototyping, CAD development of mechanical solutions, testing, debugging, and iterative refinement of embedded systems are expected parts of the workflow Furthermore, you will be involved in state-of-the-art research projects around developing key materials that enable green transition. There will be plenty of room for you to use your creativity to create unique and powerful solutions that empower current and future generations of scientists to combat climate change. You will be working in a dynamic and multithreaded environment, and in close collaboration with students, scientists, and lab technicians in the teams of the projects in which you take part.
The position involves hands-on machine building and electrical engineering work, e.g. mechanical assembly of aluminum profile frames and robotic platforms, integration of motion systems (gantries, stepper/servo motors, linear actuators), cabinet wiring, and commissioning of custom-built systems. The position spans the full engineering cycle from concept and CAD design to physical build, integration, and validation in the laboratory environment. You should be comfortable working both at the workbench with tools and instruments and at the computer with CAD, control software, and data acquisition systems.
As a development engineer, you will also set up and commission new equipment and develop APIs. Communication with external suppliers and service agents will also be a part of your work. You will also be responsible for the maintenance of some of our equipment and training others to use the equipment.
Our expectations of you
You should have:
- An MSc or PhD in Automation Engineering (Robotics, Mechatronics, or related field)
- Experience in machine building, incl. conceptualizing, designing, developing, and implementing robotic/automated systems within a production environment
- Knowledgeable in analyzing mechanical and electrical designs and suggesting enhancements.
You should further have:
- Excellent communication skills in English, understanding Danish, and being willing to learn
- Problem-solving skills and an entrepreneurial attitude with a go-to attitude
- Ability to work independently and to plan and carry out complicated tasks
- Ability to be a part of a dynamical multi-disciplinary department and network with project partners and international collaborators
- Experienced in one or more of the following areas:
- Gantry systems, stepper motors & drivers
- Sensors and applied integration, PCB design, and microcontrollers
- Python programming and Arduino/ESP32 systems
- CAD design in KiCAD, OnShape or Autodesk Fusion 360
- Robotics arms and mobile manipulators
- Auto-loading or conveyer belt systems
- Embedded firmware development in C/C++ for microcontrollers
- 3D printing, CNC, or laser cutting
- REST API (Application Programming Interface) development
- Experience with wet lab, chemical risk assessments
- Experience with electrochemical devices
The position involves some practical laboratory and workshop work, including physical assembly and modification of equipment.
What we offer in return
You will join the Section for Autonomous Materials Discovery at DTU Energy and work closely with the CAPeX Pioneer Center. We offer a collaborative environment that spans computational and experimental materials science, AI/ML and robotics, with access to European partners, large‑scale facilities and HPC.
Section for Autonomous Materials Discovery
The section for Autonomous Materials Discovery focuses on developing methods, tools, and hardware that accelerate the pace of material discovery for energy conversion and storage applications. You will work with around 40 colleagues with diverse backgrounds in computational and experimental science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. We work with our colleagues across the department on various projects related to sustainable energy materials.
The Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery
The Pioneer Center unites leading Power2X experts from five Danish and three international universities in conducting fundamental strategic research and delivering transformative breakthroughs across scientific disciplines, methods, and sustainable and scalable materials discovery and development. By building upon recent advances in complementary fields like computational materials design, operando characterization, and scalable materials synthesis, as well as autonomous robotics, digital twins, AI, and machine learning, CAPeX will reinvent how we invent new sustainable materials for Power2X (www.capex.dtu.dk).
Salary and appointment terms
The employment is a permanent full-time position (37 hours per week), and it will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The salary will be agreed upon with the relevant union.
The starting date is 1 August 2026 or as soon as possible – according to mutual agreement.
The workplace is DTU Lyngby Campus, North of Copenhagen.
Application and contact
Please submit your online application no later than 15 May 2026 (23:59 Danish time)
.
Open the “Apply now” link, fill out the form and attach:
- Your CV
- Your motivated application
- Exam certificates
Please prepare one PDF file containing all this material.
If you would like additional information about the position, please contact the Director of CAPeX, Prof. Tejs Vegge at teve@dtu.dk
or Head of Section, Prof. Ivano Castelli ivca@dtu.dk
.
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.
The Department of Energy Conversion and Storage (DTU Energy)
focuses on research and development of functional materials, components, and systems for sustainable energy technologies. The technologies include fuel cells, electrolysis, power-to-x, batteries, and carbon capture. The research is based on strong competences on electrochemistry, atomic scale and multi-physics modelling, autonomous materials discovery, materials processing, and structural analyses. We also focus on educating engineering students at all levels, ranging from BSc, MSc, PhD to lifelong learning students. We have about 300 dedicated employees. Read more about us at
www.energy.dtu.dk
.
DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829
DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.