Doctoral student in Biology

Örebro University and the School of Science and Technology are looking for a doctoral student for the doctoral programme in Biology, concluding with a doctoral degree.
Start date: 1 September 2023.

Project description
This doctoral position is connected to the interdisciplinary research school Planning for water challenges in sustainable community building (WATCH), where seven doctoral students will be included. It is run by the University of Örebro and Karlstad in collaboration with the Swedish Agency for Social Security and Preparedness (MSB), Swedish Water, the county administrations in Örebro and Värmland as well as the municipalities of Örebro and Karlstad. WATCH is financed through the research council Formas within the framework of the strategic agenda for sustainable community building and their investment in research schools for sustainable community building.

The starting point for the research within WATCH is to understand and find solutions to the increasing challenges that arise in the meeting between sustainable social construction strategies such as densification, coastal development and water use, and water challenges in the form of floods, drinking water shortages, and water pollution, etc. The purpose of the research school is to create cross-disciplinary, transformative knowledge that will contribute to supporting various social construction actors at the national, regional, and local levels to meet these challenges. Through a partially joint education program consisting of postgraduate courses, seminars, and conferences, WATCH will contribute to creating interdisciplinary perspectives and links between the various doctoral students' research projects, as well as between academia and practice.

In collaboration with one of the above practitioner organizations, this doctoral project is intended to investigate mechanism-specific and molecular effects caused by contaminated environmental samples. It is also be intended to detect substances in environmental samples that responsible for (eco-)toxicological effects and their adverse outcomes. The applicant should be skilled in molecular biology and have experience in working with zebrafish. We also expect knowledge and skills in ecotoxicology and cell culture testing. A background knowledge of analytical organic chemistry and Effect-directed analyses are of advantage.

The successful candidate should be creative and analytically oriented with a solid theoretical background. Proficiency in written and spoken English is a requirement. General assessment criteria include good interpersonal skills and an ability to cooperate as well as the ability and suitability otherwise required to perform the duties well.

The Research Environment
The research environment Man-Technology-Environment (MTM) at the School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, conducts well-established research within Biogeosphere Dynamics, Environment and Health and Ecosystem Ecology. Our environmental research strives to identify chemical threats and opportunities, providing understanding, sustainable solutions, and information for society and business. We are seeking a Ph.D. candidate who has a degree in environmental toxicology/ecotoxicology or related fields, with an interest in the investigation of adverse effects that are caused by environmental toxins. The Ph.D. candidate should have experience in molecular biology, cell culture, and working with zebrafish. Background knowledge in analytical organic chemistry and Effect-directed analyses are an advantage.

Supervision: As a doctoral student within WATCH, you are assigned a main supervisor and two assistant supervisors, one of whom is from one of the participating organizations.

The programme, doctoral studentship, entry requirements and selection
To see the advertisement in its entirety visit: oru.se/english/career/available-positions/. 

Information
For more information about the programme and the doctoral studentship, contact Steffen Keiter, e-mail: steffen.keiter@oru.se or Magnus Engwall, e-mail: magnus.engwall@oru.se.

Örebro University actively pursues equal opportunities and gender equality as well as a work environment characterised by openness, trust and respect. We value the qualities that diversity adds to our operations.

Application to the programme and for the doctoral studentship
The application is made online. Click the button “Apply” to begin the application procedure.

For the application to be complete, the following electronic documents must be included:


• The form Application for/decision on admission to research studies
• CV
• Certificate on completed higher education courses and study programmes, and if applicable a degree certificate
• Degree project/independent project
• Copies of relevant course/degree certificates and references verifying eligibility and criteria met

As a main rule, application documents and attachments are to be written in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, or English. Certificates and documents in other languages verifying your qualifications and experience must be translated by an authorised translator to Swedish or English. A list of authorised translators can be obtained from Kammarkollegiet (the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency), www.kammarkollegiet.se/engelska/start.

When you apply for admission, you automatically also apply for a doctoral studentship.
More information for applicants will be found on our career site: https://www.oru.se/english/career/available-positions/applicants-and-external-experts/

The application deadline is 2023-05-02. We look forward to receiving your application!

As we have already made our choices in terms of external collaboration partners and marketing efforts for this recruitment process, we decline any contact with recruitment agencies and advertisers.

As directed by the National Archives of Sweden (Riksarkivet), we are required to deposit one file copy of the application documents, excluding publications, for a period of two years after the appointment decision has gained legal force.