Postdoc in microbial ecology

Department of forest mycology and plant pathology
A postdoc position in microbial ecology is available at the Department of forest mycology and plant pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala. The department offers a dynamic and international research environment comprising experts who conduct fundamental and applied research on plant-microbe interactions, mycology, microbial ecology and evolution, as well as biodiversity. Central themes are forest and plant pathology, and nutrient and carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Resources within the department include a well-equipped molecular ecology research facility and high-performance computing grid with in-house technical support.

Description
This position is part of a larger research program aiming to challenge and increase the current understanding of nitrogen cycling and the mechanisms controlling availability and losses of nitrogen, including emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.

The postdoc will perform research on functional community ecology of microorganisms involved in nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. The central theme is to examine the interplay between organisms and nitrogen cyling pathways. The work primarily involves bioinformatic analyses of soil metagenomes and genomes, and development of molecular markers for specific functions. Experimental work will also be conducted in addition to assisting in supervision of students. Writing scientific publications in collaboration with the team and collaborators, and communicating research is an essential part of the work.

The postdoc will work within the Soil Microbiology group, an internationally recognized and well-integrated research team working in the areas of evolution, ecology and genomics of nitrogen cycling microorganisms and also exploring how to apply this knowledge in sustainable agricultural and environmental engineering.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/

Your qualifications
We are looking for a candidate that is highly motivated, organized and inquisitive, and interested in academic research. You should like to work in teams and contribute positively to the development of the research environment.

A PhD degree in biology or microbiology, preferably microbial ecology or another relevant subject is required. The candidate should have documented experience in bioinformatics and experience with analyses of metagenomes and genomes. Good knowledge in statistics is needed and familiarity with coding/scripting lanaguanges and database management are merits. Experience with experimental work and molecular ecology methods are merits.

The applicant should have documented capabilities of autonomous scientific research work and skills in writing scientific publications. The working language is English and excellent communication skills in English orally and in writing are required.

A postdoctoral position is a qualifying appointment for junior researchers, intended primarily for those who have obtained a doctorate degree within the past three years.

Place of work:
Uppsala, Sweden

Anställningsform:
Fixed term employment of 24 months, with the possibility of extension

Extent:
100%

Starting date:
January 2025 or by agreement.

Application:
Click the “Apply” button below to submit your application. The deadline is 2024-11-04

Interested applicants should submit the following: 1) Cover letter describing your motivation for this position, research interests and relevant experience; 2) CV, including the date of PhD defense, list of published work, and names and contact information for two personal references; 3) Copies of transcripts of academic records, and a link to/copy of doctoral thesis; 4) Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport’s information page containing their photograph and personal details.

Academic union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

 


The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden.

SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.