PostDoc in regulation of tuber initiation and development in potato

Department of Plant Breeding
SLU’s Department of Plant Breeding (VF), located in Alnarp (near Lund and Malmö, in Skåne, southern Sweden), focuses on research, education and innovation work of strategic importance for a sustainable and profitable cultivation of crops for production of plant-based food, feed and industrial products in a changing climate.  The Department is recognized as a multidisciplinary, innovative, and creative research institute working on current and future challenges. It comprises about 100 staff and co-workers that includes professors, docents, researchers, postdocs, PhD-students and support staff and is organized in three divisions, namely, Plant Breeding, Plant Biotechnology, and Plant Product Quality. The research efforts include strategic as well as applied research. VF uses a wide range of techniques –from field experiments and characterisation of agricultural biodiversity to genetics, genomics, biotechnology, biochemistry, physical chemistry, physiology, and modelling. As an integral part of the activities, the department also run two public plant breeding programs in apples and potatoes.

We are now looking for a qualified candidate for a PostDoc position for 2 years at the Division of Plant Biotechnology.

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/

Duties:
The research of the PostDoc position will be focused on the adaptation of crops to northern geographical conditions and the development of tailored genetic variation. Principally the research will concern potato, where the basic genetic factors governing tuber initiation and sink development will be studied and edited. The genetic variation will be introduced using genome editing and consequences be studied regarding tuber setting under different conditions including links to sink development and starch deposition. The work will include molecular biology and biochemical methods as well as tissue culture and genome editing in potato.

The position can also concern supervision of undergraduate and graduate students in advanced experiments related to the conducted research.

Qualifications:
We are looking for a motivated candidate with a doctoral degree in biology, biotechnology or molecular biology. Previous practical experience of plant research and molecular biology is a requirement as is proficiency in spoken and written English. Earlier work with genetic regulation on plant development processes and starch metabolism, genetic regulation, genome editing and growing plants under controlled conditions is meritorious.

Special emphasis is placed on the personal characteristics of the applicant. The candidate must be analytical and accurate, and have a good ability to work independently and in collaboration with others within given time frames.

As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions for junior researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates with a doctoral degree that is three years old at most.

Place of work:
Alnarp

Form of employment:
Temporary employment, 24 months with possibility for extension

Extent:
100%

Starting date:
November 1st, 2022

Application:
We welcome your application no later than 2022-08-31, use the button below.

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



The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a world-class international university with research, education and environmental assessment within the sciences for sustainable life. Its principal sites are in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, but activities are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks and educational establishments throughout Sweden. We bring together people who have different perspectives, but they all have one and the same goal: to create the best conditions for a sustainable, thriving and better world.

SLU has just over 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and a turnover of SEK 3 billion. The university has invested heavily in a modern, attractive environment on its campuses.

www.slu.se