Postdoctoral position, Evolution of floral microbiomes

Department of Plant Biology
The research of the department focusses on plants, but other organisms such as virus, bacteria, fungi, insects and yeast cells are also studied. Our main areas or research are: the interaction between plants and microorganisms, and other forms of stress; biotechnology and metabolic engineering; growth and development of plants; the regulation of gene expression; population genetics, genome analysis and the development of breeding systems. Species in use are model organisms such as Arabidopsis thaliana, Physcomitrella, tobacco and yeast, and crops such as rapeseed, basket willow (Salix), potato, barley, rye, wheat and cassava.  

The department is responsible for basic courses and advanced courses in general and molecular genetics, gene technology, cell biology, plant physiology, gene expression, plant breeding, plant biochemistry and biotechnology, molecular interactions between plants and pathogens. Besides, the department contributes to various other biology courses together with other departments. The courses are part of the masters programs in biotechnology and natural resources, and the programs for students in agriculture and landscape architecture, but most courses are open for external students as well.

The working atmosphere is highly international and offers exciting opportunities for scientific exchange. Uppsala is a lively university city located close to Stockholm (40 minutes by train) and Stockholm's main international airport (20 minutes by train).

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:
A postdoctoral position is available at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden, to study the relevance of floral microbiome for plant reproduction. The project will use a combination of microbiomics and plant genetics to understand the contribution of the floral microbiome to plant reproduction and pollinator health. The position is funded by a project grant from FORMAS for an initial period of two years.

The successful applicant will be hosted by the group of Adrien Sicard in the Department of Plant Biology at Swedish Agricultural University in the Ultuna Campus, Uppsala. The working atmosphere is highly international and offers exciting opportunities for scientific exchange. Uppsala is a lively university city located close to Stockholm (40 minutes by train) and Stockholm's main international airport (20 minutes by train).

Qualifications:
Candidates are required to:

-hold a PhD degree in life science with relevant research experience in plant genetics, microbial ecology and/or bioinformatics.

- have a strong background in genomics and molecular biology.

- have prior experience with computational methods for the analyses of biological sequence data and preferably for microbiome analyses.

- have basic molecular biology skills including nucleic acid isolation, library preparation, protocol optimization, bacterial growth assay and sterile techniques.

- strong organization and record-keeping skills to store and analyze data

- excellent English communication and writing skills to prevent results in groups meeting and conferences and publish results.

- have demonstrated interpersonal skills to collaborate within a scientific interdisciplinary research team.

Candidates should also be highly motivated, creative and have the ability to take initiative. Prior practical experience in plant quantitative genetics, manipulating insect pollinators and/or field experiments are also assets.

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:
Uppsala.

Form of employment:
Temporary employment 24 months, with the possibility of extension.

Extent:
100%.

Starting date:
According to agreement.

Application:
We welcome your application no later than 2023-07-21, use the button below.
Applications must contain (1) CV with full publication list, (2) a description of research experiences, (3) a copy of the PhD diploma (in swedish or english), (4) contact information of two to three referees.

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.