Postdoctoral position within microbiology

Department of Animal Nutrition and Management / Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden.
Postdoctoral position within microbiology, focusing on identification of microorganisms and enzymes important for food production from ruminants.
The position is a collaboration between the Department of Animal Nutrition and Management in Uppsala and the Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden in Umeå. Food production with ruminants and forage is a cornerstone of research at SLU. The entire value chain, from the fodder crop in the field to the final dairy product, is dependent on the microbiota.

New research methods in molecular biology have great potential to increase the understanding of microbiological processes in the production chain and contribute to the development of a competitive and sustainable food production. Although ruminants have a unique ability to convert plant material into food, in practice fiber utilization is far from optimal and there is potential for improvements. If it is possible to develop new microbial treatments of heavily lignified plant fiber, which improves the feed value, then it can be of great importance for the possibility to conduct sustainable food production. Similarly, metabolomic methods can be used to map changes in the enzyme system for fiber breakdown when methane inhibitors are included in the ration. The possibility of using experimentally promising inhibitors in practice depends on the fact that fiber utilization is not then simultaneously impaired by the additives.

The production of aged hard cheese, which is a premium product in the Swedish dairy sector, requires the right quality milk, even with regard to the composition of the milk microbiota. The microbiota of the forage crop as well as the microbiota present in each subsequent step can have a major impact on the quality of the final cheese, for both industry and consumer. Using molecular methods, it is possible to identify microbiological processes in the various stages of cheese production.

Duties:
You will mainly work in ongoing projects together with researchers and doctoral students at SLU. Using both cultivation-based and molecular methods, you identify and quantify microbes and their activities in the various stages of milk production.

Projects include:

• To characterize fibrolytic activity in microorganisms. The purpose is to identify enzymes that can be used to pre-treat heavily lignified fiber prior to feeding, and to identify any changes in the rumen's fiber breakdown system when methane inhibitors are fed.
• To study the effect of different microbes and their activity along the various stages of the production chain, from the fodder crop and on to the final quality of cheese and other dairy products.
• Sampling and bioinformatic analysis (including library construction).

 

Qualifications:
We are looking for a person with a doctorate in microbiology, specializing in molecular methods, alternatively a doctorate in molecular biology or equivalent, with experience in transcriptomics and amplicon sequencing.


• High levels of spoken and written English.
• You should be able to independently plan, conduct and evaluate experiments in the laboratory and in the field and have very good cooperative ability.
• Personal skills and competences are an important part of the evaluation.
• The position is intended for a junior researcher and we are primarily looking for people who have completed a doctorate a maximum of three years ago.

 
Place of work:
Uppsala and Umeå

Form of employment:
Temporary employment for 24 months.

Extent:
100 %

Starting date:
On August 1, 2020, or by agreement.

Application:
Via the application button below no later than June 21, 2020.

Union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/

 



The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) develops the understanding and sustainable use and management of biological natural resources. The university ranks well internationally within its subject areas. SLU is a research-intensive university that also offers unique degree programmes in for example rural development and natural resource management, environmental economics, animal science and landscape architecture.

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 in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala.

www.slu.se

SLU is an equal opportunity employer.