Researcher in Structural Biotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture

The University of Gothenburg tackles society's challenges with diverse knowledge. 58 000 students and 6800 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

At the Department of Conservation, professional preparatory education and research are conducted with a focus on cultural heritage issues, landscapes and cultural environments, buildings, gardens and objects. Collaboration between the department's various areas of expertise, as well as with the surrounding national and international community, forms an important component of its activities. The subject of conservation brings together expertise within a broad field of knowledge that encompasses the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Research in Conservation has developed within a range of areas and themes. For more information about the Department, go to: Department of Conservation

Duties

Subject areas: Structural biology, biotechnology, microbial physiology, controlled-environment agriculture, sustainable food production

A researcher position is available within the Department of Conservation at the University of Gothenburg to establish a new interdisciplinary research programme investigating structure-guided biological nutrient delivery for sustainable food production.

The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary research group working across microbial ecology, algal biotechnology, fungal biotechnology, hydroponics, aquaponics, microbial protein production. The structural biology programme will complement existing expertise in microbial cultivation, metabolomics, microbiome analysis, nutrient physiology and biotechnology. The position therefore provides a unique opportunity to apply advanced structural biology to commercially relevant challenges in sustainable food production while developing an independent research profile. We are seeking a candidate who is independent and self-motivated; details of the project can be adjusted based on a candidate's skills and interests. The candidate will be expected to lead their project but i) develop and discuss their ideas with team members and the PI; ii) initiate and carry out their work within a collaborative environment; iii) write well-formulated reports and academic articles. The candidate will be working in a multidisciplinary team of aquatic science researchers, engineers and food scientists involving several international research groups, thus good team skills, effective communication in English and the ability to travel are required.

The position will examine how microorganisms regulate micronutrient availability across microalgal cultivation, hydroponics, aquaponics, as well as microbial and fungal biomass production. The successful candidate will establish a research programme aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms responsible for efficient micronutrient delivery for biotechnology applications. The work will integrate structural biology, microbial ecology, metabolomics, microbial biotechnology, and applied food production systems to develop next-generation nutrient delivery technologies for sustainable agriculture. The ultimate objective is to replace inefficient synthetic nutrient media formulations with biologically optimized targeted delivery systems to improve productivity across a wide range of commercial cultivation platforms.

The successful candidate will connect molecular biotechnology with research in aquatic biotechnology, aquaculture, aquaponics, microalgal systems, microbial and fungal production, controlled-environment agriculture, nutrient recovery and circular food systems. The successful candidate will help establish micronutrient transport applications for nutrient delivery across multiple platforms, thus providing the structural foundation for next-generation sustainable food production technologies.

The role combines scientific expertise with responsibility for planning, coordinating, and driving multidisciplinary research projects from concept to delivery. This includes developing and structuring research projects by translating scientific ideas into clear objectives, work plans, priorities, milestones, and experimental strategies, while coordinating multiple parallel activities to ensure that experimental, computational, analytical, and collaborative workstreams remain aligned across objectives.

The role also includes setting research priorities and coordinating project direction, adapting plans in response to scientific results, identifying emerging opportunities and technical challenges, as well as available resources. It requires coordination and management of multidisciplinary teams.

A key component of this position is the interface between academic research and industry, including the coordination of externally funded and collaborative projects requiring translation of research findings towards practical and commercially relevant applications. This includes aligning scientific objectives with partner needs, communicating across academic and industrial environments, and supporting the implementation of novel biotechnology applications from research results.

Responsibilities include planning and coordinating complex research campaigns, monitoring project progress and adjusting research plans where necessary to maintain progress and delivery. The role further involves project management, including supporting other researchers in planning and executing their work, and contributing to strategic directions.

The position requires high-level communication skills to convey results to collaborators, research partners, funding bodies, and industry stakeholders, as well as driving project outputs from research activities and data generation. Expected outputs include research publications, presentations, preparing communication and dissemination materials as well as patent applications. The candidate will work closely with the PI and senior researchers, but will have substantial scope to shape the scientific direction of the molecular biotechnology programme.

Activities include:

• contributing to the scientific direction and development of the molecular biotechnology programme.
• planning and management within multidisciplinary funded research projects.
• developing research plans with regards to milestones, priorities, and experimental strategies.
• coordinating academic-industry collaborations and translating research into practical biotechnology applications.
• identifying funding opportunities and contributing to grant development and applications.
• communicating project progress and results to research partners, funders, and industry.
• driving research outputs, including publications, presentations, technology development, and new project opportunities.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should hold a PhD in structural biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics or a closely related discipline together with demonstrated postdoctoral experience in structure-function relationships of biologically important proteins and a proven leadership driving projects across academia and industry. The successful candidate should demonstrate expertise in several of the following areas:

• extensive experience in structural characterization of proteins using modern structural biology techniques;
• demonstrated expertise in protein-ligand interactions and molecular recognition, particularly where ligand binding induces structural or functional changes in proteins;
• experience investigating protein conformational dynamics using experimental or computational structural approaches;
• expertise in computational structural biology, including AlphaFold-based protein prediction, molecular docking, molecular dynamics and structure-based functional interpretation;
• experience integrating complementary structural biology techniques including cryo-electron microscopy or related methods;
• demonstrated ability to identify biologically relevant ligand-binding sites and relate structural observations to molecular function;
• experience interpreting structural biology in the context of broader biological systems rather than isolated protein structures;
• peer-reviewed publication record demonstrating independence and excellence in structural biology;
• experience working in multidisciplinary and international research projects, including strategic research development and experimental campaigns at major international research infrastructures;
• grant development and proposal writing experience;
• research planning, prioritization, and resource coordination;
• scientific communication, reporting, and dissemination both to a scientific audience and to the general public;
• cross-functional problem solving and project delivery;
• experience working across academia, industry, and international research infrastructures;
• as this project involves management of interdisciplinary research teams, strong interpersonal skills as well as academic excellence are required. The candidate should be collaborative, adaptable, and comfortable working in dynamic, international environments, with experience engaging with diverse scientific networks. Strong communication and teamwork skills are essential, particularly in fostering collaboration across disciplines and building effective connections between academic research and industry.

Additional desirable qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• experience with metalloproteins or iron-binding proteins;
• strong interdisciplinary knowledge of biological and ecological sciences, including plant physiology, molecular biology, zoology, microbiology and ecology;
• familiarity with microbial physiology or microbial metabolites;
• interest in translating molecular discoveries into biotechnology applications;
• experience collaborating across microbiology, plant biology or industrial biotechnology;
• experience with microbial ecology, hydroponics, aquaponics or algal cultivation is not specifically required, but would be considered an asset to the position;
• peer-reviewed publication record demonstrating excellence in structural biology or molecular biotechnology.

Employment

Type of employment: Permanent employment, full-time

Institution: Department of Conservation, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

First day of employment: Nov 1, 2026

Contact information for the post

For more information, please contact Dr. Alyssa Joyce alyssa.joyce@gu.se

Unions

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here: https://www.gu.se/en/work-at-the-university-of-gothenburg/how-to-apply-for-a-position#collective-agreement-and-union-representatives

Application

To apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to create an account in our recruitment system. Submit your application via the University of Gothenburg's recruitment portal by clicking the "Apply" button. It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per the vacancy notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.

The application must include:

• A CV and cover letter that describes how the applicant meets the selection criteria
• Evidence of strong academic writing skills through supporting links to first author peer-reviewed manuscripts, any reports or project/grant proposals written
• If not included on the CV, name and contact details of three referees attached in a file entitled References 'your name'.pdf

If the following items are not evident on the CV, please state clearly in the cover letter (a) your willingness to travel internationally for research periods in collaborating labs (b) evidence of teamwork (c) competence with specific statistical software.

Applications must be received by: 23 September 2026

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden's regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.