Researcher

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 Biological and Environmental Sciences (BioEnv) we have teaching and research activities that stretch from the alpine ecosystem, through forests, cultivated land and streams, all the way into the marine environment. In these environments we study different levels of biological organisation from genes, individuals and populations to communities and ecosystems. We work within ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics, and combinations of these fields in order to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The department is placed at two different localities: in the building Natrium located on Medicinareberget in Gothenburg and Kristineberg Center in Fiskebäckskil. The current position is placed at Natrium.

We offer
The University of Gothenburg is a state authority, which means special benefits, more holidays and a great pension. We also offer flexible time contracts to balance private and work life. You can read more about our employment benefits here.

Climate change, drought, and heat waves pose major challenges to global agriculture and food security, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives to conventional farming practices. This project aims to develop biologically based solutions that support resilient crop production.

The project focuses on developing and optimzing a microbial production platform for plant-derived bioactive compounds that improve plant health. These biodegradable compounds will be explored in plant assays as environmentally friendly alternatives for sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.

The project is a collaborative initiative between the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers University of Technology and the Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences Göteborg University. It brings together expertise in microbial production, plant science, and molecular biology in a multidisciplinary research environment.

Duties

The position involves independent experimental research, including designing and conducting experiments, analysing and interpreting data, presenting research findings, and preparing scientific publications. You will be responsible for the day-to-day planning and execution of your research project while contributing to the project's overall objectives.

You will work in an interdisciplinary research environment at the interface of laboratory-based experimentation, microbial engineering, plant science, and computational analysis. The project involves a range of techniques, including microbial cultivation, plant assays, molecular biology methods, construction of genetic libraries, yeast genetic engineering, high-throughput screening, and DNA sequencing.

Qualifications

To be eligible for employment as a researcher, the applicant must have a PhD exam in a relevant subject as outlined in the advertisement. The exam must be finished before closing date for this announcement.

Required qualifications for the employment: PhD degree and >2 year postdoc experience in a biotechnological field with a strong background in synthetic biology. Experience with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a must. The candidate should have strong skills in molecular biology, genetic library design and construction (incl. CRISPRa/i), high throughput screening using FACS and data analysis. The candidate should have experience with microbial cultivation in bioreactors, and analytics including HPLC, MS/MS.

Desirable qualifications for the employment: Experience in scientific writing, including publications, reports, or grant applications, is also considered an advantage, as is experience working in interdisciplinary and collaborative research environments.

We are looking for someone who is analytical, curious, and collaborative. As the project spans two universities and brings together multiple disciplines, you enjoy working with people from different backgrounds, building strong relationships, and communicating effectively across teams. You are motivated by understanding complex challenges, exploring new ideas, and developing practical solutions while contributing to an open and collaborative research environment. Excellent communication skills, written and spoken, in English are necessary since we work in an international environment.

Employment

This is a fixed-term employment position for 11 months, extent 100 %, placed at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. Starting as soon as possible or upon agreement.

Contact information for the post

For further information please contact:

Henrik Aronsson, Professor

Phone: +46 (0)766 184802

Email: henrik.aronsson@bioenv.gu.se

Åsa Arrhenius, Head of Department
Phone: +46 31 786 26 25
Email: asa.arrhenius@bioenv.gu.se

If you have any questions about the employment process, please contact HR at the Department of Biological and Environmental Science, hr@bioenv.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 should be written in English must include:

• A cover letter with the applicant's justification for the application, i.e., that describes how the applicant meets the selection criteria
• A list of qualifications (CV)
• Certificate of PhD exam and other educations of relevance
• Complete list of publications, including submitted and accepted manuscripts
• Employments certificates and other documents deemed important by the applicant

The top ranked candidates will be selected for an interview, which might be held in English and could also be performed digitally.

Applications must be received by: 2026-08-03

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.