Fixed-term

Project description and work tasks We are seeking a motivated PhD student to join the Plant Cell Wall Dynamics Lab, led by Associate Professor Laura Bacete. The successful candidate will investigate how physical and chemical changes in the plant cell wall are sensed and transduced into growth, differentiation, and stress responses. To this end, the student will combine Brillouin microscopy, live-cell biosensors, optogenetic tools, and targeted genetic approaches in Arabidopsis thaliana to characterise mechanochemical signatures and map these to early cell wall integrity (CWI) outputs. The doctoral project is embedded in a broader, collaborative research environment. The student will work closely with experts in optical microscopy, plant defence, and synthetic biology, and will benefit from the extensive infrastructure and scientific community at Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). Participation in national and international collaborations is expected and actively supported. Eligibility  To fulfil the general entry requirements, the applicant must have qualifications equivalent to a completed degree at advanced level (second cycle), or completed course requirements of at least 240 ECTS credits including at least 60 ECTS credits at advanced level, or has otherwise acquired essentially equivalent knowledge within Sweden or abroad. The faculty board may, in the case of a specific applicant, consent to an exemption from the general entry requirements if there are special reasons to do so. (cf. Higher Education Ordinance)  To fulfil the specific entry requirements to be admitted to doctoral studies in Plant Science, the successful candidate must have completed 90 ECTS in Biology or other subjects relevant to the research area, such as Chemistry, Physics, or Computer Science/Bioinformatics. Of these, at least 15 ECTS must be in a subject directly relevant to the research topic and at least 15 ECTS from an individual project course. Good knowledge of English, both written and spoken, is also required.   The requirements for prior knowledge as described above are also considered to be met by those who have otherwise acquired essentially equivalent knowledge.  Qualifications  Required qualifications For this position, we are looking for a person with a strong interest in plant molecular biology and live-cell imaging who is enthusiastic about developing new experimental approaches. We expect the candidate to hold an academic background in Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a closely related field. The following qualifications are required: Demonstrated experience with advanced microscopy, ideally Brillouin microscopy or an equivalent quantitative optical technique. A solid background in plant cell and molecular biology, including proficiency in standard molecular biological and cell biology techniques. Experience working with Arabidopsis thaliana or a comparable model plant system. Very good written and oral English language skills. Meriting qualifications The following qualifications are not required at the point of appointment, but candidates who possess one or more of them will be viewed favourably. We do not expect the selected candidate to be proficient in all of these from the beginning; they should, however, be willing and eager to acquire the relevant techniques over the course of the PhD. Solid working knowledge of cell wall integrity signalling in plants. Experience in RNA isolation from diverse organisms and familiarity with downstream transcriptomic methods (e.g. RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR). Experience with live-cell fluorescence imaging, including confocal microscopy and the use of genetically encoded biosensors (e.g. Ca²⁺ reporters, pH sensors). Knowledge of plant immune responses, in particular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and its intersection with cell wall remodelling. Experience with cell wall biochemistry, including immunolabelling with monoclonal antibodies and/or fluorescent probes targeting pectin or other wall polysaccharides. Experience in protein expression, purification, and/or optogenetics. Skills in computational biology, biological modelling, and/or biostatistics. Involvement in science communication and outreach activities. On a personal level, we are looking for a candidate who can work independently when required whilst also contributing effectively to a team. We would further like you to: Be able to organise and structure your own work. Deliver results according to agreements made. Be proactive and take your own initiative. About the employment The position is intended to result in a doctoral degree. The main task of the PhD student is to pursue their doctoral studies, which include participation in research and postgraduate courses. The duties may include teaching and other departmental work (up to a maximum of 20%). The employment is limited to four years full-time or up to five years when teaching is included. Salary is set in accordance with the established salary ladder for PhD positions. The employment will start during September 2026 or upon agreement. Application You apply through our recruitment system Varbi by July 31, 2026, at the latest. The application should be written in English (preferably) or Swedish and should include: A motivation letter explaining why you are applying for this position and how your background and skills align with the project (maximum 1 page). A research statement discussing the scientific questions you find most compelling in plant cell wall biology, how you have approached or thought about them, and where you would like to take your research in the long term (maximum 1 page). Curriculum vitae. Copies of degree certificates and list of completed university courses and grades Copy of publications (if any) or degree thesis. Contact information for 2-3 references (can also be provided later during the recruitment process). Other documents the applicant wishes to submit Contact If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Laura Bacete (laura.bacete@umu.se). Please direct your enquiries in English. Documents should be sent electronically, in MS Word or PDF format, through the recruitment system. The procedure for recruitment for the position is in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance (chapt. 12, 2 §) and the decision regarding the position cannot be appealed. We look forward to your application! Application Form

Project description Conifer genomes are exceptionally large and rich in transposable elements, yet the functional consequences of TE insertions on gene regulation remain poorly understood. The Con-TEki project aims to understand how TE-derived regulatory elements contribute to gene expression divergence and adaptive responses in conifers. This doctoral project focuses on the development and implementation of approaches for functional validation of regulatory elements in conifer systems. The work will bridge large-scale regulatory genomics with experimental molecular biology to directly test hypotheses generated from genome-wide datasets. The project will involve the integration of genomic data (e.g. chromatin accessibility, gene expression and methylation data) with experimental approaches to validate candidate regulatory elements and gene regulatory mechanisms. Emphasis will be placed on establishing robust and reproducible workflows for functional assays in spruce and pine. Within this framework, the position provides strong opportunities to develop expertise at the interface between experimental molecular biology and bioinformatics. The project will make use of transformation and functional validation platforms available at UPSC, enabling direct testing of candidate regulatory elements in conifer systems. This project is particularly suited to candidates with a strong interest in experimental method development and optimisation. Experience with reporter assays, transient expression systems or genome editing approaches is particularly relevant. Work tasks The doctoral student will be trained to: Develop and implement experimental approaches for functional validation of regulatory elements Perform molecular biology experiments, including nucleic acid extraction and sequencing library preparation Contribute to the generation, processing and interpretation of genome-wide datasets Integrate experimental results with computational analyses Develop reproducible workflows for experimental and analytical procedures Participate in scientific communication through presentations and publications Eligibility  To fulfil the general entry requirements, the applicant must have qualifications equivalent to a completed degree at advanced level (second cycle), or completed course requirements of at least 240 ECTS credits including at least 60 ECTS credits at advanced level, or has otherwise acquired essentially equivalent knowledge within Sweden or abroad. The faculty board may, in the case of a specific applicant, consent to an exemption from the general entry requirements if there are special reasons to do so. (cf. Higher Education Ordinance)  To fulfil the specific entry requirements to be admitted to doctoral studies in Plant Science, the successful candidate must have completed 90 ECTS in Biology or other subjects relevant to the research area, such as Chemistry, Physics, or Computer Science/Bioinformatics. Of these, at least 15 ECTS must be in a subject directly relevant to the research topic and at least 15 ECTS from an individual project course. Good knowledge of English, both written and spoken, is also required.   The requirements for prior knowledge as described above are also considered to be met by those who have otherwise acquired essentially equivalent knowledge.  Qualifications Required qualifications Practical experience of molecular biology techniques Good ability to work experimentally in a structured and reproducible manner Good communication skills in English, both written and spoken Meriting qualifications Experience with high-throughput sequencing methods (e.g. RNA-seq, ATAC-seq or similar) Experience of working with plant material Experience with bioinformatics tools, scripting or data analysis Experience of method development and optimisation About the employment The position is intended to result in a doctoral degree. The main task of the PhD student is to pursue their doctoral studies, which include participation in research and postgraduate courses. The duties can include teaching and other departmental work (up to a maximum of 20%). The employment is limited to four years full-time or up to five years including teaching part-time. Salary is set in accordance with the established salary ladder for PhD position. The expected starting date is October 5, 2026, or according to agreement. Application The application should be written in English (preferably) or Swedish and submitted via Umeå University’s e-recruitment system Varbi. The last application date is July 31, 2026. A complete application should include: A personal letter (max 2 pages) describing your qualifications and motivation for applying for the position Curriculum vitae (CV) Copies of degree certificates and documentation of completed university courses and grades Contact details of 2–3 referees Other documents the applicant wishes to submit Further information For further information, please contact: Professor Nathaniel R. Street, Umeå University, nathaniel.street@umu.se   Application Form

Project description and work tasks We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the DYNAMO project (“Dynamics of Mechanochemical Signals in Plant Cell Walls”) at the Plant Cell Wall Dynamics Lab, led by Assistant Professor Laura Bacete. This project is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Emerging Investigator 2026 in Plant Science, Agriculture and Food Biotechnology). The project investigates how plants sense and interpret the physical and chemical state of their cell walls, and how these wall-state signals govern growth, differentiation, and stress responses. The successful candidate will focus on determining whether wall states propagate across tissues and how this propagation relates to active sensing rather than passive mechanical spread. Optogenetic and inducible genetic tools will be used to generate defined perturbations of pectin remodelling, and Brillouin microscopy combined with live-cell signalling reporters will be used to characterise the tissue-level responses these perturbations elicit. The work is carried out in Arabidopsis thaliana, with selected conditions validated in hybrid aspen, in close collaboration with experts in optical microscopy, plant defence, and synthetic biology. Eligibility and qualifications To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirements must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the appointment decision.  To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organisations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area. The doctoral degree should be in Plant Biology, Biotechnology, Biophysics, or a related field. For this employment, we are looking for a person with a strong interest in plant biology and enthusiasm for developing new experimental approaches. The following qualifications are required: Demonstrated expertise in plant cell wall biology, including knowledge of cell wall composition, remodelling enzymes, and their regulation. Hands-on experience with biochemical characterisation of cell wall proteins, including enzymatic activity assays (e.g. methylesterase or acetylesterase assays). Solid command of molecular and cellular biology techniques, including cloning (e.g. GoldenGate or Gateway), plant transformation, and reporter-line approaches. Experience in protein expression and purification and/or optogenetics, particularly as applied to the control of cell wall synthesis or remodelling enzymes. Experience with confocal microscopy and quantitative image analysis in plant systems. Very good written and oral English language skills. Merits We do not expect the selected candidate to be proficient in all of the following from the outset, but they should be eager to learn the required techniques. The following are considered advantageous: Experience with different model plants, including Arabidopsis thaliana. Familiarity with cell wall integrity signalling pathways, including receptor-like kinase networks or associated downstream cascades. Skills in computational biology, biological modelling, and/or biostatistics. Involvement in science communication and outreach activities. On a personal level, we are looking for a good team player who can also work independently when required. We would like you to: Be able to organise and structure your work. Deliver results according to agreements made. Be proactive and take your own initiative. Be willing to share your knowledge with trainees and junior members of the research group. About the employment This is a full-time position for two years, with a possibility of a maximum one-year extension depending on project’s progression. Salary and employment conditions are set in accordance with Umeå University’s collective agreements. The appointed researcher will receive full support from the PI to develop their own research profile, write grant applications, and follow an individual development plan crafted together with the PI. The employment will start in September 2026 or upon agreement. Application You apply through our recruitment system Varbi no later than 31 July 2026. Documents should be sent electronically, in MS Word or PDF format, through the recruitment system.  The application should be written in English (preferred) or Swedish and should include: A motivation letter (max. 2 pages). A brief research statement (1 page) discussing your research interests (for example: when did you become interested in the field, what knowledge have you gained so far, what research questions you find most interesting, and what your long-term career goals are). CV with full publication list. Certified copies of certificates from higher education. Copy of publications (if any) and doctoral thesis. Contact If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Laura Bacete (laura.bacete@umu.se).  The Department of Plant Physiology values the qualities that an even gender distribution brings to the department, and therefore we particularly encourage women to apply for the position. We look forward to your application! Application Form