PhD position to investigate how physical and chemical changes in the plant cell wall are sensed and transduced into growth, differentiation, and stress responses.

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!