Admission to PhD Program in Medical Science in Orthopedics and Hand Surgery

Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University.

Read more about the Department of Surgical Sciences here (#).

This project is part of the EU-funded “Print4Life” Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSCA) doctoral network.

Job Responsibilities

The main task of the PhD candidate is to engage in their doctoral education, which includes participation in research projects as well as doctoral courses. The job responsibilities may also include teaching and other departmental duties, but no more than 20% of the working time.

Being a PhD candidate means independently driving projects within a specific doctoral subject area. You will continuously collaborate with other PhD candidates and researchers to collectively create results within various projects and have one or more supervisors to support you during your doctoral education. However, you will largely work independently, for example in a laboratory environment and with writing articles for scientific journals as well as compiling results for your doctoral thesis. Typically, some form of mid-term seminar is included after about half of the doctoral period.

When you are admitted to the doctoral program, you will be offered employment as a PhD candidate. A PhD position at Uppsala University corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years.

Main Responsibilities in the Project Include

• responsibility for material development, 3D printing, and characterization of scaffolds in accordance with project goals, namely:
• Development and optimization of biomaterials for direct 3D printing, including rheological characterization
• Manufacturing anatomically relevant scaffold structures using extrusion-based 3D printing
• Application of crosslinking and post-processing to improve mechanical and structural properties
• Incorporation of antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics or antimicrobial peptides into scaffolds
• Evaluation of scaffold performance focusing on mechanical, biological, antibacterial, and degradation properties

Training in relevant techniques and methods will be offered as part of the doctoral education.

Qualifications

Master's degree in biomedical engineering, materials science, biotechnology, biology, medical science, or a related field, or other education deemed equivalent to these qualifications. Experience or strong interest in biomaterials, tissue engineering, or additive manufacturing.

We require good oral and written skills in English.

To be eligible as a PhD candidate within MSCA (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions), you must not hold a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment. You must be admitted to a doctoral program. You must also meet the mobility rule, which means you must not have been resident or had your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host country (Sweden) for more than 12 months during the 36 months preceding recruitment (this includes online activities).

Desirable/meritorious

It is meritorious to have documented knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Extrusion-based or other additive manufacturing techniques
• Synthesis of bioprinting materials, including hydrogels
• Rheological and/or mechanical material characterization
• Physical-chemical material characterization using XRD, EDX, or interferometry
• Microscopy and image analysis (e.g., SEM, fluorescence microscopy)
• Antimicrobial testing or microbiological techniques
• Cell biology and molecular biological techniques (e.g., qPCR, ELISA, flow cytometry)

Your application should include

• A short personal letter describing yourself, why you want to pursue a PhD, why you want to obtain a doctoral degree, and why you are suitable for this position
• CV (max 2 pages)
• A certified copy of your master's degree and your course grades
• Copies (or drafts) of your advanced level thesis and other documents, such as publications, that you wish to refer to
• Names and contact details of at least two referees who have agreed to provide references for you, as well as any recommendation letters. It should also be stated what relationship you have had with each referee

The application should be written in English. We will review applications on an ongoing basis and invite for interviews.

About the Employment

The employment is temporary according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. The extent is full-time. Start date 2026-04-01 or by agreement. Place of employment: Uppsala.

PhD candidates employed through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program will receive a salary in accordance with the Marie Curie rules for PhD candidates during the scholarship period (36 months). This means that the gross salary (i.e., after deduction of employer contributions but including employee taxes) is approximately (depending on the exchange rate) 37,000 SEK/month (excluding any family allowance).

During the remaining time of your studies, you will be employed under a regular PhD contract, according to the agreed salary scale for PhD candidates.

Read more about funding for PhD candidates and the local collective agreement for PhD salaries here (#): PhD position - Uppsala University.

Inquiries about the Employment

Inquiries about the employment can be made to Nils Hailer, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).

Welcome with your application no later than December 31, 2025, UFV-PA 2025/3159.

Read the full advertisement on Uppsala University's website.

Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international position. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all 7,600 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of the country's most exciting workplaces.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University here (https://uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/).

The employment may be subject to security clearance. A prerequisite for employment during security clearance is that the applicant is approved.

We kindly decline offers of recruitment and advertising assistance.

Applications are received in Uppsala University's recruitment system.

Union representatives: Saco-S - [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), Seko - [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), ST (OFR/S) - [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])