Researcher in Microbial Bioinformatics and Forest Plant-Microbe Interactions

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) announces a temporary research position focused on the analysis of microbial communities in forest soil and root systems. The position is linked to ongoing research projects and involves advanced bioinformatic analysis of time series data from boreal forest ecosystems.

The assignment is full-time for 3-6 months and the employment is through Poolia as a consultant.

Your main tasks

The tasks include the analysis of DNA amplicon data from bacteria and fungi collected from roots of Norway spruce and Scots pine, as well as associated soil samples. The analyses aim to identify biologically relevant patterns in microbial communities in relation to seasonal variation, forest type, and experimental treatments.

A central focus of the position is the identification of bacteria that may have a functional role in the interaction between trees and ectomycorrhizal fungi. The work requires an integrated understanding of bioinformatic methodology and ecological interpretation, as well as the ability to link sequence-based results to biological function.

The tasks also include:

• conducting and further developing bioinformatic analyses of complex and long-term datasets
• working in high-performance computing environments
• contributing to method development for selection, isolation, and cultivation of bacteria identified through bioinformatic analysis
• compiling and publishing research results in international scientific journals

Who are you?

The following qualifications are required for the position:

• PhD in mycology, microbiology, or a related field, with documented focus on plant-microbe interactions
• Documented experience in bioinformatic analysis of amplicon sequencing data from soil and root systems
• Experience in analyzing large and complex time series datasets
• Ability to work independently in high-performance computing environments (HPC)
• Documented ability to identify biologically relevant bacteria in complex soil microbial communities
• Experience in developing methods for isolation and cultivation of bacteria for further experimental studies
• Good knowledge of ectomycorrhiza and other biotic interactions between plants and microorganisms
• Proficient in at least one relevant programming or scripting language, such as R or Python
• Excellent communication skills in English, both spoken and written

Personal qualities:

Great emphasis will be placed on the ability to work independently, take responsibility for advanced analyses, and drive research work towards publication in collaboration with other researchers in the project.

About the organization

The recruitment is conducted with the support of Poolia, a certified recruitment and staffing company. Poolia is authorized by the Competence Companies and certified according to ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment).