Vacant job

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The goal of our department is to promote good animal husbandry and animal welfare, as well as sustainable food production with high product quality, through research and education on animals with a focus on feed and nutrition, care and environment, ethology and animal ethics, animal welfare, and animal protection. We are approximately 125 employees working in Uppsala, Skara, Umeå, and Gothenburg.

As a doctoral student, you will be in a creative and developmental environment with opportunities for networking with both industry and international contacts.

More information about the department: https://www.slu.se/institutioner/institutionen-for-tillampad-husdjursvetenskap-och-valfard/ (https://www.slu.se/institutioner/institutionen-for-tillampad-husdjursvetenskap-och-valfard/)

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/ (https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/)

Research Project: Sleep and Animal Welfare – Focusing on the Interpretation of Low-Activation States in Pigs

Doctoral Subject: Animal Science

Description of Content:

Sleep is a crucial, yet largely unexplored, natural behavior in domestic pigs. This project investigates whether pigs – which are kept in large numbers worldwide and spend longer periods in low-activation states – can be reliably distinguished as being in healthy sleep compared to drowsiness, boredom, or depression-like states.

We intend to explore new methods, successfully used on humans, to monitor wakefulness and sleep stages in moving pigs. By integrating sensor data and behavioral observations, the goal is to identify patterns and indicators of sleep and wakefulness in domestic pigs during passive periods.

We are now seeking a doctoral student who, within the project, will investigate:

• sleep patterns and circadian rhythms in growing pigs raised for slaughter.
• pigs' ability to habituate and be actively trained to carry sensor units adapted from humans to pig ears.
• wakefulness and sleep stages based on behavioral data and sensor data from moving pigs under low-stress conditions.
• effects of barren versus enriched housing on pigs' sleep and welfare.

You will gain practical experience in behavioral studies, animal welfare science, and innovative methods for data collection, within the framework of a supportive and collaborative research group.

The position is located at the Department of Animal Environment and Health (THV) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala. Practical experiments with pigs are conducted at SLU's research facility Lövsta Agricultural Research and supplemented with data from other locations.

Join us in groundbreaking research for increased understanding of animals. Your research can contribute to improved welfare and healthier conditions, as well as a more ethical and sustainable pig production globally.

Qualifications:

You applying should have:

• a degree in biology, veterinary medicine, agronomy, animal science, or a related field with a focus on farm animal behavior and welfare.
• interest in and/or experience with animal behavior, experimental studies, statistics, and computer-based data analysis.
• good ability to communicate in English, both orally and in writing.

If you also have documented experience working with animals and sensor data, this is highly meritorious.

As a person, you are:

• curious, driven, solution-oriented, and engaged in tackling real challenges in animal welfare.
• proactive and practical – comfortable working with animals and technical equipment in a research environment.
• analytical and meticulous – ready to delve into data, patterns, and problem-solving.
• collaborative and flexible – able to work with colleagues in Sweden and internationally, and willing to travel for research purposes.

Location:

Uppsala

Employment Type:

Employment as a doctoral student (4-year education)

Extent:

100 %

Start Date:

As soon as possible, or by agreement.

Application

Welcome to submit your application via the application button no later than 2026-04-13.

To be eligible for doctoral education, a completed advanced degree or at least four years of full-time studies, of which at least one year at an advanced level, is required.

Selection among eligible applicants is based on: written application including CV; thesis, copies of degree certificates and transcripts from previous studies at basic and advanced levels at a university or college, two personal references, English language skills. More information on requirements for English language skills is available at the following page: https://www.slu.se/utbildning/program-kurser/forskarutbildning/att-bli-doktorand/ (https://www.slu.se/utbildning/program-kurser/forskarutbildning/att-bli-doktorand/)

Note that applicants called for an interview must submit certified copies of degree certificates, or equivalent, and transcripts from previous studies at basic and advanced levels at a university or college, and that applicants with foreign citizenship must also submit a certified copy of the page in the passport containing the photo and personal information.

Read more about SLU's doctoral education at https://www.slu.se/utbildning/studera/forskarutbildning/ (https://www.slu.se/utbildning/studera/forskarutbildning/)

Union Contact Persons:

https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/ (https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/)