Vacant job

Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

The Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC, https://www.upsc.se/), which is a centre of excellence for experimental plant research and forest biotechnology in Northern Sweden. Our mission is to perform excellent and innovative basic research and generate knowledge that benefits forestry, agriculture, environment and society. We work across a wide range of disciplines in plant science, ranging from cell biology to ecophysiology and from basic research to industrial applications. Our common goal is to understand the plants' ability to grow, adapt and acclimate to a changing world and how we can breed better plants.

About the position

The technician is expected to process increment core samples collected as part of the ERC-STG project "TREE-RING GENOMICS" for ring-width data generation. This includes sample management, increment core surfacing, imaging and quality control. Additional duties related to sample collections may be required as needed.

• Preparing wood samples with a microtome
• Managing wood samples (storage of physical samples and digital images and metadata in a PostgreSQL database)
• Quality control (QC) of wood samples
• Working with a microscopy platform with a moving stage
• QC of sample images using Zen software
• Pre-processing of digital images using proprietary software
• Working with a computational cluster (running scripts for processing samples)
• Managing field gear

Your profile

The applicant should have experience with increment core preparation, microscopy, PostgreSQL databases and digitized processing. Very good skills in written and spoken English are obligatory.

About us

UPSC belongs to two universities: the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and Umeå University. About 200 people from more than 40 different nationalities work here. We host some 30 principal investigators, and our researchers have access to state-of-the-art analytical platforms, unique tree germplasm resources and plant growth facilities. We strive for a collaborative work environment and support our scientists throughout all career stages by providing professional training opportunities and individual career mentoring.

Read more about our benefits and working at SLU by visiting: https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/

Location:

Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, SLU, Umeå.

Form of employment:

Indefinite-term employment. SLU may use probationary employment.

Scope:

100%

Start date:

As agreed.

Application:

Please submit your application before the deadline of 24 June 2026. You can submit your application by clicking the button below.

Union representatives:

https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development of sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala; however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 4.5 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.