Vacant job

Project Description and Responsibilities

We are seeking a motivated PhD student for the Plant Cell Wall Dynamics laboratory, led by University Lecturer Laura Bacete. The successful candidate will investigate how physical and chemical changes in the plant cell wall are perceived and translated into signals that regulate growth, differentiation, and stress responses. To this end, the PhD student will combine Brillouin microscopy, live-cell biosensors, optogenetic tools, and targeted genetic methods in Arabidopsis thaliana to characterize mechanochemical signatures and map them to early outcomes of cell wall integrity (CWI).

The PhD project is embedded in a broader, collaborative research environment. The PhD student will work closely with experts in optical microscopy, plant defense, and synthetic biology, and will benefit from the extensive infrastructure and scientific community at the Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). Participation in national and international collaborations is expected and actively supported.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

Basic eligibility is granted to those who have completed an advanced level degree, fulfilled course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits are at an advanced level, or have otherwise acquired substantially equivalent knowledge within or outside the country. The Faculty Board may grant an exemption from the basic eligibility requirement for an individual applicant if there are special reasons. (HF 7 Chapter 39 §)

To meet the requirement for special eligibility for admission to postgraduate education in plant biology, the applicant must have fulfilled course requirements of at least 90 higher education credits at an advanced level in biology, or other subjects relevant to the research area, e.g., chemistry, physics, or computer science. Of these, at least 15 higher education credits must be from courses directly relevant to the research project, and at least 15 higher education credits from an individual project work. Good knowledge of English, both written and spoken, is also a requirement.

The prerequisites for prior knowledge as stated above are also considered met by those who have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in another manner.

Qualifications

Requirements

For this position, we are looking for a person with a strong interest in plant molecular biology and live-cell imaging, and who is enthusiastic about developing new experimental approaches. We expect you to have an academic background in plant biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, or a closely related field.

The following qualifications are required:

• Documented experience in advanced microscopy, preferably Brillouin microscopy or a comparable quantitative optics-based technique.
• Substantial background in plant-cell and molecular biology, including competence in standardized molecular biological and cell biological techniques.
• Experience working with Arabidopsis thaliana or a comparable plant model system.
• Very good knowledge of English in speech and writing.

Meritorious Qualifications

The following qualifications are not required at the time of employment, but candidates possessing one or more of them will be assessed favorably. We do not expect the selected candidate to be knowledgeable in all of these from the start; however, they should be willing and eager to acquire relevant techniques during the PhD studies.

• Substantial practical knowledge of cell wall integrity signaling in plants.
• Experience with RNA isolation from various organisms and knowledge of 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, particularly pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and its connection to cell wall remodeling.
• Experience in cell wall biochemistry, including immunolabeling with monoclonal antibodies and/or fluorescent probes targeting pectin or other cell wall polysaccharides.
• Experience in protein expression, purification, and/or optogenetics.
• Knowledge of computational biology, biological modeling, and/or biostatistics.
• Participation in science communication and outreach activities.

On a personal level, we are looking for someone who can work independently when required and who also contributes effectively to a team. We further expect you to:

• Be able to organize and structure your own work.
• Deliver results according to agreed terms.
• Be proactive and take initiative.

About the Position

The position aims at a doctoral degree, and the PhD student's main task is to engage in their doctoral education, which includes participation in the aforementioned research project as well as doctoral education courses. Teaching and other departmental duties (maximum 20%) may be included in the duties. The employment is fixed-term for four years full-time or up to five years if teaching part-time. Salary placement is according to the established salary scale for PhD positions. The position starts in September 2026 or as agreed.

Application

You apply via our recruitment system Varbi by July 31, 2026. The application should be written in English (preferred) or Swedish and include:

• A cover 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 important in plant cell wall biology, how you have worked with or thought about them, and where you want to take your research in the long term (maximum 1 page).
• Curriculum vitae.
• Copies of degree certificates and a list of completed university courses with grades.
• Copies of publications (if any) or thesis.
• Contact information for 2-3 references (can also be provided later in the recruitment process).
• Other documents the applicant wishes to submit.

Contact

If you have questions about the position, please contact Laura Bacete ([email protected]). Please ask your questions in English.