UPSC is a highly dynamic institute with around 200 employees, 30 principal investigators and about 10 associated principal investigators. Approximately half of our staff is non-Swedish and the working language is English. We recruit researchers from all over the world. More than 40 nations are represented at UPSC. Post-doctoral fellows have the most diverse nationalities, but also our PIs, graduate and undergraduate students represent many different nations.
Are you interested in joining us? Please have a look below for currently open job opportunities. You are also always welcome to contact our principal investigators directly if you are interested in working with them.
The Department of Plant Physiology at Umeå University that is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre invites applicants for a PhD position in plant science to join the research group of Stephan Wenkel. The expected starting date is May 1st, 2025 or according to agreement.
Last day to apply: 31 January 2025
Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC) is one of the strongest research environments for basic plant research in Europe. Research at UPSC covers a wide range of disciplines in plant biology including ecology, computational biology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology.
Project description
This doctoral project focuses on exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying plant development, with particular emphasis on symmetry-breaking processes in flowers. Symmetry breaking is a fundamental biological phenomenon where symmetrical structures develop into complex, specialized forms. This process is crucial in multicellular organisms and plays a central role in shaping the diversity of plant and animal forms. The research combines experimental and computational approaches, leveraging advanced techniques such as genomics, proteomics, genome editing, and protein engineering. The project will focus on identifying and characterizing key molecular regulators, including microProteins, that control flower development. The PhD student will collaborate closely with mathematical modelers in biology and functional genomics experts to develop predictive models and derive insights from large-scale datasets.
The Department of Plant Physiology at Umeå University that is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre seeks to fill one postdoctoral position who will work in Stephan Wenkel’s research group on a project aimed at modulating flower development. The employment is full-time for two years with access on May 1st 2025 or according to agreement.
Last day to apply: 31 January 2025
Project description and working tasks
We are announcing an opening for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join a dynamic, interdisciplinary project at the forefront of plant biology and bioengineering (for more information please visit resydeproject.org). This two-year position (with the possibility of a one-year extension) will focus on exploring and engineering the molecular mechanisms underlying plant development, with an emphasis on symmetry-breaking processes in flowers. Symmetry breaking refers to the pivotal biological phenomenon by which initially symmetrical structures develop into complex, specialized forms - an essential process in both plant and animal development. This project leverages advanced sequencing, proteomics, genome editing, and protein engineering tools to uncover how molecular players, such as microProteins, regulate developmental pathways.
The postdoctoral scholarship will be placed at the Department of Plant Physiology (Umeå University), that is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre. We seek a highly motivated candidate for the project “Understanding the Role of the CSN5B subunit during Adventitious Root Development” in Professor Catherine Bellini's research group.
The Kempe foundation funds this two-year postdoctoral scholarship. The scholarship amounts to 360 000 SEK per year. The scholarship is not subject to tax. The Kempe foundation also funds 100 000 SEK for running costs. The PI covers the project's additional running costs. The scholarship refers to full-time studies for two years, starting 1 May 2025 or according to agreement.
Last day to apply: 17 February 2025
Project description
Plants exhibit a regenerative capacity widely exploited in agriculture, where elite genotypes are vegetatively propagated via stem cuttings. This method is economically significant for forest trees as a cost-effective way to propagate elite clones. A critical factor for successful propagation is the development of adventitious roots (AR). We have identified regulatory genes controlling AR development, which function at the intersection of light and three major plant hormone signaling pathways in Arabidopsis. These genes include subunits of the evolutionarily conserved COP9 signalosome (CSN) complex, essential for protein degradation. CSN plays crucial roles in the cell cycle and cell fate control in both animals and plants. This project focuses on understanding the role of subunit 5 of the CSN complex, which is involved in protein degradation and hormone signaling pathways. In Arabidopsis, subunit 5 (CSN5) is duplicated. While CSN5A's function is well-established, CSN5B's role remains unclear. We recently identified proteins interacting with CSN5B, and this project aims to confirm these interactions and analyze their function in the context of AR development.
We are seeking an Assistant Professor in Biodiversity Studies to join Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC) and explore the links between biodiversity and plant physiological processes, using advanced techniques like eDNA and metagenomics. This six-year, tenure-track position offers the opportunity for promotion to a permanent associate professorship and is part of the WIFORCE initiative that is supported by the Wallenberg Foundation. The position will be placed at the Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, that is part of UPSC.
Application deadline: 18 February 2025
We are now opening an Assistant Professor position in Biodiversity studies. We are looking for a scientist who works with plants/forest trees and their associated biodiversity and who can link biodiversity data to plant physiological processes. Use your experties with approaches including eDNA, amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, or metatranscriptomics on our genomics/bioinformatics and molecular resources and help explaining e.g. climate change impacts on forest ecosystems at a molecular level!
The position is a part of the Swedish research initiative WIFORCE that is supported by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Focussing on the critical role of forest ecosystems in climate change, this coherent basic science research program addresses large and complex issues and develops new analytical tools to sustainably use and safeguard forest biodiversity. In the frame of the programme, more than fifty PhD students and five new group leaders will be hired.
A 2-year postdoctoral stipend is available in Stéphanie Robert's research group at Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). The postdoc is going to be placed at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, that is part of UPSC, and will join the project "Decoding Positional Signals: Unraveling the Mechanisms behind Cell Fate Determination" that is funded by the Kempe foundation.
Last day to apply: 20 February 2025
Project description
This project aims to understand how positional information controls cell fate determination in plants, specifically focusing on the role of physical and mechanical signals in this process. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system, particularly the differentiation of root epidermal cells into hair and non-hair cells, this project will investigate how positional information is generated, perceived, and transduced. Key questions include how distinct cell identities are established based on position, and how mechanical cues, in addition to molecular pathways, influence these decisions. The work plan involves single-cell RNA sequencing approach through which we aim to understand the signaling of the mechanics in Arabidopsis.
A position as a group leader (principal investigator) is available in the field of wood biology at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Biology, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå. The Department is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC) which is a centre of excellence for experimental plant research and forest biotechnology.
Last day to apply: 28 February 2025
The Research Environment at UPSC
UPSC hosts several large research grants from the European Research Council, Wallenberg Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Swedish Research Council. State-of-the art infrastructure consists of facilities for plant growth, microscopy, bioinformatics, metabolomics and photosynthesis. Work within wood biology is facilitated by automatic phenotyping platform of trees, tree transformation platform, biopolymer analytical platform and atomic force microscopy. Easy access to several other technologies, such as biochemical imaging, cryo electron microscopy, small molecule screening, and vibrational spectroscopy, is facilitated by the Chemical Biological Centre.
Research area
The planned research topic of the applicant should focus on a specific aspect of wood formation, such as wood analytical chemistry, genetics and genomics, growth and development, or interactions with the surrounding environment.
A 2-year postdoctoral stipend funded by Kempestiftelserna is available in M Rosario García-Gil's research group at Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). The postdoc is going to be placed at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, that is part of UPSC.
Last day to apply: 28 February 2025
Background
Sustainable forestry is a cornerstone of the transition to a post-carbon economy, with forests playing a critical role as a source of sustainable biomass. However, the increasing demand for biomass is being challenged by the negative impacts of climate change on Boreal Forest productivity and biodiversity. This highlights the urgent need to evaluate whether forests can adapt to the various biotic and abiotic stresses imposed by climate change. The adaptive capacity of forests to respond to these challenges largely depends on the diversity they harbor, as natural forests serve as vital reservoirs of diversity.
A PhD position is available in Stéphanie Robert's research group at Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). The PhD student is going to be placed at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, that is part of UPSC.
Last day to apply: 28 February 2025
Project description
The apical hook is a temporary organ structure that forms at the tip of the stem (hypocotyl) in darkness, aiding the germinating seedling as it emerges through the soil. Apical hook formation serves as an excellent model to study plant morphogenesis, as it involves distinct phases of growth promotion and inhibition. The phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is central to plant morphogenesis. This project focuses on investigating the modulation of auxin's spatiotemporal distribution in response to mechanochemical signals during development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The research will utilize a range of approaches, including molecular biology techniques, cell biology methods (such as confocal and electron microscopy), physiological studies and genetic analysis.
https://www.upsc.se/undergraduate/1430-undergraduate-education.html
UPSC group leaders: https://www.upsc.se/research/research-groups.html
UPSC associated group leaders: https://www.upsc.se/research/associated-research-groups.html