A postdoctoral scholarship is available at Umeå Plant Science Center (www.upsc.se) in the group of Rishikesh Bhalerao. We are looking for a highly motivated candidate, to work on a project aimed at understanding how perennial plants decode fluctuating environmental information to optimize seasonal development under climate change.
Last day to apply: 1 July 2026
Research vision
Trees must continuously integrate noisy and changing environmental signals to make robust developmental decisions such as growth cessation, bud dormancy, dormancy release, and spring bud break. Understanding how these processes are controlled is becoming increasingly important in the context of rapid climate change.
The Bhalerao laboratory investigates the molecular, cellular, and systems-level mechanisms through which perennial plants sense and process seasonal information. The successful candidate will contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at dissecting how temperature cues interact to regulate adaptive developmental transitions in trees using genetical, cell biological and quantitative approaches.
What we offer
- Opportunity to work on fundamental questions in plant climate adaptation
- Access to world-class plant science infrastructure and collaborative networks
- Highly interdisciplinary and international research environment
- Scientific independence and opportunities for high-impact publications
- Supportive mentoring and career development
- Excellent quality of life in Umeå, Sweden
Employment details
- Full-time postdoctoral scholarship
- Duration: 2 years
- Location: Umeå, Sweden
- Start date: Flexible
Candidate profile
We are seeking highly motivated candidates with a strong interest in plant developmental biology, environmental signalling, quantitative biology. Knowledge of mathematical modelling is advantageous.
Requirements
Applicants should have:
- A PhD in plant biology, molecular biology, computational biology, biotechnology, genetics, or a related field
- A strong publication record
- Experience in one or more of the following:
- Molecular genetics
- Genomics/transcriptomics (spatial and/or single cell sequencing)
- Microscopy and cell biology
- Excellent written and spoken English skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment
It should be noted that Ph. D should not be older than 2 years from the start date.
Application
The applications should include:
- Cover letter describing research interests and motivation
- Curriculum vitae including publication list
- Summary of previous research achievements
- Contact information for 2–3 references
Applications should be submitted as a single PDF file by email to
Contact
If you have any question, please contact Rishikesh Bhalerao (
About the Research Environment at UPSC
The Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), where the position will be located, is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). UPSC 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 reaching 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.
UPSC belongs to two universities, SLU and Umeå University. About 200 people from more than 45 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.
Umeå has a strong postdoc community organised in the Umeå Postdoc Society (UPS). UPS fosters networking amongst postdocs, organises social and career development events and works towards improving the postdoc experience in Umeå. Check out their website https://umeapostdocs.com/ and do not hesitate to get in contact with them!
We look forward to receiving your application!