Postdoctoral Researcher in Molecular Evolution

Description:

Do you want to conduct research in evolutionary biology, supported by competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Do you want an employer that values sustainable employment and offers secure, attractive working conditions? Welcome to apply for a postdoctoral position in molecular evolution at Uppsala University. The position is located at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (ICM) at Uppsala University. We are divided into seven research programs with different focuses: Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Molecular Biophysics, Molecular Evolution, Molecular Systems Biology, and Structural Biology. The department has over 200 employees with approximately 50 doctoral students. Please read more about ICM at http://www.icm.uu.se. The position is placed within the Molecular Evolution program, with group leader Jennifer James. The successful applicant will become a member of a newly formed research group working at the intersection of population genetics, phylogenetic analysis, and proteomics. If you are interested in using bioinformatics and computational biology to answer major questions in evolutionary biology, apply for this position! Duties This is a postdoctoral position funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR). The proposed work will be entirely computational biology-based, with a focus on analyzing existing proteomic and genomic datasets. The postdoctoral researcher will therefore be responsible for writing code, conducting statistical analyses, and for writing and publishing scientific articles. The project aims to understand how protein domains are combined and arranged in protein-coding genes, to answer the following three research questions: How are protein domains associated across evolutionary time, and do any domain properties predict a large number of interaction partners? Where does selection tend to act in multidomain proteins? Is variation in the association rate of protein domains, or variation in reorganization rates, driven by selection? Are specific domain combinations associated with certain clades of organisms, and could this be an informative feature for understanding phylogenies, or for drawing conclusions about genome organization? The selected candidate is expected to lead the project work and develop these ideas, with flexibility to shape the exact direction of the research according to their own interests. Qualifications We are looking for a highly motivated and creative person with a doctoral degree in biology, or a foreign degree equivalent to a doctoral degree in biology. The degree must be completed by the time the employment decision is made. Primarily, candidates should have completed their degree within the last three years. When calculating the three-year period, the reference point is the application deadline. If there are special circumstances, the degree may have been completed earlier. Special circumstances include leave due to illness, parental leave, positions of trust within trade union organizations, etc. The applicant must be able to express themselves fluently in both spoken and written English. Ability to code (e.g., in Python) is a valuable skill for this position. Experience working with a high-performance computing cluster is also important, as is the ability to use command-line tools and perform statistical analyses using programs such as R. Desired/Meriting Qualifications A background in evolutionary biology will be considered meriting for this position. Experience in computational biology, bioinformatics, or mathematics is desirable, as are good communication skills and the ability to work both in groups and independently. An interest in developing research ideas and exploring new methods will also be advantageous. The ideal candidate should be comfortable with bioinformatics and population genetics, and be enthusiastic about making this project their own! About the Employment The position is fixed-term for 2 years according to central collective agreement. The position is full-time. Start date: September 7, 2026 or by agreement. Work location: Uppsala Application The application (in English) should contain: A cover letter describing yourself, your research interests, and your motivation for applying for this position CV Names and contact information for at least two references (email address and phone number) Relevant publications Doctoral degree Information about the position is provided by: Jennifer James, [email protected] Welcome to submit your application by June 29, 2026, UFV-PA 2026/1828. Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international position. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all 7,500 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of the country's most exciting workplaces. Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University https://uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/ The employment may be subject to security vetting. Security vetting is a requirement for employment; the applicant must be approved. We decline offers of recruitment and advertising assistance. Applications are received through Uppsala University's recruitment system. Trade union representatives: Saco-S - [email protected], Seko - [email protected], ST (OFR/S) - [email protected]

Overview

Type

job

Status

active

Visibility

public

City

Uppsala

Address

Box 596

GPS

59.8520701, 17.7188369copyopen in

Email

[email protected]

Views

6

Published

28. 5. 2026

Edited

21. 6. 2026

Specifications