Senior Researcher with focus on marine microbial environmental genomics

at Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Closing date: 7 July 2024.

The Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre (BSC) at is the focal point for Baltic Sea research at the Stockholm University (SU). Research is performed both within BSC and in collaboration with other departments at the university. The BSC is dedicated to address the significant challenges faced by the Baltic Sea. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the Centre aims to generate valuable knowledge that can be shared with authorities and other stakeholders. The BSC has around 40 employees who actively support and enhance SU’s marine science. It provides crucial infrastructure, including field stations, ships, and marine modelling resources, to facilitate research and education. The BSC is responsible for managing the field resources of the Askö Laboratory, as well as the new RV/Electra. Moreover, it plays a coordinating role in SU’s marine science within the framework of Centre for Coastal Ecosystem and Climate Change Research (CoastClim).

Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) is a national research center for molecular life sciences with an advanced technological infrastructure. SciLifeLab provides infrastructure for and conducts research based on DNA sequencing, expression analysis, proteomics, metabolomics, image analysis, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence. The goal is to make it possible for Swedish researchers to analyze on a large scale biomolecules in various organisms and samples with the intention of clarifying molecular mechanisms related to health and the environment. Examples of thematic research areas at SciLifeLab are 'Precision Medicine', 'Pandemic Laboratory Preparedness' and 'Planetary Biology'.

Project description
The global coastal oceans have exceptionally high biodiversity and productivity. However, they host sensitive environments and habitats often exposed to human impacts such as eutrophication, pollution and global warming. Coastal ecosystems have usually been regarded as carbon sinks, but new research shows that these systems can also emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane (CH₄) and possibly nitrous oxide (N₂O). The source of these emissions are microbiological processes, but it is not clear how they are regulated and to what extent these processes take place in water, sediment, or even on the surface of macroalgae and benthic animals. In order to maximize the benefit of coastal areas and achieve effective environmental management, it is essential to understand how these processes work and are regulated. Much is known about animals and plants in coastal ecosystems, but less about microorganisms, even though these are fundamental to the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients and carbon. Microorganisms live in complex communities where different species are often dependent on each other. To understand how coastal ecosystems convert carbon and nutrients, we need to combine the ecological and biochemical knowledge at the BSC with expertise in genomics and infrastructure at SciLifeLab. In order to build a long-term collaboration between BSC and SciLifeLab, we are now initiating SeaLab: SciLifeLab and Baltic Sea Center for Coastal Ecosystem Science. SeaLab will make it possible to conduct world-leading interdisciplinary research on coastal ecosystems and build new competence at both SU and SciLifeLab.

To strengthen this joint research initiative, we are looking for a senior researcher with a background in microbial environmental genomics to, in collaboration with a growing research group at SU and ScilifeLab, investigate the role and function of the coastal zone in the Baltic Sea ecosystem and related feedbacks to the climate system. The researcher will be employed at Stockholm University, but half of her/his work and presence will be at SciLifeLab.

The candidate must have experience in and a strong interest in at least one of the fields below, preferably in combination with a special focus on the coastal zone:

• Microbial environmental genomics
• Link between microbial genomics and biochemical cycles
• Bioinformatic analysis of large-scale metaomics datasets.

Main responsibilities
The position is with a research group that studies the environmental factors that affect the turnover of carbon and nutrients in the coastal region of the Baltic Sea. Our research method will involve the use of various techniques, including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabarcoding, Coupled genomics-biogeochemistry studies will be performed on environmental samples (water, sediments, etc) as well as in mesocosm studies as part of the CoastClim project performed at the field stations Askö (SU).

The successful candidate for this position will be actively involved in both research groups at SU and SciLifeLab (Environmental Genomics Lab, belonging to KTH) and have a coordinating function between the groups. The candidate will conduct own research projects within CoastClim as well as be involved in other Coastclim projects. The candidate is expected to provide guidance to doctoral students and contribute to teaching in etagenomics and environmental genomics.

Qualification requirements
A researcher is employed primarily for research and must have completed a doctoral degree or have a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree.

Assessment criteria
The ideal applicant has a PhD in molecular biotechnology, microbiology, biogeochemistry, bioinformatics, or an equivalent discipline. Furthermore, the candidate is expected to have published articles of high quality at a high rate.

Special emphasis is placed on:

• Experience in the analysis of large-scale datasets in microbial (meta)genomics
• Knowledge of microbial metabolism and experience in connecting genomics data to biogeochemical cycles.

Other merits:

• Very good ability to communicate in English, both in writing and speaking
• Marine research experience
• Experience in applying for and obtaining research grants
• Experience of project planning, lab work, and working within scientific groups
• Great importance is attached to personal qualities.

Terms of employment
The position involves full-time employment. Start date as per agreement.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact
Further information about the position can be obtained from the BSC Director Dr. Tina Elfwing, telephone: +46 70 16 10 335, tina.elfwing@su.se and from the Scientific Director, Professor Christoph Humborg, telephone: +46 73 7078578, christoph.humborg@su.se, at Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre

Union representatives
Ingrid Lander (Saco-S), telephone: +46 708 16 26 64, saco@saco.su.se, Alejandra Pizarro Carrasco (Fackförbundet ST/OFR), telephone: +46 8 16 34 89, alejandra@st.su.se, and seko@seko.su.se (SEKO).

Application
Apply for the position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Please include the following information with your application

• Your contact details and personal data
• Your highest degree
• Your language skills
• Contact details for 2–3 references

and, in addition, please include the following documents

• Cover letter
• CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of publications
• Research proposal (no more than 3 pages) describing:
  – why you are interested in the field/project described in the advertisement
  – why and how you wish to complete the project
  – what makes you suitable for the project in question
• Copy of PhD diploma
• Letters of recommendation (no more than 3 files)
• Publications in support of your application (no more than 3 files).

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.

You are welcome to apply!

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