Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 41,500 students and about 4,600 employees. The University offers a diversity of high-quality education and world-leading research in several fields. Notably, the groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was made here. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campuses make it easy to meet, work together and exchange knowledge, which promotes a dynamic and open culture.
The ongoing societal transformation and large green investments in northern Sweden create enormous opportunities and complex challenges. For Umeå University, conducting research about – and in the middle of – a society in transition is key. We also take pride in delivering education to enable regions to expand quickly and sustainably. In fact, the future is made here.
We are announcing a postdoctoral position on carbon biogeochemistry in mountain headwaters. The employment is full time for two years and the position is expected to start in August 2026, or according to agreement. The position is based at the Department of Ecology, Environment and Geoscience at Umeå University. The last application date is March 30, 2026.
Project description The postdoc position is supported by the Water4All Transnational Project: Impacts of climate, N and P deposition and land use on water as a driver of the greenhouse gases regulatory ecosystem service in headwater catchments (SERVICO2). We aim to answer two major research questions: 1) Are headwater catchments currently acting as sinks or sources of CO2 and other greenhouse gases? 2) Is this status changing with global change, and if so, in what direction? In the project we will develop low-cost sensors to obtain high-resolution measurements of greenhouse gases in both time and space. We will then use these and other methods to determine the carbon balance in a network of headwater catchments across Europe (boreal and Arctic Northern Europe to mountains in Central and Southern Europe), covering climatic and N-P deposition gradients. The project consists of an interdisciplinary consortium, with a core of hydro(geo)logists and biogeochemists, with complementary expertise in the use and development of low-cost sensors, hydrological and biogeochemical models, and stable isotopes. The consortium’s complementary expertise enables us to work at the catchment scale, with experts on soil, vegetation, groundwater, stream/rivers, lakes, and the connection to the atmosphere. This specific postdoc position will focus on assessment of carbon processing and fluxes in Arctic headwaters. It will include field studies and the use of existing data, potentially complemented with modelling. The postdoc is also expected to collaborate with project partners and carry out comparative studies of carbon dynamics across sites.
Qualifications To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirements must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the appointment decision.
To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organisations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.
The successful candidate should have a PhD in aquatic biogeochemistry, ecology, geoscience, limnology, or a related field. Required qualifications include:
in depth knowledge of carbon biogeochemistry in inland waters,
experience of work to quantify atmospheric carbon fluxes and carbon burial in sediments of inland waters,
excellent written and verbal communication skills,
good ability to carry out year-round fieldwork in Arctic and alpine environments,
driver’s license for cars,
ability to execute and complete research projects, think independently and creatively, but also work within a collaborative (team) environment are expected.
How to apply The application should contain the following:
a personal cover letter motivating your application and how you can contribute to the research (max one page)
CV including full list of publications,
a copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation that clarifies when the degree of doctor is expected to be obtained,
contact information for two reference persons,
other documents that the applicant wishes to submit, for example the doctoral thesis.
The application must be written in English or Swedish. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system, Varbi. Documents sent electronically must be in Word or PDF format.
The closing date is March 30, 2026.
Contact If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Jan Karlsson, jan.p.karlsson@umu.se
The Department of Ecology, Environment and Geoscience carries out research and postgraduate education in ecology, environmental science and physical geography. The department has about 160 employees, 30 of whom are postdocs. For more information, visit www.emg.umu.se.
Umeå University wants to offer an equal environment where open dialogue between people with different backgrounds and perspectives lay the foundation for learning, creativity and development. We welcome people with different backgrounds and experiences to apply for the current employment.
We kindly decline offers of recruitment and advertising help.
