Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) within plant molecular biology  

The Department of Plant Physiology is offering a postdoctoral scholarship within the project Con-TEki, which investigates the role of transposable elements (TEs) as drivers of regulatory innovation in conifers (Norway spruce and Scots pine). The scholarship is full-time for two years with starting date August 1, 2026, or according to agreement. 

Departmental specific information 

The Department of Plant Physiology at Umeå University is part of the Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC; www.upsc.se), an internationally leading research environment with approximately 200 researchers working across plant biology, including molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. UPSC provides advanced infrastructure for sequencing, single-cell technologies and experimental plant research, as well as a highly collaborative research environment. 

For more information about Nathaniel Street’s research group, see: https://www.umu.se/en/staff/nathaniel-street/ 

Project description 

Establishing robust single-cell methods in technically challenging plant systems represents a central challenge in modern plant genomics. While single-cell and single-nucleus sequencing approaches have transformed research in model organisms, their application in conifers remains limited due to challenges associated with tissue structure, nuclei isolation and sensitivity to inhibitory compounds. 

This project aims to develop and optimise experimental workflows for single-nucleus sequencing in Norway spruce and Scots pine, including the isolation of high-quality nuclei and the establishment of reproducible protocols for library preparation and sequencing. 

The project builds on a recently developed microfluidic platform available through collaboration with the research group of Johan Henriksson (Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University), providing a unique opportunity to work with an emerging technology and adapt it to plant systems where standard solutions are not effective. 

The data generated will complement existing genomic datasets and enable analysis of gene regulation at cell-type resolution. The project places particular emphasis on ensuring high data quality and developing robust methods that can be applied in future studies of conifer systems. 

Within this framework, the scholarship offers strong opportunities to develop advanced expertise in experimental molecular biology, method optimisation and sequencing data quality control within an interdisciplinary setting. This project is particularly suited to candidates with a strong interest in experimental method development and optimisation. 

The postdoctoral scholarship holder will have the opportunity to: 

• Develop and optimise protocols for nuclei isolation from technically challenging plant tissues
• Establish and refine library preparation workflows for single-nucleus RNA sequencing and chromatin accessibility assays
• Systematically evaluate and improve data quality, signal-to-noise ratios and reproducibility in experimental workflows
• Identify critical steps in workflows and implement optimisations to maximise yield and data quality
• Gain experience in interpreting sequencing data and performing quality control in close collaboration with computational researchers
• Actively participant in an interdisciplinary environment with strong interaction between experimental and computational approaches

Qualifications  

To qualify as a postdoctoral scholarship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient. 

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 before 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.   

Doctoral degree should be within molecular biology, genetics or a related subject. 

Additional requirements are:  

• Demonstrated, hands-on experience in molecular biology techniques, particularly nucleic acid work and sequencing library preparation 
• Experience in developing, adapting or optimising experimental protocols 
• Experience with high-throughput sequencing approaches (e.g. RNA-seq, ATAC-seq or related methods) 
• Ability to critically assess data quality and identify sources of variation in experimental data 
• Ability to document and reproduce experimental workflows in a rigorous manner 
• Good communication skills in English, both written and spoken 

Meriting criteria are:  

• Experience with single-cell or single-nucleus methodologies 
• Experience working with plant material, particularly woody or technically challenging tissues 
• Experience with microfluidics or advanced library preparation technologies 
• Experience with sequencing data quality control and basic downstream analysis 

We are looking for candidates who  

• Can perform experiments with a high level of precision and quality 
• Can independently identify and solve technical challenges in the laboratory
• Can apply a systematic approach to method development and optimisation 
• Thrives in a research environment where experimental development is central 

Application  

The application should be written in English or Swedish, and attached documents should be in Word or PDF format. The application should be registered via Umeå University’s e-recruitment system Varbi and submitted by the deadline July 3, 2026. 

A full application should include: 

• A cover letter (max 2 pages) describing your experience in experimental method development and how it relates to the project
• Curriculum vitae (CV) including publication list
• Verified copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation of expected completion date
• Contact details for 2–3 persons willing to act as references.
• Any additional documents the applicant wishes to include 

Further information 

For further information, please contact Professor Nathaniel Street, Umeå University, 
nathaniel.street@umu.se 

We look forward to receiving your application!