Research Engineer at Umeå Plant Science Centre

Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

The Department of forest genetics and plant physiology is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC, https://www.upsc.se) which 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.

About the position

We are looking for a highly motivated person to work at the interface between service and research, embedded within our microscopy facility and a large collaborative project. The position will involve both contributing the institute microscopy facility equipment maintenance and user training and support for the whole UPSC community along with technological developments, as well as dedicated research tasks and projects within the Wallenberg project “FATE” investigating the contribution of physical signals in plant cell fate acquisition.

The work should be on average 50% dedicated to the microscopy facility and 50% for the KAW FATE project.

Your profile

We look for a highly skilled microscopist with a strong background in plant biology and expertise with image processing.

 

Requirements:

- A doctoral degree within plant molecular, cell or developmental biology or equivalent.

- Experience working with plants in the lab.

- Experience with advanced microscopy: brightfield, widefield, confocal, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS).

- Experience using advanced image processing software.

- Skills in macro writing/implementation for image processing.

- Profound interest for biophysics and cell wall biology.

- Good oral and writing skills in English.

 

Merits:

- Previous experience working with protoplasts and plant cell culture.

- Previous experience with microfluidic techniques.

- Skills in 3D design and scientific illustration.

- Skills in 3D printing.

- Good social skills and the ability to do research independently, as well as in a team.

About us

UPSC belongs to two universities, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Umeå University. About 200 people from more than 40 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.

Read more about our benefits and working at SLU by visiting: https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/

Location:

Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, SLU, Umeå.

Form of employment:

Fixed-term employment 12 months

Scope:

100%

Start date:

2026-01-12 or as agreed.

Application:

Please submit your application before deadline 23 December 2025. You can submit your application by clicking the button below.

Union representatives:

https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

 

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 4,5 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.