Assistant professor in Data-driven Evolution and Biodiversity - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Uppsala University’s tenure track system grants assistant professors the possibility to be assessed for promotion to the position as associate professor. The university provides support in various areas, such as scientific and educational development, leadership development as well as patent and innovation support.

General description of the DDLS Fellows Program

Data-driven life sciences (DDLS) use data, computational methods and artificial intelligence to study biological systems and processes at all levels, from molecular structures and cellular processes to human health and global ecosystems. The purpose of the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) is to recruit and train the next-generation of data-driven life scientists and to create globally leading computational and data science capabilities in life science in Sweden. The program is a 12-year initiative funded with a total of SEK 3.1 billion from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The program will recruit 39 eminent junior group leaders as DDLS Fellows, launch over 210 postdoctoral positions and establish a research school for 260 PhDs, within both academia and industry. The program is coordinated by SciLifeLab, a nationwide research infrastructure and a hub for cross-disciplinary life sciences. The Fellows will be recruited to 11 participating host universities/organizations, enabling them to link up with strong local research environments as well as with the national DDLS program. The DDLS program will focus on four strategic areas of data-driven research: cell and molecular biology, evolution and biodiversity, precision medicine and diagnostics, and epidemiology and infection biology. For more information, see www.scilifelab.se/data-driven.

During 2022 and 2023, 20 young DDLS fellows have been recruited to the program and we are now looking for another 19 group leaders. Each DDLS Fellow will receive a recruitment package of 17 MSEK, which is meant to cover 5 years of his/her own salary, two PhD students and two postdoc positions, as well as running costs. The Fellow positions are tenure-track, and the universities/organizations will assume the long-term responsibility of their support as tenured faculty.

The future of life science is data-driven. Will you be leading that change with us?

Then apply now!

At Uppsala University, we are seeking to fill the position as DDLS Fellow in Data-driven Evolution and Biodiversity.

Data-driven Evolution and Biodiversity concerns research that takes advantage of the massive data streams offered by techniques such as high-throughput sequencing of genomes and biomes, continuous recording of video and audio in the wild, high-throughput imaging of biological specimens, and large-scale remote monitoring of organisms or habitats.

The subject concerns research in the broad area of Evolution and Biodiversity with a strong profile in computational methods. Research in this subject area should aim to lead the development or application of novel methods relying on machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other computational techniques.

We have five potential host Departments at the Section of Biology, Chemistry and Geology, Uppsala University, each with a certain focus within data-driven evolution and biodiversity. Candidates will select one (or several) preferred Department as part of the application procedure.

- The Department of Cell and Molecular biology (ICM) drives successfully interdisciplinary research in molecular structure, function and evolution. Microorganisms dominate the molecular diversity on earth and are excellent model systems for studies of molecular evolutionary processes. We use microorganisms to study environmental microbial biodiversity, the evolution of symbionts, pathogens, the origin of mitochondria and the tree of life. ICM offers excellent opportunities to combine theoretical and experimental approaches. At ICM, ~50 bioinformaticians, data stewards and systems developers contribute to an excellent data analysis environment. For more information about the different research programmes at Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, please see www.icm.uu.se.

- The Department of Ecology and Genetics (IEG) welcomes DDLS applicants to our internationally renowned research environment in ecology and evolution of biodiversity. Research areas could involve processes at any level and all domains of life, from molecules to ecosystems, including themes such as molecular evolution, adaptation, speciation, population genomics, conservation genomics, macroecology and global biogeochemistry. In addition to previously defined data streams, we welcome large-scale analyzes of organisms or habitats, based on, for example, environmental monitoring programs, automatic sensors, and remote sensing. For more information about this specialization and the Department of Ecology and Genetics, see www.ieg.uu.se.

- The Department of Organismal Biology (IOB) welcomes DDLS applicants who study diversity, genomics and traits using data-driven and computational approaches. IOB offers an excellent research environment, with thriving research programs focusing on evolution, genomics, and gene-environment interactions in model organisms including humans. Our work includes cross-disciplinary themes and infrastructure for intersecting, genomics, epigenomics, bioimaging, paleontology, archaeology, and evolution. For more information about this specialization and the Department of Organismal Biology, see www.iob.uu.se.

- The Department of Chemistry – BMC welcomes applicants to a DDLS position. We offer a broad infrastructure as our research includes experimental research, bioinformatics and computational chemistry. At the Department we conduct leading interdisciplinary research, that aims towards a better understanding of the molecular interactions that govern cell function. The evolutionary aspects span from evolution of novel microproteins and how protein function emerge and diversify, to how drug resistance arises in bacteria and viruses. For more information, see www.kemi.uu.se/bmc.

- The Department of Earth Sciences welcomes applicants to a DDLS-position. Data-driven palaeobiology encompasses research that links large-scale patterns of changes of biodiversity and abundance in deep time and geography with climatic and other environmental shifts. The research can encompass marine or terrestrial components. The overall aim is to gain a greater understanding of past controls on biodiversity, with the view of linking this change to present and possible future biodiversity challenges. The research area is included in the broad subject of palaeobiology and should include a strong emphasis on machine learning and modelling approaches as well as employing the massive databases generated by scientific ocean drilling and terrestrial fossil assemblage synthesis projects. For more information, see www.geo.uu.se.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University

Duties:

• Research, teaching and administration. Teaching duties include course responsibility and course administration and supervision of second- and third-cycle students. The person appointed will be expected to perform research on data-driven evolution and biodiversity.
• Follow developments within the subject area and the development of society in general that is important for the work at the university.
• The position may include some administrative tasks, as the employee is expected to contribute collegially to the research and education environment within the program, the department and UU in general.

Appointment Period: The position can be held for a maximum of six years. An Assistant Professor can apply for promotion to Associate Professor. If the Assistant Professor is deemed suitable and fulfills the criteria for promotion established by the Faculty Board he/she shall be promoted to and employed as Associate Professor.

Qualifications Required:

• PhD in an area using large-scale data for the study of evolution and/or biodiversity. Applicants who have obtained a PhD degree or achieved the equivalent competence in five years or less prior to the end of the application period will be given priority.
• Research Expertise and Teaching Expertise. It is necessary that the pedagogical skills, the research expertise and the professional skills are relevant to the content of the employment and the tasks that will be included in the employment.
• Applicants must have completed teacher training of relevance to operations at the University, comprising five weeks, or have acquired the equivalent knowledge. This training for teachers in higher education may be completed during the first two years of employment.
• Documented ability to teach in Swedish or English is a requirement unless special reasons prevail.
• Personal capabilities necessary to carry out fully the duties of the appointment.

Assessment Criteria/Ranking of applicants that fulfil the above-mentioned qualifications required

The ranking of eligible applicants will be based on research and teaching expertise, of which weight will be primarily given to research expertise.

Research Expertise comprises research merits as well as the applicant´s potential to contribute to the future development of both research and teaching. In assessing research expertise, research quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of research, primarily in regard to depth and breadth, must also be afforded consideration. In assessing research expertise special weight will be attached to merits in data-driven evolution and biodiversity. Special weight will also be given to merits that combine biology, computer science and mathematics.

Teaching Expertise comprises educational and teaching qualifications. In assessing teaching expertise teaching quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, must also be afforded consideration. In assessing teaching expertise special weight will be attached to merits in experience of teaching and supervision in data-driven evolution and biodiversity.

Management Expertise: is important for the employment and will be afforded high consideration, and especially the ability to build and lead your own research group, recruit and supervise doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, and receive external research grants.

Other skills: Documented ability for successful scientific collaboration.

All merits must be documented in a manner that makes it possible to assess both quality and scope.

In filling this position the university aims to appoint the applicant who, following a qualitative holistic assessment of her/his competence and expertise, is judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and to help advance operations.

Further information

In an overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, parental leave, part-time work relating to care of children, union assignments, military service, or the like are to be regarded as work experience.

University appointment regulations

Faculty appointment regulations

Instructions for application

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position, six years. Scope of employment is 100 %. Starting date as agreed. Placement: Uppsala.

For further information about the position please contact: Professor Mattias Jakobsson, 070-1679757; mattias.jakobsson@ebc.uu.se 

Please submit your application by 16 October 2023, UFV-PA 2023/2668.

If you are an international candidate, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus.

In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.