Postdoctoral position in Molecular Systems Biology

Are you interested in working with groundbreaking research, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a postdoc position at Uppsala University.

The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology is organized into seven research programmes which all focus on different areas of cell and molecular biology: Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Microbiology and Immunology, Molecular Biology, Molecular Biophysics, Molecular Evolution, Molecular Systems Biology and Structural Biology. The scientific basis of what we do lies in biology, but our research overlaps with other areas such as medicine, computer science, mathematics, chemistry, engineering sciences and physics. In total, we are over 200 staff and ~60 Ph.D. students. Please read more about the department’s work at https://www.uu.se/en/department/cell-and-molecular-biology.

The Elf group works across traditional disciplinary boundaries to explore life at the molecular level. We build physical models of key biological processes and develop advanced measurement techniques to test these models in living cells. This project focuses on the structure–function relationship of the bacterial chromosome. How bacteria organize their DNA and how this structure influences gene expression remain open questions. For example:

• How is the chromosome structure dynamically regulated?
• How does gene expression depend on the gene’s position within the cell?
• How does chromosome architecture change when the genome undergoes sequence alterations?

Duties

As a Postdoctoral Researcher in Molecular Systems Biology, you will develop and apply world-class methods to image and analyze the dynamics of individual chromosomes across bacterial strain libraries. Your work will involve high-resolution fluorescence microscopy in advanced microfluidic systems, adapted Hi-C protocols, and cutting-edge DNA microscopy.

Data handling and analysis will be a major and exciting part of the role, giving you the opportunity to work at the intersection of experimental biology and computational science. The position is full-time research, but teaching opportunities are available if you are interested, and you will have excellent opportunities to network with leading research labs in Sweden and internationally. You are expected to drive your project independently while enjoying the freedom to develop your own ideas within the overall framework of the project.

We offer a stimulating, interdisciplinary environment where you will collaborate closely with experts in microbiology, biophysics, microscopy, image analysis, and molecular biology.

Requirements

To be eligible for this position, you must hold a PhD or a foreign degree deemed equivalent in systems biology, biophysics, molecular biology, microbiology, or another relevant field. We are looking for a researcher with strong knowledge in molecular biology or microbiology, but most importantly, someone who is comfortable working at the interface between experimental and computational biology.

Excellent skills in data analysis and programming are essential. You should be creative, self-motivated, and passionate about fundamental research and method development. Because the project involves close collaboration within the group, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate fluently in English are required.

Additional qualifications

Experience in microscopy, image analysis, and/or AI is highly meritorious. The position is primarily intended for researchers at an early stage of their career, who obtained their PhD no more than three years before the application deadline. Exceptions may be made for special circumstances such as parental leave, illness, or union duties.

About the employment

The employment is a temporary position of at least two and up to three years according to the central collective agreement. Full-time position. Starting date 2026-03-01 or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact: Irmeli Barkefors +46 709 701 199, irmeli.barkefors@icm.uu.se.

For this recruitment, we have replaced the cover letter with questions that you are asked to answer when making your application. The answers will be used as a part of the selection process. You should also submit a CV including a list of publications.

Please submit your application by the 11th of January 2026, UFV-PA 2025/3754.

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