Postdoctoral position for Solid-State Nanopore Single-Molecule Sensing

Electrification and digitalisation are among the largest areas for the future in the conversion to sustainable societies. The Department of Electrical Engineering conducts successful research and education in the areas - renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, industrial IoT, 6G communication and wireless sensor networks as well as research and education within life science, health technology, smart electronic sensors and medical systems. The Department of Electrical Engineering is an international workplace with around 160 employees that all contribute to important technical energy and health solutions at the Ångström Laboratory.

Come and work with us!
The position will be allocated at the Division of Solid-State Electronics, the Department of Electrical Engineering. Here you will find a friendly work environment with dedicated colleagues and a variety of experimental projects. The Division works in collaboration with Swedish companies - public and private - and stakeholders in the different fields of research. We look forward to receiving your application. Join us and build the future with us!

Project description: Ability to study protein dynamics real-time is crucial for understanding biological processes at the molecular level, providing insights into protein function, interactions, and conformational changes essential for biological research, drug discovery, and medical diagnostics. Single-molecule detection technologies (SMDTs) have revolutionised the field by offering exceptional sensitivity and precision, as they can track individual target molecules one at a time. Nanopore technology is one of the most important SMDTs to access the conformation and dynamics of biomolecules in a label-free manner.

In this project, we will develop a novel label-free SMDT that can synergistically detect both charge and conformation of biomolecules based on nanopore and nanowire field-effect transistor (nw-FET) technologies. It will enable the access to protein conformation-charge synergetic dynamics for molecular biology research and biomedical applications. This project involves both experimental development/measurement and theoretical modelling/investigation. Therefore, it requires the candidate to have a solid background in electronics, physics, and mathematics, as well as strong practical experimental skills of nanofabrication in clean-room environment.

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

Duties:

• Design and fabricate solid-state nanopore devices based on standard silicon technology in a clean-room laboratory; characterise the devices by basic translocation and trapping experiments.
• Design and integrate nw-FET with nanopore devices; characterise the devices by protein trapping experiments.
• Model and simulate nanopore-FET devices.
• Process and analyse the sensing signals from the devices; model the protein dynamics.
• The work duties can also include teaching. No more than 20% of working time.

Requirements:

The applicant must hold a PhD degree or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD degree in electronics (electronic science/engineering, electrical engineering), (applied) physics, and relevant subjects. The degree needs to be obtained by the time of the decision of employment. Those who have obtained a PhD degree three years prior to the application deadline are primarily considered for the employment. The starting point of the three-year frame period is the application deadline. Due to special circumstances, the degree may have been obtained earlier. The three-year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labour unions, etc. Very good oral and written proficiency in English. We value your personal qualities including strong motivation and good teamwork ability.

Additional qualifications: Experience in clean-room fabrication with standard silicon processes, nanopore sensing experiments, or modelling ion transport in nanoconfinements.

Application: Please use the link below for submission of your application. You should include a brief description of your research interests and relevant experience, a CV, copies of diplomas and certificates, thesis (or a draft thereof) and other relevant documents. You are requested to provide contact information for two references.

Announcement about the position is provided by: Assistant Professor Chenyu Wen, telephone +46 762275768, chenyu.wen@angstrom.uu.se. Information about the Division of Solid-State Electronics can be found at https://www.elektroteknik.uu.se/forskning/fasta-tillstandets-elektronik/

Your application is welcome until the 2nd of February 2026. UFV-PA 2025/3895.