Postdoctoral fellowship (2 years) in structural biology with focus on lipoprotein transport in gram-negative bacteria.

The Department of Chemistry invites applications for a two-year  postdoctoral fellowship within the project Structural biology with focus on lipoprotein transport in gram-negative bacteria. The fellowship is for two years, with a  preferred start date as soon as possible or as agreed. The application deadline is 10 August, 2025.

Departmental specific information

The Department of Chemistry is one of the largest departments within the Faculty of Science and Technology, with approximately 200 employees, including around 40 PhD students, and features strong and expanding research. The department is located at the Chemical Biological Centre (https://www.umu.se/en/chemical-biological-centre/) at Umeå University and offers excellent facilities and state-of-the-art equipment in a creative, inspiring, international, and highly interactive environment.
More information: http://www.umu.se/en/department-of-chemistry/.

Project description

The research project in which the postdoctoral fellow will be engaged involves structural and functional characterization of bacterial proteins in a pathway that transfers acylated proteins from the inner membrane to the outer of Gram-negative bacteria. The studied targets represent both soluble proteins and membrane bound complexes. These proteins are vital for the survival of the bacteria and interesting targets for novel antibacterial substances. The selected proteins are represented by bacteria from different phyla, such as proteobacteria and bacteroidetes. The present study will be performed using a blend of X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, molecular biology, as well as biochemical and biophysical approaches.  A more detailed description of the project can be found at https://www.biostruct.umu.se/principal-investigators/karina-persson/

The fellowship is for two years, starting as soon as possible or according to agreement. The tax-free stipend is 360 000 SEK per year and financed by The Kempe Foundations.

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, clinical service, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, or similar circumstances.

Requirements

• A PhD (or equivalent foreign degree) in a relevant discipline such as biochemistry, molecular biology, structural biology, or biotechnology.
• Documented experience in laboratory work.
• The applicant should have extensive laboratory experience and be able to conduct and independently plan scientific research, as well as collaborate with other project members.
• Excellent proficiency in English, both oral and written.

Meriting Qualifications:

• Experience in purification and characterization of membrane proteins is strongly desirable
• Previous experience of biophysical analysis techniques such as ITC, QCMD as well as cryo electron microscopy is highly valuable
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams

Application

The application must be written in English or Swedish and submitted in Word or PDF format. Applications are to be submitted through Umeå University's e-recruitment system Varbi no later than 10 August 2025.

A full application should include:

• Personal letter (max 1 page) describing your research interests and qualifications,
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) with a list of publications and technical competencies.
• Certified copy of doctoral degree certificate and other relevant degrees,
• Contact information for at least two reference persons,
• Any other documents you wish to submit in support of your application

Further information

For further information, please contact:
Associate Professor Karina Persson, Department of Chemistry

Email:  karina.persson@umu.se