Substitute Bioinformatician for UPSC's Bioinformatics Platform

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), a center of excellence for experimental plant research and forest biotechnology in northern Sweden. UPSC aims to conduct excellent and innovative basic research and generate knowledge beneficial to forestry, agriculture, environment, and society. We study plants from the cellular level to ecophysiology, and from basic research to industrial applications. We seek to understand plants' ability to grow, adapt, and acclimate to a changing world—knowledge that can lead to better plant varieties, cultivation practices, or industrial processes. About the Position Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC) is a world leader in plant physiology and forest genetics, where research produces large amounts of data requiring bioinformatics resources and software for analysis. UPSC is a collaboration between Umeå University's Department of Physiological Botany and SLU's Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology. Until the end of 2026/2027, there is a university-wide infrastructure at SLU offering bioinformatics support: SLU Bioinformatics Infrastructure (SLUBI). As SLUBI is being phased out, a bioinformatics position will be established at UPSC's Bioinformatics Platform (UPSCb). UPSCb is part of the bioinformatics environment in Umeå, which is largely co-located with UPSC, with more than thirty people working for both local and national units (such as SciLifeLab NBIS). In your role at UPSC's Bioinformatics Platform (UPSCb), you will provide bioinformatics support and services to research groups and participate in various types of projects. The work involves managing multiple projects simultaneously. Projects are short-term (a few months) and often require close collaboration with biologists. To ensure that data analyses performed in the platform maintain high standards, you will participate in bioinformatics seminars every other week and be involved in platform study sessions once per week. The platform supports participation in courses and workshops for continuing education and is also involved in delivering such courses at local and national levels. You can expect to work on short, challenging projects in a supportive and dynamic work environment, and eventually take responsibility for analyzing multiple projects. Your Background We seek candidates with a doctoral degree in computational biology, bioinformatics, or equivalent. You should be well-versed in Unix/Linux and at least one programming language such as Python, R, C, or C++. You need excellent collaboration skills and very strong English proficiency. UPSC is an international environment, and the position requires strong ability to interact with biologists (UPSCb's primary user group). UPSCb also offers user support, sometimes over longer timeframes and on more extensive projects, making previous experience in mentoring and teaching meritorious. Since you will be an important part of UPSC's Bioinformatics Platform, a small unit with five employees, strong ability to independently organize and report work is required. You will work with other experts within the platform and in the bioinformatics environment who are often highly specialized in specific technologies such as RNA-Seq, metagenomics, or epigenetics. Therefore, experience in processing and integrating multi-omics data (for example, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) is meritorious. Population-related projects are also common, making experience with genome-wide association studies and eQTL mapping meritorious. About Us UPSC consists of two departments belonging to two universities: Umeå University (https://www.umu.se/) and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU; https://www.slu.se/). Approximately 200 people from more than 40 different nationalities work here. We have about 30 group leaders, and our researchers have access to state-of-the-art analytical platforms, unique resources for tree genomics, and plant cultivation facilities. We strive to create a work environment that promotes collaboration and supports our researchers throughout their careers, including through education and individual career guidance. Read more about our benefits and what it's like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/ Placement: Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, SLU, Umeå. Employment Type: Temporary position, 12 months Scope: 100% Start Date: By agreement. Application: Welcome to submit your application via the application button below by September 1, 2026. Union Representatives: https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/ Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in developing sustainable living, grounded in science and education. Through our focus on the interactions between humans, animals, and ecosystems and responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå, and Uppsala, but operations are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks, and educational sites throughout the country. SLU has over 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students, and a turnover exceeding 4.5 billion kronor. The university invests in attractive environments on its campus areas. We work toward equal and inclusive work environments where open dialogue among people with different experiences forms the foundation for scientific rigor, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to apply for this position.

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