Assistant Professor in Biodiversity (up to three positions)

at the Department for Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, the Department of Environmental Science, the Department of Geological Sciences, the Department of Physical Geography or the Department of Zoology.

Stockholm University is a leading European university and one of the world's top 100 ranked institutions for higher education and research. The university has more than 30,000 students, 1,300 PhD-students, and 5,500 employees, and is primarily located on Campus Frescati. Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) is a national resource that provides advanced large-scale technologies and expertise in the life sciences. In Stockholm, SciLifeLab has facilities at Campus Solna, about 20 min from campus Frescati. The positions are part of the SciLifeLab fellows career program.

All five departments involved in this announcement belong to the Faculty of Science and conduct research and education in a variety of subjects. The different departments have between 50 and 170 employees and all have active doctoral training programs with many PhD-students.

Subject

Biodiversity

Subject description

The subject concerns biodiversity in a wide sense; variation and evolution within species, between species and among communities across space and time. It includes the study of molecules, genes, individuals, species and their life conditions, evolution and interactions in the environment. The focus should be on patterns and processes that previously have been difficult to study, but where recent advances - such as within sequencing, AI, imaging, mass spectrometry, tomography and exposomics - provide new opportunities.

Main responsibilities

Research and some teaching and supervision at the basic level, advanced level, and PhD level.

Qualification requirements

In order to qualify for the position as assistant professor, the applicant must have completed a doctoral degree in Sweden or an equivalent degree from another country. Priority will be given to applicants who have received such a degree no more than seven years before the deadline for applications. However, an applicant who has received such a degree earlier may be considered under special circumstances. Special reasons could be sick leave, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

All teaching positions at Stockholm University require the ability to collaborate and the general ability and suitability to perform one’s duties.

Assessment criteria

In the appointment process, special attention will be given to research skills. Teaching skills will also be considered.

The assessment of research skills will focus primarily on merits within the subject area of the position.

About the employment

This position (in Swedish, “biträdande lektor”) is a tenure track position, and the qualification requirements and terms of employment are regulated by the Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 2024:673).

For this position, the assistant professor is employed for a fixed term of six years. The contract may be extended to a maximum of eight years under special circumstances, such as due to sick leave or parental leave.

An assistant professor may, on application, be promoted to a permanent position as associate professor. Specific criteria for promotion from assistant professor to associate professor have been established by the Faculty of Science. 

An application for promotion to associate professor should be submitted to the faculty at least nine months before the appointment as assistant professor expires. 

Additional information

Each position will be placed at one of the five departments: Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences; Department of Environmental Science; Department of Geological Sciences; Department of Physical Geography; and Department of Zoology, depending on the applicant’s research profile.

The three assistant professors will contribute to the development of the Planetary Biology program at SciLifeLab at Campus Solna, with support from the three departments where they will be employed. 

Below are the areas of research associated with these positions, presented for each of the departments. 

Department for Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences:

Studies of biodiversity in marine and terrestrial ecosystems from an ecological, systematic, evolutionary, ecophysiological or environmental perspective.

Department of Environmental Science:

Studies of microbial diversity in environmental processes and anthropogenic impacts, for example degradation or transformation of environmental pollutants within biota and ecosystems, as well as airborne dynamics such as aerosol formation.

Department of Geological Sciences:

Studies of molecular palaeontology and hidden perspectives on diversity, evolution and ecology in deep-time geological archives, beyond the range of DNA preservation (>1 million years), where resistant biomolecules and diagenetic products, together with traditional fossils, trace life processes in different environments.

Department of Physical Geography:

Studies of biodiversity at different geographical scales from micro-scales to global scales, for example focussing on microbial diversity or biogeography. Important aspects are to link biodiversity to different ecosystem function and provisioning of essential services under global change.

Department of Zoology:

Studies of biodiversity within and/or across species focussing on animal ecology, behaviour, physiology and genetics.

For more information see the Faculty of Science homepage

We offer

With us, you will experience the dynamic interaction between higher education and research that makes Stockholm University an exciting and creative environment. You will work in an international environment and get favourable conditions. The university is located in the National City Park with good transport links to the city, and SciLifeLab is located at Campus Solna.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Generous financial support for conducting research and recruiting staff, such as postdocs and PhD-students, is linked to the position during the six years as an assistant professor.

Contact

Further information about the position can be obtained from the Heads of the Departments:

Kristoffer Hylander, Dept. for Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, kristoffer.hylander@su.se

Anna Sobek, Dept. of Environmental Science, anna.sobek@aces.su.se

Helen Coxall, Dept. of Geological Sciences, helen.coxall@geo.su.se

Sara Cousins, Dept. of Physical Geography, sara.cousins@natgeo.su.se

Niclas Kolm, Dept. of Zoology, niclas.kolm@zoologi.su.se

For questions regarding the application process, please contact administrator Mikael Stenberg, mikael.stenberg@su.se

Application

Apply for the position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the University’s instructions, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

We would appreciate it if your application is written in English. Since it will be examined by international experts, English is the working language.

Note: In your application, you should explain how your research can benefit from and complement the research and teaching environments at one or more of the five departments, as well as at SciLifeLab.

Teaching positions: Instruction and application template
The University’s rules of employment and instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.

You are welcome to apply!