Postdoctoral Researcher in Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Finland

Summary

The Department of Microbiology at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, is recruiting a motivated Postdoctoral Researcher for the AMaRONE project (Risks and Mitigation of Antimicrobial Resistance Across One Health Sectors), funded by the Research Council of Finland. Led by University Lecturer Antti Karkman, the project combines environmental microbiology, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and One Health approaches to identify emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats and develop proactive mitigation strategies.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Finland

Position Overview

Research Area

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) & One Health
• Environmental Microbiology & Microbial Ecology
• Bioinformatics & Metagenomics
• Molecular Microbiology & Functional Genomics

Location

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Viikki Campus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Eligibility / Qualifications

Mandatory Requirements:

• A doctoral degree (PhD) in microbiology, bioinformatics, molecular biology, or another relevant field in life sciences (must be completed prior to the start of employment).
• A strong publication record relative to career stage and demonstrated scientific initiative.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an international research environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Desirable Skills / Advantages:

• Research experience in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or One Health contexts.
• Proficiency in metagenomics, microbial genomics, or bioinformatics.
• Statistical programming skills in R or Python.
• Experience with High-Performance Computing (HPC) environments.
• Hands-on skills in molecular cloning and functional gene characterization.
• Experience in student supervision.

Job Description & Responsibilities

Depending on the candidate’s background, the role can be tailored toward computational analyses, laboratory-based experiments, or an integrated combination of both. Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and applying bioinformatic pipelines to discover and prioritize novel AMR genes from environmental metagenomes.
• Designing and executing molecular microbiology validation experiments to assess resistance phenotypes, gene mobility, and mitigation strategies.
• Publishing scientific papers in high-impact journals and presenting findings at international conferences.
• Co-supervising PhD and MSc students within the research group.
• Contributing to new grant applications and the development of future research directions.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted in English via the official University of Helsinki recruitment portal:

1. Required Documents:
   • Motivation Letter: Outlining your research interests and suitability for the role (max. 1 page).
   • Curriculum Vitae (CV): Including a full list of publications.
   • Referees: Names and contact details of two references willing to provide letters upon request (optional).
2. Submission Links:
   • External Candidates: Apply online through the University of Helsinki Job Portal.
   • Internal Candidates: Submit via the Employee Login on the recruitment portal using your helsinki.fi credentials.

Last Date to Apply

• September 30, 2026 (at 23:59 UTC +3 / Europe/Helsinki time)

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