Postdoctoral Scholarship in Plant Cell Adhesion and Mechanosensing

About the role

The Stéphane Verger group at the Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Umeå University, is offering a 2-year postdoctoral scholarship to study plant cell adhesion and mechanosensing. The group investigates how plant cells adhere to one another, how they sense and respond to mechanical forces, and how these processes underpin tissue integrity and morphogenesis. Deadline: 22 June 2026.

UPSC is a joint research centre of Umeå University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), hosting over 30 research groups focused on plant and forest biology.

Responsibilities

• Design and perform experiments on cell wall adhesion and force perception in plant tissues.
• Use advanced microscopy techniques (confocal, TIRF, atomic force microscopy, or microfluidics-based approaches) to characterise cell adhesion phenotypes.
• Develop and apply quantitative imaging pipelines to extract mechanical and structural data from live plant material.
• Analyse datasets and interpret results in the context of plant development and mechanobiology.
• Write manuscripts and contribute to grant reporting.
• Present findings at group meetings, UPSC seminars, and international conferences.

Requirements

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, developmental biology, or a closely related field, completed within the last 3 years or expected before the start date.
• Hands-on experience with advanced microscopy; confocal proficiency is essential.
• Familiarity with microfluidics or quantitative image analysis tools is a strong asset.
• Ability to work with plant model systems (Arabidopsis thaliana or similar).
• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

Nice to have

• Experience with atomic force microscopy or other force-measurement techniques.
• Background in biophysics or biomechanics applied to biological systems.
• Prior work on cell wall composition or pectin biochemistry.

How to apply

Apply through the Umeå University recruitment portal at the link above. Submit a CV, a cover letter describing your research background and motivation, a brief summary of your PhD thesis, and contact details for 2-3 references. Applications received after 22 June 2026 will not be considered. The position is available from autumn 2026; start date is negotiable.