Doctoral student in microbial systems biology

School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health at KTH

KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm has grown to become one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation. We are Sweden’s largest technical research and learning institution and home to students, researchers and faculty from around the world. Our research and education covers a wide area including natural sciences and all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial management, urban planning, history and philosophy.

Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab, https://scilifelab-2021.accomplice-dev.se/) is a national center for large-scale life science research with an advanced technological infrastructure. At SciLifeLab, multidisciplinary research is carried out based on DNA sequencing, gene expression analysis, proteomics, bioinformatics, biostatistics and system biology. The goal is to enable Swedish researchers to analyze genes, transcripts and proteins in different organisms in order to map molecular mechanisms related to health and the environment. Examples of thematic research areas that are currently being processed within SciLifeLab are clinical genomics/proteomics, cancer genome and the genomics of complex diseases as well as ecological and environmental genomics.

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Biotechnology with focus on microbial systems biology

This Ph.D. position is in the Division of Systems Biology, part of the Department of Proteomics. The group of Paul Hudson does research on bacteria that fix carbon dioxide, such as cyanobacteria and lithoautorophic bacteria. These bacteria could be used in industry as cell factories to produce biochemicals. This project will determine how the enzymes in carbon fixation in various CO2-fixing bacteria are controlled. The project will use systems biology techniques, such as genomics and mutation libraries, to achieve these goals. The student will work with postdocs and there is the possibility for visits to collaborating laboratories. The project is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and Vetenskapsrådet.

Supervision: The doctoral student will be supervised by: Paul Hudson

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.Read more
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Work and study in Stockholm, close to nature and the water.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

Eligibility

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a degree at advanced level,
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6, read more here

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• Independently pursue his or her work
• Collaborate with others,
• Have a professional approach and
• Analyse and work with complex issues.
• Type in if there are additional personal qualities or other meritorious knowledge and experience desirable (but not a requirement for eligibility) for your particular doctoral position, ex. linguistic skills.
• Experience in proteomics techniques such as mass spectrometry are merting but not a requirement.
• Skill in programming languages for statitical analysis and data visualization, such as R or MatLab, are meriting but not a requirement.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ‘ time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Union representatives

You will find contact information for union representatives on KTH’s website.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

You will find contact information for doctoral section on the section’s website.

Application

Apply for the position and admission through KTH’s recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/entral European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.