PhD fellowship in Plant Cell Biology

Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences (PLEN) and the Section of Glycobiology invite applicants for a PhD fellowship in Plant Cell Biology.

Start date is (expected to be) 2025-08-01 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project
The project will be loosely revolving around plant development in context of cell wall synthesis and cell growth. Two streams may be envisioned; i) cell fate coupled with cell morphology and/or ii) root cell development in real soil experiments. The project will involve much work in the fields of molecular and cell biology, including advanced microscopy.

Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of either plant cell and molecular biology or in general cell biology. Applicants can have a background from any of these fields.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?
The successful candidate will be based in the Persson lab at PLEN and the Section for Glycobiology. We aim to understand how plants produce their cell walls using a range of different approaches. The group has very diverse skill sets, including physics, biology and chemistry, and offers a great atmosphere for fundamental to translational plant science. Please see: https://www.persson-lab.com/ for further information.

The group is a part of PLEN, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include state-of-the-art laboratories, growth facilities and access to a range of platforms for imaging and any omics-related activities. The group has also initiated a custom-built bioimaging facility and have in house chemical synthesis of compunds.

Principal supervisor is Professor Staffan Persson, PLEN, [email protected], Direct Phone: +4535321352.

The PhD programme
A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

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Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in the PhD program

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in plant science
• Good language skills

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Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

1. Motivation letter of application (max. one page)
2. Project proposal (this can be your dream project of any kind related to the positions announced)
3. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
4. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
5. Publication list (if possible)
6. Reference letters or link to at least two references (if available)

Application deadline:
The deadline for applications is 20th of March, 2025, 23:59 GMT +1.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week of April 7th 2025.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.