Postdoctoral position in Molecular Evolution
Are you interested in conducting evolutionary biology research, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a Postdoctoral position at Uppsala University.

The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology is divided into seven research programs, each focusing on different areas within cell and molecular biology: computational biology and bioinformatics, microbiology and immunology, molecular biology, molecular biophysics, molecular evolution, molecular systems biology, and structural biology. The scientific foundation of what we do lies in biology, but our research overlaps with other fields such as medicine, computer science, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, and physics. The department has over 200 employees, including around 50 doctoral students. Please read more about our work at https://icm.uu.se.
The position is placed in the Molecular Evolution program, with main supervisor Jennifer James. The applicant will become a member of a newly established research group working at the intersection of population genetics, phylogenetic analysis, and proteomics. If you are interested in using bioinformatics and computational biology to address big questions in evolutionary biology, please get in touch!
Duties
This is a VR-funded postdoctoral research position. The proposed work will be entirely computational, focussing on analysing existing proteomic and genomic datasets. The postdoctoral researcher will therefore be responsible for writing code, conducting statistical analyses, and for writing and publishing scientific articles.The project aims understand how protein domains come to be combined and arranged in protein coding genes, in order to address the following three research questions:
1)
How do protein domains become associated over evolutionary time, and do any domain properties predict having a high number of interaction partners?
2)
Where does selection tend to act in multidomain proteins?
3)
Is variation in the rate of association of protein domains, or variation in rates of rearrangement, driven by selection? Are particular domain combinations associated with certain clades of organisms, and could this be an informative character to understand phylogenies, or to infer genome rearrangement events?
The successful applicant will be expected to spearhead the project work and to develop upon these ideas, with flexibility to shape the precise direction of the research to their own interests.
Requirements
We are looking for a highly motivated and creative individual with a PhD degree in the field of biology, or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD degree in the field of biology. The degree needs to be obtained by the time of the decision of employment. Priority will be given to applicants who have completed their degree no more than three years before the deadline for applications.  Due to special circumstances, the degree may have been obtained earlier. The three-year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labour unions, etc. Candidates must be able to express themselves fluently in spoken and written English.
An ability to code (e.g., in Python) is a valuable skill for this post. Experience working with a high-performance computer cluster is also important, as is an ability to use command line tools, and to conduct statistical analyses using programmes such as R.
Additional qualifications
An evolutionary biology background will be considered beneficial for this position. Experience with computational biology, bioinformatics or mathematics is desired, as are good communication skills and an ability to work collaboratively and independently. An interest in developing research ideas and exploring new methods will also be advantageous. The ideal candidate is comfortable with bioinformatics and population genetics, and is excited to make this project their own!
About the employment
The employment is a temporary position of 2 years according to central collective agreement. Full time position. Starting date 2026-09-07 or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala
Application
Please submit your application by 29th of June 2026, UFV-PA 2026/1828.
Please submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system, Varbi: https://uu.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:940581/ 
The application (in English) should include:
1)
A letter of intent describing yourself, your research interests and motivation of why you are applying for this position
2)
CV
3)
Name and contact information to at least two reference persons (e-mail address and phone no.)
4)
Relevant publications
5)
PhD exam
For further information about the position, please contact: Jennifer James, Jennifer.james@icm.uu.se.
Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international position. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all of our 7,600 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University: https://uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/
The position may be subject to security vetting. If security vetting is conducted, the applicant must pass the vetting process to be eligible for employment.
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Muencheberg.Germany.Coleoptera.Phylogenomics.and.Morphological.Evolution
Category: Graduate position
Content:
Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN), headquartered in Frankfurt am Main is seeking to fill the following position at the Senckenberg German Entomological Institute (SDEI) in Müncheberg as of October 2026
PhD Position in Coleoptera Phylogenomics and Morphological Evolution
(65%, part time)
Location: Muencheberg (Brandenburg)
Employment scope: part-time (65%, ca. 26 weekly working hours)
Type of contract: project-based for 36 months
Remuneration: collective agreement of the German Laender, TV-L E 13
Senckenberg is one of the world’s leading research institutions in the field of Biodiversity and Earth System Research, with eight research institutes and three natural history museums across Germany and scientists from over 40 nations. Our headquarter is located in the thriving commercial metropolis of Frankfurt in the heart of Germany, which also hosts one of our most famous facilities, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum. The Senckenberg German Entomological Institute (SDEI) is located in Müncheberg, a town famous for hosting state-of-the art research facilities in the Berlin metropolitan area.
About the Project This PhD position is part of a DFG-funded project which aims to clarify the classification of Neotropical net-winged beetles (Coleoptera: Lycidae) affected by paedomorphosis – a syndrome where adult individuals retain juvenile traits.
Using a large-scale phylogenomic approach combined with integrative morphological investigations, the project seeks to identify diagnostic traits that distinguish these lineages. We aim to determine the timing of their divergence and explore the evolutionary drivers behind their convergent morphologies within the framework of a biogeographical model.
The research associate will have the opportunity to work towards a PhD through the University of Potsdam, while being based at the Senckenberg German Entomological Institute (SDEI) in Müncheberg. The successful candidate will engage in diverse scientific activities spanning fieldwork, phylogenomics, museum-based research, biogeographic analyses, and bioinformatics.
Your Tasks
- Plan and conduct field expeditions in the West Indies, including insect specimen collection using specialized tools and techniques (nets, Malaise, FIT, and light traps, sifting, etc.), and managing field logistics (travel planning, booking flights and hotels, renting cars).
- Perform morphological and molecular laboratory work on beetle specimens, as well as execute bioinformatic, phylogenomic, and biogeographic analyses
- Manage, curate, document, and analyse complex scientific datasets (e.g., genomic alignments) through the development and implementation of custom scripts and bioinformatics pipelines.
- Prepare and publish scientific manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and present research findings at national and at international conferences
- Collaborate closely with project partners on research objectives and joint publications
Your Profile
- Completed Master's degree in systematics, entomology, evolutionary biology, or a closely related field, coupled with a strong interest in insect evolution
- Excellent knowledge of insect evolution, phylogenetics, and/or beetle systematics, capable of identifying all major insect orders and common families
- The physical capability and willingness to conduct extensive fieldwork in the tropics, alongside general availability to travel internationally for museum visits, project collaborations, and conferences for up to four consecutive weeks, with an expected frequency of three to four times per year
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team
- Strong communication and scientific writing skills in English
Desirable skills
- Experience with imaging systems such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), micro-computed tomography (microCT), and macrophotography, as well as the editing and processing of these generated images
- Experience with methods of divergence time estimation, ancestral range reconstruction, and trait evolution
- Prior experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals
- Knowledge of phylogenomic methods, including both computational assembly and wet-lab techniques
We offer
- access to an international network of scientists, policymakers and research organizations
- an attractive job within the inspired and dynamic working environment of an internationally recognized research institution
- flexible working hours – mobile working options – employee ID card with free admission to Senckenberg museums – annual special payment – collectively agreed vacation entitlement – company pension plan (ZVK)
Senckenberg is committed to diversity. We benefit from the different expertise, perspectives and personalities of our staff and welcome every application from qualified candidates, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic or cultural origin, religion and ideology, sexual orientation and identity or disability. Applicants with a severe disability will be given special consideration in case of equal suitability. Senckenberg actively supports the compatibility of work and family and places great emphasis on an equal and inclusive work culture.
How to apply?
Please upload your application (letter of motivation max. 2 pages including possible start date, 1-page-research summary, CV, two reference letters and your complete academic certification, e.g. Bachelor and Master degrees) as a single PDF file on our career site https://senckenberg.career.softgarden.de/ by 15 July 2026.
Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
Senckenberganlage 25
60325 Frankfurt am Main
For specific questions about this role, please contact Vinicius Ferreira at vinicius.ferreira@senckenberg.de.
Join us in advancing ecological research through innovative technology! We look forward to your application!
For data protection information on the processing of personal data as part of the application and selection process, please refer to the privacy policy on our homepage at https://www.senckenberg.de/en/imprint/.
For further information about the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung please visit www.senckenberg.de

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