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Postdoctoral Researcher in Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy

The University of Helsinki is an international scientific community and, on average, ranks among the top 40 European universities. The Faculty of Pharmacy is located at Viikki Campus in Helsinki and provides good access to local and national research infrastructures including biobanks. It has about 200 employees, out of which 15 professors, and about 800 undergraduate and 160 postgraduate students with well-organized doctoral school programs.
 

The Faculty of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, invites applications for the position of a
 

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER (PHARMACEUTICAL MICROBIOLOGY)
 

The initial appointment is for 1 year, with possible extension depending on the candidate’s interests and research funding. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible after the recruitment decision is made, tentatively in June 2025, but latest in August 2025 (negotiable). The position will be filled with a probationary period.
 

The appointment is in the Research Council of Finland research project “Targeting metabolic adaptation to combat difficult-to-treat urinary tract infections caused by E. coli biofilms” led by prof. Päivi Tammela, at the Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences. The aim of the project is to reveal conditions essential for the operation of uropathogenic E. coli’s (UPEC) adjustable metabolic machinery and to identify potential cues to guide novel therapeutic interventions. The successful candidate will contribute to the fundamental understanding of how metabolic adaptation of UPEC affects its virulence properties and to the development of new, state-of-the-art tools for microbiological research and antibacterial drug discovery. The work mostly comprises of using various microbiological methods (e.g. antibacterial susceptibility testing, biofilm assays), designing, developing and validating new assays, and utilizing various laboratory instruments for automation and detection for the purposes of pharmaceutical microbiology research. 


We are looking for an applicant with 
 

  • a PhD degree in pharmacy, microbiology, biotechnology, chemical biology or equivalent – please note that the degree requirement must be met by the beginning of the employment
  • strong skills in microbiology and drug discovery, particularly focused on antibacterial susceptibility and biofilm assays, including experience in bioassay development and validation
  • previous experience on one or more of the following fields is considered a significant merit: (mammalian) cell culturing techniques, in vivo models, high throughput screening, molecular biology or bioinformatics 
  • excellent written and verbal communication skills (in English)
  • strong problem-solving skills and unprejudiced approach 
  • ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary international research team 


The duties of the Postdoctoral Researcher include conducting research in the project framework, supervision of doctoral researchers and undergraduate students, and other discipline-specific teaching in pharmaceutical biology. The teaching duties will cover a maximum of 5 % of the total working hours.


Salary and benefits


The salary is based on the salary system of Finnish universities. The monthly salary of a postdoctoral researcher will be between 3 500–3 800 €, depending on qualifications. 


The University of Helsinki invests in the welfare of its employees by offering preventative occupational health services and general medical care. Read more about why the University of Helsinki is an excellent career choice: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers (including also information for arriving international staff).


Application to the position
 

Please submit your application through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the button/link “Apply now” or “Employee Login: Apply now”.


Please attach the required documents as a single pdf file under “My documents: curriculum vitae”.


The single pdf application should include: 

  • a motivation letter, including brief overview of past experience in microbiological research, highlighting the most important outcomes and your roles in them (max 1 page) 
  • a complete CV with full contact details, education/previous degrees obtained, prior work/research experience, and list of publications and theses with links to their online versions (if available)
  • copy/copies of the diploma(s) of previous degree(s)
  • recommendation letter(s) and contact information of one or more previous supervisors, employers, or other references


The closing date for applications is 25 March 2025 (23:59 EET).


The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from a variety of genders, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and minorities.

 

Further information
 

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Due Date:  25.3.2025
Unit:  Faculty of Pharmacy
Sub-unit:  Faculty of Pharmacy
ID:  3902

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