Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.
Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.
The position is based at Lund University’s Faculty of Medicine, within the Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, specifically the Medical Structural Biology research unit. The division focuses on uncovering molecular mechanisms of health and disease through advanced imaging and biophysical approaches.
The research group hosting this position studies Contractile Injection Systems (CIS) — natural protein machines used by bacteria to deliver molecular cargo. The group's mission is to understand the structure, function, and application of CIS for use in both biopesticide development and targeted antimicrobial delivery. The team is interdisciplinary, with expertise in molecular microbiology, structural biology, bioinformatics, and protein engineering, and currently includes the PI, a PhD student, and a research expert in bioinformatics.
The workplace fosters strong international collaboration, with close integration with the Halberg Group at Copenhagen University (Insect neuroendocrinology and physiology) and the Collin Group (immune-relevant enzymology and translational infection research) at Lund University. The postdoctoral researcher will work primarily in Lund but is expected to engage in frequent collaborative work across the Öresund region, including regular experimental coordination with Copenhagen-based researchers and data collection at national facilities such as MAX IV (Lund), SciLifeLab (Stockholm), and CFIM (Copenhagen), where cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and tomography (cryo-ET) are performed.
The group values a collegial and supportive research environment, with open communication, structured mentoring, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance. Lund University provides an excellent infrastructure for interdisciplinary and early-career research development.
This post-doctoral position is part of the EU cofund research project AMBER, Advanced Multiscale Biological imaging using European Research infrastructures, will address scientific and sectoral gaps in biological imaging ranging from molecular, through cellular, to tissue, organ and organism levels of organisation, and is coordinated by LINXS Institute of advanced Neutron and X-ray Science.
AMBER is funded by the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) COFUND scheme.
Around 20 postdocs will be recruited in the fourth call 2025, with each fellowship lasting 36 months.
AMBER has six core partners: Lund University/MAX IV, Sweden, the European Spallation Source (ESS), Sweden, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), France, the International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines, (IMOL), Poland, and the Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, United Kingdom.
Your work may include clinical and biomedical projects. It may also include technique development work aimed at combining imaging techniques and data analysis to provide a more integrated picture of life processes in the context of health and disease. To be a postdoc fellow at the AMBER programme you will get unprecedented medical, biological, and methodological capabilities, with a profound potential impact for Europe’s next generation of research and researchers. When you have completed the AMBER programme you will be extraordinarily well equipped to further your career in academia, at infrastructures, in the health and MedTech sectors, and beyond.
For more information about the total announced post-doctoral positions within in the AMBER co-fund project please visit https://www.euraxess.se/jobs/341970.
The interviews will start in November 2025. For more information about AMBER, application and evaluation process etc please visit: ambercofund.eu.
This interdisciplinary project explores the discovery, structural analysis, and rational redesign of bacterial Contractile Injection Systems (CIS) — evolutionarily conserved protein complexes that function as nano-syringes to inject molecular effectors into target cells. CIS hold exceptional promise as modular and programmable tools for precision delivery of biomolecules, with transformative applications in infection biology, biomedicine, and sustainable agriculture.
1. In biomedicine: the aim is to selectively target and neutralize antibiotic-resistant pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) by delivering customized antimicrobial payloads such as enzymes, CRISPR-Cas constructs, or peptides via engineered CIS. This work emphasizes specificity, minimizing disruption to the commensal microbiota.
2. In insect pest management: reprogrammed CIS are designed to deliver neuropeptides or RNA interference (RNAi) molecules to key osmoregulatory targets in pest species (e.g., beetles), reducing chemical pesticide usage while sparing beneficial insects.
Cryo-EM and cryo-ET data collection will be carried out at national facilities including MAX IV (Lund) and partner platforms in Stockholm and Copenhagen. This postdoctoral fellowship offers a unique opportunity to work at the interface of structural biology, microbiome research, and applied biotechnology, contributing to the development of next-generation therapeutic and biocontrol strategies.
At Lund University, a postdoctoral position should provide opportunities for scientific and pedagogical qualifications. Primarily, there is scope for qualifications in research, but also for some higher education pedagogy training. Teaching may also be part of the job duties.
As a postdoctoral researcher in this interdisciplinary project, you will play a key role in the development of programmable CIS/BIS, combining structural biology, microbiome analysis, and protein engineering to create novel precision delivery tools.
You will be based at Lund University (Lund, Sweden), with frequent interaction with collaborators at University of Copenhagen and regular visits to national imaging facilities, such as MAX IV in Lund, and partner cryo-EM centres in Stockholm and Copenhagen.
Short research stays or secondments may also be arranged, depending on your career development plan.
While the position follows standard full-time working hours, flexibility may be required during data collection periods, especially when using high-demand infrastructure facilities (e.g., synchrotron/cryo-EM sessions). Travel within Europe for conferences, collaboration meetings, or training is expected.
This role offers a high degree of autonomy and creativity and is ideal for a researcher eager to contribute to next-generation bioengineering solutions while building strong interdisciplinary expertise.
Each project will have additional specific requirements that candidates have to fulfill, be sure to check what these are before you apply.
Personal suitability, enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research, and motivation to work at the interface of structural biology and applied biotechnology will be considered in the overall evaluation.
The assessment of applicants will be based primarily on their scientific merit and potential as researchers. Emphasis will be placed on scientific ability within the subject area.
Lund University is a governmental authority, which means you get special benefits, generous holidays and a favorable occupational pension. We also have a flexible time agreement that creates good conditions for a balance between work and leisure.
Read more on the university's website about being employed at Lund University, Work with us.
The position is a fixed-term position of three years, 100% with start date on 2026-01-01 or as agreed. Employment at Lund University is conducted in Sweden, you are therefore expected to be able to perform your work on site in Lund.
The employment is limited to a maximum three years, according to the collective agreement on fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral researcher (the Swedish Employers' Association). A postdoctoral position is intended as an initial step in a career and as an opportunity to further deepen and broaden research expertise.
We offer a collaborative and supportive research environment that values teamwork, open communication, and shared scientific goals. You will be encouraged to take an active role in mentoring Master's and PhD students, contributing to group activities, and fostering a positive team spirit.
We also support the development of independent research profiles, and you will be encouraged to engage in grant writing and career development activities as part of your postdoctoral training.
You do not need to be an expert in both infection biology and insect physiology from the beginning — but you must be willing and able to learn quickly within a collaborative and interdisciplinary team.
For more information and documents/templates/europass link, please visit https://www.ambercofund.eu/for-applicants.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure that you upload all the required documents specified below i-ix.
If you are interested in applying for more than one position (maximum 3) you must be prepared to make a full application for each individual position.
Applications shall be written in English and all documents shall be in pdf format.
i) A Curriculum Vitae (europass format). Your CV shall be exported to a PDF file that you use in your application.
ii) A detailed research plan including any foreseen secondments (candidates can suggest more than the mandated one, they can also suggest their own secondments), schools and conferences as well as a templated budget plan. The research plan should be as concise as possible, 3 pages, including one-third page of summary/abstract.
iii) Letter of Commitment from any additional secondment partners the candidate wishes to bring
onboard.
iv) Evidence of English proficiency (minimum CEFR B22, also checked at interview).
v) A draft Individual Career Development Plan (ICDP).
vi) Two reference letters.
vii) Any additional documents to support the application.
viii) Ethical questionnaire (HE ethics checklist + research ethics commitment)
ix) Any candidate can apply for maximum of 3 positions. You must apply for each individual position. A list with order of preference of positions should be sent to the AMBER management. amber@linxs.se
Type of employment | Temporary position |
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Contract type | Full time |
First day of employment | 2026-01-01 or as agreed |
Salary | Monthly |
Number of positions | 1 |
Full-time equivalent | 100 |
City | Lund |
County | Skåne län |
Country | Sweden |
Reference number | PA2025/2230 |
Contact |
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Union representative |
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Published | 03.Jul.2025 |
Last application date | 08.Sep.2025 |