PhD student in bioinformatics within AI-based data analysis in precision medicine

About the company

University West is a central and leading actor for education, research, and collaboration that supports the transition to a sustainable future – regionally, nationally, and internationally. Our 12,000 students and 460 employees create the conditions for society's digital transformation and sustainable societal development through high-quality education and research in selected areas. Welcome to a vibrant campus in the heart of Skaraborg. About us The Department of Bioscience at University West conducts research and education of a high international standard. We have well-developed forms for national and international collaboration between education, research, industry, and the rest of society. The Department of Bioscience aims to be a national node within bioscience. As a PhD student, you will be part of the translational bioinformatics research group, which has long experience in developing methods and tools for large-scale data analysis within the life sciences. The research work will mainly focus on the development of new methods for precision medicine, with a particular focus on bioinformatic methods for the analysis of large-scale omics data. The work includes research in explainable AI and model interpretation, where experimental work is combined with advanced bioinformatic and AI-based analysis techniques. The project is a collaboration between academia and industry within the research profile ”AI-driven precision medicine” funded by the Foundation for Knowledge and Competence Development. The work will be conducted at University West and Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. As a PhD student, your position will be within Bioinformatics, which at University West is defined as the study and development of computer-based methods and tools for the analysis, modeling, representation, and processing of biomolecular data. The doctoral degree will be awarded in medicine in collaboration with Göteborgs Universitet. Your role The main tasks consist of conducting research, performing department-related services, and handling associated administrative tasks. Additional tasks may be included in the position. Eligibility To enter doctoral education at the doctoral level, basic eligibility and, where applicable, the special eligibility established in the general study plan for the doctoral subject are required. Basic eligibility for doctoral education at the doctoral level is held by those who:

Requirements

• have completed a degree at an advanced level, or
• have completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits are at

an advanced level, or

• have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge within or outside the country.

Special eligibility for education at the doctoral level in medical science is held by those who: have completed a course in English B/6 with a passing grade or are assessed to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies (the assessment is made in accordance with the Swedish Council for Higher Education's

recommendations). Assessment criteria In the assessment, particular weight is attached to documented qualifications regarding:

• Good ability to undertake education at the doctoral level.
• Good collaborative ability and a good ability to work both independently and in a group.

• Ability to plan, organize, and achieve set goals.
• Practical laboratory experience of molecular biological methods, e.g., qPCR and western blot.

• Experience of statistics, bioinformatics, and data visualization using R, Python, and Nextflow.
• Experience of High-Performance Computing (HPC), TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Keras for applications in deep learning, as well as practical experience in using variational autoencoders and Explainable AI, for example methods such as SHAP and Integrated Gradients.

• Knowledge of omics data analysis, including single-cell RNA sequencing (single-cell RNA-seq) and proteomics.

For this position, great importance will be attached to experience of High-Performance Computing (HPC), TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Keras for applications in deep learning, as well as practical experience in using variational autoencoders and Explainable AI, for example methods such as SHAP and Integrated Gradients.

Employment form: The employment is a fixed-term employment until the completion of the doctoral degree, however for a maximum of 4.5 years. The extent of employment is 100%, of which 90% is doctoral studies and 10% is departmental service. Salary is paid according to the local agreement on the salary scale for doctoral students. Only those who are admitted or have already been admitted to a doctoral program may be employed as a PhD student.

Last application date: 16 November 2026 Diary number: Ref nr HS 2026/672 Contact information: Information about the employment is provided by Department Head Henrik Thilander (henrik.thilander@his.se) and Project Manager Jane Synnergren (jane.synnergren@his.se). Union information is provided by Anders Johansson (Saco-S) or Maria Carlstedt (ST). All persons can be reached via the University switchboard 0500-44 80 00. Application

How to apply

You apply for the position via our website, www.his.se/jobb, by clicking on ”Ansök” at the bottom of the advertisement. There you can also read more about the University's recruitment process and what benefits you have as an employee with us. Welcome with your application! The following documents must be attached to your application:

• A personal letter including a statement of interest in English where you describe your

research interests and expectations for the doctoral education

• CV
• Certificates, grades, and other merit documents you as an applicant wish to invoke

• Degree certificate and transcript of records
• Thesis at the master's level

• Any publications

Contact the HR department at hr-specialister.hr@his.se if you have publications that cannot be attached electronically directly in the application. The publications must be provided to the university no later than one week after the last application date. </body>