Research Assistant in Computational Toxicology and PBK Modeling
Department of Animal Biosciences
We are seeking a motivated research assistant who wants to contribute to computational research on chemical exposure during pregnancy. You will participate in an ongoing project where we are developing a physiologically based kinetic model (PBK model) for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in pregnant women and the growing fetus. The employment provides practical experience at the interface of toxicology, quantitative modeling, and human biomonitoring.
About the job
The main task is to contribute to the development, evaluation, and documentation of a PBK model for pregnant women and fetuses regarding PFAS. You will work closely with researchers in computational toxicology and chemical risk assessment at the Department of Animal Biosciences. The tasks include:
development of a PBK model for pregnant women and fetuses; management of biomonitoring data; extrapolation from in vitro to in vivo; Bayesian modeling; sensitivity and uncertainty analyses; visualization and documentation of model assumptions, equations, parameters, and results; application of the model within risk assessment; and participation in the project's scientific publications and other research results.
Your background
We are looking for someone with a strong interest in computational toxicology, toxicokinetics, and quantitative analysis.
Qualifications
university degree in toxicology, pharmacology, biology, biomedicine, environmental science, bioinformatics, computer science, or another relevant field; experience in quantitative data analysis; experience in programming or statistical analysis, preferably in R; ability to work independently, accurately, and systematically with scientific data; and good command of English in speech and writing.
The following qualifications are meritorious:
experience in toxicokinetic, pharmacokinetic, or physiologically based kinetic modeling (PBK/PBTK); experience in parameter estimation, model calibration, as well as sensitivity or uncertainty analysis; knowledge of PFAS toxicokinetics or environmental pollutants; experience working with human biomonitoring data; and experience in scientific programming and reproducible workflows for data analysis.
Special emphasis will be placed on analytical ability, accuracy, the ability to work independently, and interest in interdisciplinary research. Since the employment is short-term, previous experience in quantitative modeling and programming in R is particularly valuable.
The employment is offered to the person who, after a qualitative overall assessment, is considered to have the best conditions to carry out and develop the current tasks and contribute to a positive development of the operations.
About us
The Department of Animal Biosciences (HBIO) is part of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science and is responsible for education, research, and doctoral education within several fundamental and applied scientific areas. These include anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, toxicology, breeding and genetics, immunology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, epizootiology, comparative medicine, food safety, and One Health. Our research covers everything from production animals to sport and companion animals, laboratory animals, and wildlife. The department's researchers work across the entire scale, from molecular mechanisms and microbiology to the whole animal's structure, function, and behavior, and study how these are affected by breeding, physical activity, management, production, stress, environmental factors, and diseases.
The research assistant will contribute to research in computational toxicology and chemical risk assessment, with a particular focus on PBK modeling, human exposure, and the integration of experimental data and biomonitoring data with computational models.
More information about the department: https://www.slu.se/om-slu/organisation/institutioner/husdjurens-biovetenskaper/
Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/
Location:
Uppsala
Type of employment:
Fixed-term employment 3 months, with the possibility of extension.
Extent:
100%
Start date:
By agreement.
Application:
Welcome with your application via the application button below no later than 2026-10-08.
The employment is offered to the person who, after a qualitative overall assessment, is deemed to have the best conditions to carry out and develop current tasks and contribute to a positive development of the operations.
Union contact persons:
https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) plays a key role in the development for sustainable life, grounded in science and education. Through our focus on the interactions between humans, animals, and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Main locations are Alnarp, Umeå, and Uppsala, but operations are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks, and educational sites throughout the country. SLU has over 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students, and a turnover of over 4.5 billion SEK. The university invests in attractive environments on its campus areas. We work for an equal and inclusive work environment where open conversations between people with different experiences lay the foundation for scientific rigor, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome people with different backgrounds and perspectives to apply for the position.