Two museum assistants in barcoding and systematics of marine sponges

Project Description

The SponBIODIV project is an EU-funded international consortium aimed at establishing fundamental knowledge about diversity and distribution and delivering tools to improve the management and conservation of sponges in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, at the gene and species level as well as their habitats. The project is anchored in the establishment of a trans-European and pan-Atlantic network of research organizations that will collaborate with key stakeholders to support evidence-based policy for the management, conservation, and restoration of marine biodiversity, from coastal areas to deep-sea ecosystems. One of the SponBIODIV goals at Uppsala universitet is to identify hotspots for bio- and phylodiversity in European waters, focusing on several case study areas, one of which is the Norwegian coast. Another important goal at Uppsala universitet is to identify knowledge gaps within sponge barcoding.

Duties

Museum assistants will help compile and analyze molecular data for a sponge DNA barcoding overview to be published. The applicant is expected to compile barcoding data from various online archives. Duties include literature searches, statistical analyses, and figure production, as well as writing certain parts of the overview. Finally, processing, species identification, and registration of the barcoded sponge museum collections are also expected.

Qualification Requirements

A PhD in sponge systematics, or similar, or a foreign degree equivalent to a PhD. The applicant may not have completed their PhD at the time of application, but the doctoral thesis must at least have been submitted. The project requires extensive knowledge of sponge systematics and sponge barcoding, as well as good experience with molecular databases and R. The candidate is expected to be able to work independently and have an interest in sponge taxonomy and DNA barcoding. The candidate is expected to be able to work independently and take their own initiative, as well as collaborate with colleagues both within and outside the research group. The position is part of an international context, so good oral and written communication skills in English are a prerequisite. Finally, significant weight will be placed on personal suitability such as; analytical and organizational skills, personal maturity, ability to collaborate with others, take initiative, and show good judgment.

About the Employment

The employment is fixed-term for 6 months (50%), alternatively 3 months (100%), according to the central collective agreement. Start date by agreement. Location: Uppsala.

For further information about the position, please contact: Docent Paco Cárdenas, paco.cardenas@em.uu.se. Please submit your application no later than September 29, 2026, UFV-PA 2026/2744.

Uppsala universitet 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 7,500 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala universitet one of the country's most exciting workplaces.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala universitet https://uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/

The employment may be subject to security clearance. In the case of security clearance, the applicant being approved is a prerequisite for employment.

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Applications are received in Uppsala universitet's recruitment system.

Union representatives: Saco-S - saco-s@uu.se, Seko - seko@uadm.uu.se, ST (OFR/S) - ofr@uu.se