Postdoctoral Researcher, Evolutionary Cell Biology and Bioinformatics

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position in Evolutionary Cell Biology and Bioinformatics at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences of the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology on the Joensuu campus. The position will be filled for a fixed term of two years from 1 October 2025 onwards (or as agreed).

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join our research project in the Mitochondrial Biology research group at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences. This project, funded by the Research Council of Finland, investigates the evolutionary mechanisms of life history strategies by seeking to elucidate mechanisms underlying cell cycle regulation, mitonuclear coadaptation, and speciation, with implications for understanding cancer susceptibility and cell cycle-related disorders. We focus on closely related mammalian species (the brown and mountain hare) that differ in metabolic traits, cell proliferation, and ecological adaptations.

The project involves close collaboration with and exchange visits to the Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Metabolism group at Tampere University.

As our new Postdoctoral Researcher, your main responsibilities include:

• leading the comparative analysis of cell cycle regulation, chromatin architecture, and mitonuclear gene networks using single-cell and multi-omics datasets
• developing and applying pipelines for transcriptomics, chromatin conformation (Hi-C), and single-cell integration across species
• producing high-quality scientific publications
• participating in international conferences
• developing new research questions and proposals within our research group

Other responsibilities include mentoring and supervising PhD students as well as taking part in scientific collaborations. As a Postdoctoral Researcher, you may also have the opportunity to participate in teaching activities on courses relevant to your expertise.

The position will be filled for a fixed term of two years from 1 October 2025 (or as agreed). A probationary period is applied to all new members of the staff.

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system for Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. For a Postdoctoral Researcher, the job-related salary element is based on level 5 of the job requirement level chart. The personal salary element is 6–50% of the job-related salary element. At the beginning of the employment, the total salary will be approximately EUR 3,825 - 4,020 /month.

Requirements

• a doctoral degree in bioinformatics, systems biology, genomics or another relevant field. The person to be appointed must have completed their doctoral degree less than five years ago at the time of accepting the position
• good skills in spoken and written English
• experience in single-cell data analysis (e.g., scRNA-seq, ATAC-seq, or SUM-seq)
• familiarity with genome assembly, annotation, and comparative genomics
• skills in high-throughput data analysis using R, Python, and Linux environments

The following will be considered an advantage

• interest or experience in comparative genomics and evolutionary bioinformatics
• familiarity with mitochondrial function

You will have access to the university’s staff benefits, including the opportunity for flexible multi-location work, extensive occupational health care, a broad selection of staff training, staff discount on lunch in our campus restaurants, as well as on a range of other services, and affordable sports services and a tax-free bike benefit.

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 8 September 2025 by 23:59 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3). Please note that you must include the following appendices in your application: a CV, a list of publications, copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas, and copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency, a motivation letter (1-2 pages), and other documents to demonstrate the applicant’s merits for the position.