We conduct state-of-art research on the soil system in both national and international contexts. Our research focuses on fundamental soil properties and processes, as well as how soil functions are affected by changes in environmental conditions, including climate change. Through research, environmental analysis and education, we contribute knowledge about future sustainable land use and develop new solutions as a basis for decision-making in agriculture, forestry and the urban environment. The working environment at the department is international and we have around 100 employees. Our research is carried out in seven subject groups with a focus on soil biology, soil nutrient cycling, soil chemistry, agricultural water management, soil and environmental physics, soil mechanics and soil tillage, and the biogeochemistry of forest soils. We are responsible for important research infrastructure in the form of soil chemistry and soil physics laboratories, an X-ray scanner, long-term field experiments, a lysimeter facility, and the field research stations at Lanna and L vsta. The Department participates in approximately 30 courses at undergraduate and advanced level. We are a part of the Soil, Water and Environment Center at SLU (MVM-center), which provides links to research on water systems, recycling and bioenergy. Our work is aligned to national environmental and climate goals as well as to the Sustainable Development Goals. We are situated at Campus Ultuna in Uppsala and in Skara.

Duties: A well-developed soil structure (i.e. the spatial arrangement of solids and pores) is critical for sustainable crop production. Soil structure is largely influenced by aggregation induced by the microbial decomposition of organic matter. In turn, soil structure affects soil organic matter turnover because pore networks determine microbial access to SOM and the oxygen supply to soil microbes. The focus of this project is on these interactions. The postdoctoral researcher will conduct research within the project The two-way interactions between soil organic carbon and soil structure which focuses on the physical protection of soil organic matter and the process of soil aggregation. Duties include field sampling, laboratory work, processing and analysis of X-ray tomography images and writing scientific articles. There will also be possibilities to contribute to the teaching at the department.