Hanoi University of Mining and Geology

Microbial Ecology and Evolution Research group led by Professor Ville-Petri Friman at the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki is looking for a postdoctoral researcher with background in molecular virology, microbiology and metagenomics/metaviromics to a Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation funded project: ‘Discovering the benefits of plant growth-promoting bacteriophages About the position: Plant growth is not only determined by the plant genotype but also by the presence of beneficial microbes that can boost plant growth by providing access to nutrients, defending plants against invading pathogens, and producing plant growth-promoting hormones. While increasing evidence suggests that phages can shape the composition, diversity and functioning of rhizosphere bacterial communities, we lack an understanding of how these changes are associated with plant health and growth. The main aim of this project is to experimentally study how phages can boost plant growth and to determine the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms of phage-mediated plant growth-promotion. Even though phages do not directly interact with plants, they can indirectly affect plant growth by interacting with plant-associated rhizosphere bacteria. For example, lytic phages can infect and kill plant-pathogenic bacterial taxa and reduce their relative abundances alleviating plant disease symptoms. Selective killing of bacterial taxa can also lead to the enrichment of plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizosphere, which could result in improved plant growth. Moreover, by killing bacteria, lytic phages release nutrients in the rhizosphere, which could help plants sequester and assimilate resources to support their growth. Finally, temperate phages can integrate into bacterial chromosomes and provision bacteria with additional genes (auxiliary metabolic genes, or AMGs for short) that do not only improve bacterial survival but could also boost the expression of plant growth-promoting functions. In this project, we will use a highly trackable tomato rhizosphere model system to directly study if phages can boost plant growth by interacting with rhizosphere bacterial communities in the plant roots. Specifically, we will focus on understanding the importance of three key mechanisms of phage-mediated plant growth-promotion: i) Release of nutrients in the rhizosphere due to the killing of bacteria by phages, ii) Selective enrichment of plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizosphere by phages, and iii) Provisioning of bacteria with plant growth-promoting functional genes by temperate phages. We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher with experience in molecular virology, microbiology and metagenomics/metaviromics to join our international team. The candidate should hold PhD degree in microbiology, bioinformatics or related field, and good written and verbal communication skills in English are necessary. The postdoctoral position is for 4 years starting in April 2026.  Requirements Doctoral degree in molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, bioinformatics or another relevant field. The degree requirement (doctoral degree) must be met by the beginning of the employment. Experience in bioinformatics and metagenomic and/or metaviromic analyses. Experience or knowledge in plant biology/pathology, plant-microbe interactions, microbial ecology, evolution or phage biology are desirable. Ability to conceive, execute, and complete research projects independently. Creativity and good group-working skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. What we offer Competitive salary, high-quality local infrastructure and a top-level interdisciplinary and international collaboration network. State-of-art computational resources from the Finnish IT Center for Science (CSC). Additional training for microbial bioinformatics and plant pathology (if needed). Possibility to visit collaborators at the Nanjing Agricultural University, and other Universities, depending on training needs and candidate preferences. Supportive and non-discriminative working environment. The salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be based on level 5 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary of the postdoctoral researcher will be ca. 3600-3800 euros/month, depending on the appointees’ qualifications and experience. A six-month trial period will be applied. The workplace of the position is in Helsinki, Finland. How to apply Please submit your application as a single pdf file in English using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System. Please include the following in your application:  A motivation letter (max. 2 pages) including descriptions of the candidate’s: background and methodological skills relevant for the position research interest or a vision for the research conducted in this position past experience on working in multidisciplinary groups or research environments CV that includes a list of publications  Names and contact details of two referees  External applicants, please submit your application using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via Apply Now button. Applicants who have a helsinki.fi -username and a valid employment contract, a grant researcher’s contract or a visiting researcher’s contract at the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application by using the Employee login. The deadline for the applications is 2.2.2026 (at 23.59 EET), while the preferred start date is the 1.4.2026. Further information The position: Professor Ville-Petri Friman (ville-petri.friman@helsinki.fi) University of Helsinki recruitment system: HR Specialist Mirkka Juntunen (via HR Services uni-help@helsinki.fi) https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/working-at-the-university https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-agriculture-and-forestry/research/microbiology https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/microbial-ecology-and-evolution https://villefrimanscience.weebly.com/ About the Department of Microbiology and Finland The department of Microbiology is part of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and is located on the Viikki campus. The research focuses on microbial ecology and evolution, as well as the application of microbiology in agriculture and forestry, food production, medicine, environmental sciences and microbial biotechnology. The mission of the faculty is to promote the sustainable use of renewable natural resources, covering the full natural resource chain from farm to fork, the entire field of forest sciences from soil chemistry to marketing, as well as the environmental effects of related activities. www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-agriculture-and-forestry Finland is one of the most livable countries, with a high quality of life, safety and excellent education system. Finland is a member of the EU, has high quality and inexpensive childcare, free schooling and tertiary training (also in English), generous family benefits and healthcare, and was recently ranked as the best country in the world for expat families. The successful candidate will receive the benefits provided by the University of Helsinki to university employees, including occupational health care services, and obtain access to high-quality public affordable childcare services and schools. A diverse and equitable study and work culture is important to us. That is why we do our best to promote an inclusive university community. We encourage all qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for our positions. Click this link to read about accessibility and inclusivity at our University. JOIN US TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD – TOGETHER! #HelsinkiUniCareers

About the role The purpose of the role is to deliver a full award management function, including reports on work in progress and project monitoring as required and will report progress to Senior Research Grants Administrator and Research Grants Manager. The role holder will maintain detailed knowledge of funder terms and conditions as well as internal financial procedures and regulations, and will apply these consistently, particularly with regard to financial returns. The consequences of non-compliance with financial regulations are severe and the role holder will be expected to develop and deploy a high level of expertise to manage this level of risk on behalf of the university. The role holder will need to have a broad perspective, engaging positively and proactively with the research strategy and service transformation programme currently underway at King’s and embracing opportunities to contribute in different ways This is a full time (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an a fixed term contract until 31/3/2027 . About you To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience: Essential criteria Good Standard of General Education (A Level / OND or Equivalent) Good understanding of Research Grants and Contracts Post Award activities in a University or similar environment and thorough understanding of funder Terms and Conditions of RCUK, Wellcome Trust, NIHR, UK and other Overseas Funders and Charities. IT Literate with intermediate / advanced spreadsheet skills (Ability to use macros and pivot tables, experience of using databases , external portals and information retrieval from the internet. High level of numeracy, double entry and accounting principles Excellent communication and organisational skills with ability to lead when required with Practical problem-solving skills and ability to analyse data at different levels and produce meaning full reports Previous experience of working with internal and external auditors with ability to lead on ad hoc work commitments Previous Experience of controlling a research portfolio and maintaining in line with financial procedures. Self-starter, with ability to work under own initiative and lead others following minimum guidance and ability to work well under pressure and to be able to prioritise their work in the face of constantly shifting priorities and tight deadlines Excellent interpersonal skills, including tact, ability to form working relationships with a wide range of people in an enthusiastic and helpful manner whilst being capable of firmly maintaining College Policies Desirable criteria Accountancy Qualification or Studying towards such a qualification Degree or equivalent professional Qualification Further Information We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community. We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities. We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible. To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages. Grade and Salary: £39,076 - £43,909 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance Job ID: 133085 Close Date: 04-Jan-2026 Contact Person: Mrs Shirley Thankappan Contact Details: shirley.thankappan@kcl.ac.uk

About the Role  We’re looking for a talented User Experience (UX) Designer to join our Digital User Experience team. You’ll play a key role in shaping intuitive, accessible, and engaging digital experiences for our diverse user base. This is an exciting opportunity to apply user-centred design principles and deliver prototypes, interfaces, and interaction models that meet the needs of students, staff, and partners.  What You’ll Do User-Centred Design & Research Visualise and solve complex problems using evidence-based design decisions. Create personas, user journeys, wireframes, and information architecture schemas. Incorporate UX into agile development sprints and collaborate with developers, content designers, and product managers. Prototyping & Interaction Design  Deliver prototypes (from sketches to interactive models) for user testing. Apply rapid prototyping methods and modern design patterns. Accessible Design  Ensure compliance with WCAG 2.2 and Web Accessibility Directive standards. Lead on visual design standards and contribute to the University’s design system. Stakeholder Engagement  Communicate design decisions clearly to technical and non-technical audiences. Mentor colleagues and promote best practices in UX across the University. About You  Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant subject (e.g., Computer Science, Graphic Design). Strong knowledge of design research and at least one of: interaction design, service design, visual design, or information architecture. Proven experience with tools such as Figma, Miro, Axure, InVision, Adobe Creative Suite. Skilled in responsive design for web and mobile, and accessibility standards. Experience working in agile environments and using data to inform design decisions. Portfolio demonstrating UX design and prototyping skills. Desirable:  Experience facilitating usability testing and concept validation. Background in agile project management and UX leadership. Why Join Us?  You’ll be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team driving digital transformation at a world-class Russell Group university. We value creativity, inclusivity, and innovation—and we’re committed to making our digital services accessible to all.  How to Apply  Submit your CV and cover letter via our online recruitment portal.