Postdoctoral Researcher in Integrative Evolutionary Cell Biology; ERC Project IntEvoCell

Organisation/Company UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI Research Field Biological sciences Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Final date to receive applications 30 Apr 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country Finland Type of Contract Other Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Postdoctoral Researcher in Integrative Evolutionary Cell Biology (ERC Project Int Evo Cell )

University of Helsinki – Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) / Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences.

The research group of
Assoc. Prof. Claudius Kratochwil
at the University of Helsinki ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). ) invites applications for
two Postdoctoral Researcher positions
in
integrative evolutionary cell biology
. Our ERC-funded project uses
pigment cells in tropical cichlid fishes
as a powerful model to uncover how complex cellular phenotypes and developmental programs evolve. We integrate
single-cell sequencing
with
high-throughput cell phenotyping
and
comparative evo-devo
across species and developmental stages to link molecular cell states to quantitative phenotypes and evolutionary change.

We are building an
integrative framework
that links (i) high-dimensional single-cell molecular profiles to (ii) quantitative cellular phenotypes and (iii) evolutionary and developmental variation. The project already
includes existing datasets and established pipelines
, and the successful candidates will contribute both by analyzing and extending these resources and by developing new data and approaches where needed. You will join an
international, collaborative team
with access to
excellent core facilities and computational infrastructure
in Helsinki.

The positions

We are hiring
two postdoctoral researchers
whose expertise is
complementary
. Applicants may be primarily experimental or computational. We are especially interested in candidates who can covera strong combination of skills (not necessarily all)from the lists below.

The preferred start date is between1 May 2026 and 1 January 2027
, or upon agreement. The positions are
full-time and fixed-term for two years
, with a possibility for a
two-year extension
. A six-month probationary period will be applied (standard in Finnish university employment contracts).

Depending on expertise and mutual interests, the postdoctoral researchers will:

• Lead and carry out research aligned with the project goals, contributing intellectually, methodologically and empirically
• Generate and/or analyze single-cell and phenotyping data; develop robust, reproducible workflows
• Write manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and present findings at international conferences
• Participate in mentoring of students and research trainees
• Contribute to coordination of project activities, data management, collaborations and shared lab responsibilities.
• The work may include teaching and supervision duties (up to 10% of annual working time).

A more detailed work plan will be crafted based on the selected candidates’ strengths and interests.

Applicants must hold a
doctoral degree
by the start of employment and have the ability to conduct independent scholarly work.

We encourage applicants with a strong profile in
at least one of the tracks below
, and ideally a
combination across tracks:

• Single-cell RNA-seq analysis (e.g., Seurat/Scanpy, QC, integration/batch correction, clustering, annotation)
• Multimodal integration and/or feature engineering (linking phenotypes, imaging, cytometry, or other readouts to transcriptomics)
• Statistics / machine learning for biological inference (model validation, differential state testing, embeddings/classifiers)
• Reproducible research software (Git, workflow tools, documented pipelines; HPC/cluster use)

• Flow cytometry / spectral cytometry, gating strategy development, and cell sorting
• Sample preparation and dissociation protocols for nuclei and/or cells, ideally across multiple tissues including challenging tissues (e.g., skin)
• High-throughput imaging or microscopy-linked phenotyping; quantitative image analysis
• Robust experimental QC and data/metadata handling across many samples and conditions

• Experimental evo-devo in fish or other vertebrate systems; developmental staging and phenotyping
• Genetics of pigmentation and patterning; comparative developmental analyzes
• Functional follow-up (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, genotyping workflows, mutant/variant assessment)
• Comparative frameworks (orthology-aware thinking, cross-species mapping, or phylogenetic reasoning)
• Strong written and spoken English
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently and in a collaborative team
• Evidence of research…