Umeå University

Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 41,500 students and about 4,600 employees. The University offers a diversity of high-quality education and world-leading research in several fields. Notably, the groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was made here. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campuses make it easy to meet, work together and exchange knowledge, which promotes a dynamic and open culture.

The ongoing societal transformation and large green investments in northern Sweden create enormous opportunities and complex challenges. For Umeå University, conducting research about – and in the middle of – a society in transition is key. We also take pride in delivering education to enable regions to expand quickly and sustainably. In fact, the future is made here.

Homepage: https://www.umu.se/en/

Could liquid water and even the chemical fingerprints of past or present life still be hiding in the icy Mars today? This doctoral project sets out to answer that question in the laboratory.

Salts such as chlorides and perchlorates keep brines and thin water films liquid-like far below 0 °C across the Martian surface, yet we still know little about how the regolith captures water and whether fragile organics survive. Using cutting-edge cryogenic vibrational spectroscopy and microscopy techniques, the doctoral student will build a unique spectral and imaging database of Mars analogue soils and link it to spacecraft mission data (e.g., SuperCam, SHERLOC, CheMin, REMS) to trace water, cryosalts and organics on present-day Mars.

During this doctoral project, the student will get an opportunity to work in experiments and trials, both at our laboratory and local infrastructures in Umeå as well as at our collaborators' laboratories at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center (CA) and NASA Johnson Space Center (TX). We offer a unique opportunity to learn high-end techniques, especially for cryogenic studies, and to build a scientific network in astrobiology and planetary science fields. In addition to the research assignment, participation in postgraduate courses and teaching is also included.

You apply via our e-recruitment system Varbi. Log in and apply via the button at the bottom of the page. The deadline for applications is 31 July, 2026.

The application, written in English or Swedish, should include:

• a personal letter with a brief description of why you are applying for the position, and how your qualifications and research interests are relevant to the doctoral project described above (no more than 2 pages),
• a curriculum vitae,
• copies of degree certificates, diplomas or equivalent, including documentation of completed academic courses, grades obtained, and other certificates of relevance to the described project,
• copies of student theses on advance level or other publications,
• contact information for at least two reference persons.

Further information is provided by Dr. Merve Yeşilbaş, e-mail: merve.yesilbas@umu.se, web: https://www.yesilbaslab.com/.