PhD-student position in Dentistry

Department of Restorative, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry
Please send documents: until 17. December 2025
In the frame of the SNF (Swiss National Science Foundation) project SensDent, we are looking for a highly motivated PhD-student for the Department of Restorative, Preventive and Pediatric Den-tistry, University of Bern.
The SensDent project is organized in collaboration with other universities and institutions in Swit-zerland. It pursues an innovative approach, aiming at developing an “intelligent prosthesis” that can analyze saliva biomarkers in real time while simultaneously delivering medications in a targeted manner within the oral cavity. The PhD-student will study salivary biomarkers and its detection.
The position requires an accomplished Master of Science in Dentistry, and it will involve labor-intensive laboratory analyses. The PhD student will be enrolled in the Graduate School for Health Sciences (GHS); the PhD will be awarded from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern. The PhD-student will also work closely with a postdoctoral researcher in the future, as well as in col-laboration with other PhD students from the other universities and institutions.

• Critically review the literature and analyze datasets from laboratory experiments.
• Write research protocols and manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
• Fluency in English to both write and present own work at international conferences.
• Assist supervisor in various scientific activities.

• Highly motivated with a strong interest in Restorative and Preventive Dentistry.
• Holding a master degree in Dentistry, considered as equivalent at the University of Bern.
• High level of English proficiency (German and French are a plus).

• An international, multidisciplinary and highly stimulating environment.
• Collaboration with world-renowned experts in Dentistry.
• Salary according to the regulations of the Swiss National Science Foundation for PhD students (gross yearly salary varies between 47 000 and 55 000 CHF).
• This position is planned for a maximum of 4 years, with an immediate evaluation to be ac-cepted by the respective graduate school (go/no-go), and subsequent evaluations after 18-24 months (go/no-go).

Electronic applications must be compiled into a single PDF document and should contain:

• Motivation letter (max. 1 page) – please explain how your background is suited to the po-sition.
• CV (max. 2 pages and in format Month/Year: e.g. 09/2011 – 12/2014) – including list of references (if any).
• Copy of the MSc diploma (preferably with EN translation)
• Reference letter (max. 1 page) from a previous thesis supervisor

Prof Thiago Saads Carvalho and Prof Burak Yilmaz will conduct online interviews in January 2026.
Start of position planned for February/March 2026 (to be decided)
For further information on our facilities see: https://www.kons.zmk.unibe.ch/research/index_eng.html