PhD Position in Natural Science, specialising in Biology

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 49 000 students and 6 400 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

At the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BioEnv) we have teaching and research activities that stretch from the alpine ecosystem, through forests, cultivated land and streams, all the way into the marine environment. In these environments we study different levels of biological organisation from genes, individuals and populations, to communities and ecosystems. We work within ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics and combinations of these fields in order to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The department is placed at three different localities: in Gothenburg Botanical garden, at Medicinarberget in Gothenburg and Kristineberg Marine Research Station. The current position is placed at the Gothenburg Botanical garden.

Project description
We live in a time of greatly accelerated extinction rates but also a time where we are rapidly increasing our understanding of the processes that determine biodiversity across time and space. The aim of this project is to focus on the extent to which we can use the knowledge we have about the processes governing the buildup of biodiversity in the first place to try to reduce ongoing biodiversity loss. There will be a large degree of freedom for the student to choose their own specific questions to investigate within this overall framework. Topics might include but are not limited to: spatial conservation prioritization, identification of the relevant baseline for conservation or the development of methods to identify amounts of still unrecorded extant or recently extinct species. The work should initially focus on vertebrates but may potentially at later stages include other taxa as well.

The PhD student will be hosted in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences under the supervision of Dr. Søren Faurby but the student will also have opportunities to collaborate with many other scientists at the department and in the Biological and Environmental Sciences. The project is linked to the strategic research area Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate (http://www.becc.lu.se), which hosts a research school that the recruited PhD student will be encouraged to apply to: ClimBEco (http://www.cec.lu.se/climbeco-graduate-research-school).

Job assignments
The main task is to conduct the PhD thesis work under supervision, which includes development of the PhD student’s methodology experience, analytical skills, and theoretical depth and breadth. Techniques used within the project include


• Data base generation and handling: as part of the PhD the applicant will learn to handle large ecoinformatic datasets
• Macroecological methods: e.g. regression analyses of spatially explicit data.

The studies will be conducted mostly though computer analyses based on existing data from the scientific literature and/or citizen science, but at least one study during the PhD will also involve the generation of novel data based on field and/or laboratory work.

Third cycle education
Admission to third cycle education is aiming at a PhD in Natural Science, specializing Biology. The education runs for four years of fulltime studies, containing three years of thesis work and one year of academic education (i.e. course work and literature studies). A selection of courses at the Department/Faculty is available, but national/international courses can also be selected.  Some teaching and/or course administration can be included which extends the contract to the same extent.

Assessment
Rules regarding education and employment on a doctoral level you will find in Högskoleförordningen (HF, SFS 1993:100). Only applicants who are admitted to the postgraduate level may be hired. Upon appointment the degree of ability to successfully complete the PhD program must firstly be evaluated.

We are seeking a motivated person for PhD studies in biology with emphasis on Applied macroecology/ macroevolution

Essential attributes:


• A masters degree in biology or a related field
• Knowledge of basic ecology and evolution
• Creative thinking
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a group.
• Good communication skills in both written and spoken English

Desired attributes:


• Specialization of master thesis in biodiversity analyses or conservation
• An early track record of scientific publication or preprints
• Documented experience working with R, Python and/or ArcGIS
• Interest in (and potentially experience with) science communication

For further information and how to apply
In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system https://web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/1035/main?site=7&validator=9b89bead79bb7258ad55c8d75228e5b7〈=UK&rmpage=job&rmjob=18456. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. The selection of candidates is made on the basis of the qualifications registered in the application.


In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.