PhD student in Behavioral Genetics

Skilled and committed employees are a crucial factor in the success of Linköping University. And we need more of them. Our core expertise comes from teachers and researchers, but a successful university requires experienced and motivated employees in many fields. Everyone is important. We need to recruit many new employees thanks to, among all, an expansion in our research activity. We need you here. We look forward to receiving your application!

The Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology conducts research and offers education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Research, the predominant activity, is often done in collaboration with corporate and international partners. We are one of the university’s largest, oldest and most well known departments, encompassing five interacting scientific fields: biology, chemistry, material physics, applied physics and theory and modelling.
Read more at https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/ifm

LINKÖPING UNIVERSITY
Hereby advertises a position as

PhD student in Behavioral Genetics
formally based at the Biology department, IFM

Duties
As a PhD student you will primarily devote yourself to your research. As a PhD student you are limited to work with education and administration up to 20 percent of full time.

Project
Many aspects of animal behaviour differ consistently between individuals and this has given rise to the growing field of animal personality. However, this does not mean that the behaviour of a given individual is readily predictable, because while some individuals show low levels of variation around their behavioural mean, others show high levels of variation.

Comparisons between individuals in stress research often rely on single measurements of phenotypic traits, which is potentially problematic since variation in trait predictability between individuals can render single measurements of labile traits such as behaviour unreliable as indicators of stress.

Using a combination of large-scale genetical genomics analysis you will determine the genetic architecture underlying variation in behavioural predictability (within-individual variation) across a range of anxiety related behaviors, as well as the mechanisms underlying their effect and correlate these predictability genes with effects of prenatal stress, to see if individuals with genes that cause low or high trait predictability are more or less sensitive to environmental disturbance.

You will work within the group of Research Fellow Rie Henriksen, at the Biology department at Linköping University. The research of Dr. Henriksen focusses on studying the genetics underlying variation in behavior and brain composition as well as sensitivity to early life stress using the chickens as a model species. 

Qualifications
Qualified to PhD studentships are only those who are or have been admitted to graduate studies.

You must hold a master degree (or equivalent) in biology, genetics, behavioral ecology, or other relevant fields. Courses on advanced level in ethology, genetics or neurobiology are considered a merit, as is experience with scientific work with chickens or other bird species.

Appointment time
The appointment will be until further notice for a maximum of one year at a time. A doctoral student may not be employed during a period exceeding eight years. The total time of appointment must not exceed the equivalent of four years´ full time research training.

Starting date 
By agreement.

Salary
The salary for PhD students is based on the department’s salary scale.

Union representatives
For contact with union representatives see below.

Application procedure
Apply for the position by clicking the “Apply” button below. Your application must be received at latest August 21, 2020.

Applications should include a brief description of research interests and relevant experience, a CV, copies of diplomas and certificates, thesis as well as other relevant documents that the applicant wishes to refer to.

Applications and documents received after the date above will not be considered.


Linköping University will continue to develop as an attractive and creative place of work, characterized by equal terms and actively works for equality and diversity.

We look forward to receiving your application!


Linköping university has framework agreements and wishes to decline direct contacts from staffing- and recruitment companies as well as from vendors of job advertisements.