PhD student in Ecology

The Department of Biology and Environmental Science is part of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. The research activities within this multidisciplinary department include the areas of aquatic ecology, cell and organism biology, evolutionary biology, microbiology, environmental science and environmental engineering as well as zoonotic ecology.

Field of subject for the appointment

Evolutionary ecology of pike

Job description

The pike Esox lucius is a large, long-lived, iteroparous, top- predator fish species that occupies eutrophic and oligotrophic lakes, rivers and brackish waters. It is emerging as an important fish model organism in studies of ecology and evolution, and it can be exploited in future research for identifying causes and consequences of phenotypic and genetic variation at the levels of individuals, populations and species. The recently published pike genome opens for identification of genomic regions and genes influencing variation in functionally important traits, such as growth rate, body size, salinity tolerance, and disease resistance.

The aim of this doctoral student project is to study ecological drivers and genetic signatures of evolutionary divergence and local adaptation in pike. The research will be conducted in collaboration with other scientists within the framework of an ongoing long-term study of pike in the Kalmar sound area of the Baltic Sea. We have at our disposal access to DNA from a large number of individuals from populations that occupy different environments. The work will include collection of additional samples from anadromous populations along the Swedish coastline, and from freshwater lakes in Sweden and abroad. Combinations of longitudinal studies of marked individuals, behavioural assays, laboratory experiments, molecular genetics tools, and phylogeny based comparative genomics studies across species may be used to evaluate hypotheses and test predictions. The successful applicant will interact with other students and researchers within EEMiS, a multidisciplinary center of excellence within Linnaeus University that comprises expertise in ecology, evolution, and microbiology.

According to the Higher Education Ordinance a person appointed to a doctoral studentship should primarily devote himself/herself to his/her own studies. An appointee may, however, work to a limited extent with education, research, artistic development, and administration. However, before a doctoral degree has been awarded, duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20% of a full-time post.

Entry requirements

A person fulfils the general entry requirements if he/she
•has been awarded a degree on second-cycle level
•has completed the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits, of which 60 credits on second-cycle level, or
•in other way, in Sweden or abroad, has acquired principally equivalent knowledge.

The Higher Education Ordinance also states a transitional regulation for qualification for admission to third-cycle level, valid until 2015.

Requirements – Transitional regulation

A person who fulfils the conditions for general requirements (bachelor degree and 60 "old" credits in the subject) for admission to third-cycle education prior to July 1, 2007, should also henceforth be considered qualified for admission to education at third-cycle level. This should be the case until 2015.

Relative importance of assessment criteria
1.Experience of evolutionary ecology research
2.Experience of genetics and molecular biology techniques
3.Overall suitability of the applicant to the research groups

Placement location

Kalmar

For more information, please contact

Professor Anders Forsman (anders.forsman@lnu.se) +46(0)-480-446173; Professor Per Larsson +46(0)480-44 73 11, (per.larsson@lnu.se); Head of Department Per-Eric Betzholtz (per-eric.betzholtz@lnu.se), +46-(0)480-446249; or Personnel Officer Ulrika Petersson (ulrika.petersson@lnu.se), +46-(0)480-446996.

Union representatives may be contacted via the university switchboard at +46-772-288000.

The application (in English) should contain a CV (with telephone and e-mail), documentation of exams and grades, a description of personal motivation and experiences relevant to the research project and any other documentation that the applicant would like to present. The candidates should also provide contact details (including telephone number and e-mail address) of two reference persons. Candidates with background in research in evolutionary ecology are encouraged to apply. Experience of working in the field and familiarity with molecular genetics techniques and bioinformatics is desired. English skills, both verbal and in writing, is required. Applications should arrive no later than July 31, 2015. Mark your application with reference number PA 2015/288-2.2.1.


Please apply by clicking on the "Apply" button at the bottom of the ad. Applicants are requested to the application resolving CV, cover letter , a copy of a relevant essay , grades and certificates and other relevant documents. The applicant also requested to submit with their application a proposed research plan within the current area of research. All documents must be attached to digital in the application. The application and other documents shall be marked with the reference number. All documents cited must be received by the University no later than 24.00 on the closing day.