PhD student, Interacting threats to salmonids

Do you want to work in an inspiring environment and contribute to the sustainable use of our oceans, lakes and watercourses? We at the Department of Aquatic resources (SLU Aqua) are passionate about our vision "Viable fish stocks in healthy waters ". We´re expanding, searching for employees who want to develop themselves and make a difference together with us.

The Department of Aquatic Resources conducts environmental monitoring and assessment, consulting, research and education in aquatic ecology with focus on fish and shellfish. The department is SLU's largest and has more than 200 employees at three main locations: Lysekil, Öregrund and Stockholm (Drottningholm), as well as four field stations. The department is highly focused on data collection and analysis of fish, fisheries and ecosystems, and is characterized by intensive collaborations with industry, public agencies and NGO:s. This creates a vital research environment and gives us unique opportunities to develop knowledge with high societal impact.

PhD student, Interacting threats to salmonids: temperature, dams and an emerging disease
Description:
The employee will work in the research group led by Prof. Anti Vasemägi at the Department of Aquatic Resources at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Aquatic resources and co-supervised by Dr. Serena Donadi and Dr. Joacim Näslund.

Infectious agents play a major role in ecosystem functioning but knowledge on their interactive effects with climate change and habitat fragmentation is currently very limited. The overarching goal of this PhD project is to understand the effect of temperature-dependent myxozoan parasite T. bryosalmonae (Tb; causing Proliferative Kidney Disease, PKD) on Swedish brown trout and assist national and international agencies in developing appropriate conservation and management actions against this emerging disease. More specifically, this project aims to: i) Quantify combined impact of PKD and increasing water temperature on brown trout recruitment using long-term national fish monitoring data, temperature records; ii) Evaluate the role of dams as migration barriers on Tb spread and/or catalysts for PKD severity; iii) Apply cutting edge environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches to better understand Tb infectivity, distribution, and life-cycle.

The position entails planning and executing fieldwork (including electrofishing), working with databases and using traditional molecular genetic and cutting edge environmental DNA techniques to detect and quantify myxozoan parasite.

Qualifications:
We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic person with an interest in fish ecology and monitoring, parasitology, aquatic biology, climate change and molecular ecology. Preferably, the applicant’s university degree focuses on aquatic biology or ecology, environmental monitoring, molecular biology or fish biology. The applicant is expected to be fluent in English, both in speech and writing. The ability to understand Swedish is also a plus when working with national monitoring data. Emphasis will be placed on personal skills, such as the ability to work independently as well as in a group, attention to detail and an ability to prioritize and multitask. Documented experience of practical work in streams and rivers or with molecular methods or in experimental ecology is an advantage.

Place of work:      
Drottningholm, Stockholm.

Forms for funding or employment:
Forms for funding or employment: Employment 4 years.

Starting date:
1st September 2022 or as agreed.

Application:
We welcome your application no later than 15th of  March 2022, use the button below.

To qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master’s) qualification. Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level.

Applicants will be selected based on their written application and CV, degree project, copies of their degree certificate and transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution, two personal references, and knowledge of English. More information about the English language requirements can be found here: www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/new-doctoral-students/english-language-requirements/

Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution. Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport’s information page containing their photograph and personal details.

Read about the PhD education at SLU at www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/

Academic union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/



The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a world-class international university with research, education and environmental assessment within the sciences for sustainable life. Its principal sites are in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, but activities are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks and educational establishments throughout Sweden. We bring together people who have different perspectives, but they all have one and the same goal: to create the best conditions for a sustainable, thriving and better world.

SLU has just over 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and a turnover of SEK 3 billion. The university has invested heavily in a modern, attractive environment on its campuses.

www.slu.se