PhD student position in Environmental Chemistry

PhD student position in Environmental Chemistry with focus on: Bioavailability of pollutants and effects on ecosystem function.Announced by the Department of Chemistry (www.chemistry.umu.se) ECOCHANGE is a new governmental strategic marine research program at Umeå University (UmU) in collaboration with the Linnaeus University in Kalmar.Ecosystem dynamics in the Baltic Sea is studied in a climate change perspective.Effects of climate related changes on lower and higher trophic levels are investigated in a north-south gradient in the Baltic Sea, as well as effects on bioavailiability of pollutants and their potential to change food web function.It is an interdisciplinary project spanning from ecology and chemistry to environmental sciences.Project description The project is focused on effects of climate change on the bioavailability of environmental pollutants and on effects of pollutants on lower trophic levels; from microbes to metazooplankton.Effects of changes in temperature, precipitation, inflow of organic carbon and salinity will be tested.The studies will comprise sorption and bioavailability tests as well as more complex microcosm experiments.The selected chemicals will be biologically active environmental pollutants, e.g.health drugs and biocides.Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) will be used as reference substances.The project includes advanced chemical analyses of these substances. A PhD education is 4 years (48 months) and the PhD-student will get a formal position at the start of the project (Sw: "doktorandanställning").Up to 10 % as teaching assistant may be included in the position (then the position will be extended accordingly).Applications will be discarded or, if the applicant so wishes, returned two years after the position has been filled.Documents sent electronically should be in MS Word or PDF format.