Post-doc: Effects of browsing on boreal forests and forestry

Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, seeks knowledge and finds solutions for a sustainable future through critical thought and transdisciplinary approaches, using state of the art technologies.

The Department of wildlife, fish and environmental studies (VFM) contributes towards SLU:s ambition to be world leading in Life Sciences through education, research and environmental monitoring in collaboration with society. Our activities cover plants, animals and people across the world, often focusing on how land use affects ecosystems and interactions which influence the deliverance of ecosystem services. Today, SLU is among the top ranked universities in the world in forestry and agriculture; we want you to be a part of our vision for a sustainable future.

Duties:
Ungulate browsing shapes the structure and species composition of forest ecosystems, thus providing regulating ecosystem services. At the same time, ungulates deliver provisioning services in the form of game meat and cultural services through recreational values from observing ungulates. Simultaneously, however, browsing may limit ecosystem services from agriculture and forestry. Thus, co-management of ungulates and forests rely on finding trade-offs between competing interests and ecosystem services. This requires an understanding both of how ungulates affect the forests and how silvicultural practices affect the ungulates. Furthermore, knowledge about the stakeholder attitudes to ungulates, and to the limitations ungulates may impose on land use, are necessary.

We are looking for a post-doctoral fellow devoted to revealing the structuring effects of browsing ungulates on forest biodiversity on the one hand, and on resulting limitations on opportunities for forestry on the other hand. Development and validation of monitoring methods can be part of the project, as well as analyses of stakeholder attitudes, depending on the qualifications and interests of the successful candidate.

The project spans both science and environmental assessment and will be carried out in close collaboration with activities at the SLU Forest Damage Centre. The successful candidate will have excellent opportunities for establishing a career in applied research on sustainable management of forest ecosystems.

Post-doctoral fellowships are mainly intended as early career opportunities for researchers having defended their theses during the last three years.

Qualifications:
The position requires a PhD or equivalent degree in ecology, conservation biology or another relevant field. As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions for junior researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates obtained a doctoral degree within the last three years.

The successful candidate should have a strong background in quantitative analysis of large data sets and be proficient in the use of the R programming language for statistical analyses. Experiences from analysing spatial and temporal variation in trophic interactions will be seen as a strong merit and knowledge of boreal forest ecosystems is necessary. Previous experiences from analysing biodiversity or stakeholder attitudes will be meriting, as well as previous work in environmental assessment or from modelling effects of silvicultural practices (e.g. using Heureka). A valid driver’s license is required.

We are looking for a highly motivated, creative candidate who excels both in working independently and in team efforts. The candidate must have excellent communication skills in spoken and written English and proven proficiency in writing and publishing scientific papers. The ability to communicate in a Scandinavian language (preferably both spoken and written) will be seen as a merit, as communicating scientific results to stakeholders is a shared responsibility in the research group.  Personal qualities such as dedication, high degree of self-motivation, and well-developed organisational skills including meeting deadlines are essential.

 

Place of work:
Umeå

Form of employment:
Temporary employment, 24 months

Extent:
100%

Starting date:
May-June 2022, or according to agreement.

Application:
Click the “Apply” button below to submit your application, including your CV, personal letter and transcripts of your academic records including a diploma for your PhD. The deadline is 2022-04-18.

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