Postdoc, Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry of Forest Soils

The Department of Soil & Environment conducts research, environmental monitoring & assessment and higher education for sustainable soil management in agriculture, forestry and urban environments. Outcomes are aligned to and contribute towards national and international strategies on food security, national environmental objectives and climate reporting as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The majority of the department’s activities and employees are located in the Soil-Water-Environment building on the SLU Ultuna campus in Uppsala, and there is a research group and a field research station situated in Skara.

Duties:
We seek a post-doc to study and model relationships between soil nutrient availability, tree growth and decomposition in Swedish forest ecosystems. The project has a particular focus on mycorrhizal symbiosis, with the aim to better understand and predict effects of forestry on soil functionality. The work is part of a larger collaborative project (under the leadership of Björn Lindahl – leading expert in forest and fungal ecology), and the position focuses on data analysis and process-based modelling. Available data from field studies as well as large-scale inventories will be used to establish statistical relationships, which will be further explored in quantitative ecosystem models. The post-doc will collaborate with researchers in Stockholm University (under the leadership of Stefano Manzoni – leading expert in ecosystem modelling) in the development of new process-based ecosystem models, aiming to increase understanding of how nutrient limited ecosystem with tight coupling between plants and microorganisms (e.g. mycorrhiza-based priming effects) respond to disturbance.

Qualifications:
The applicant shall have a PhD degree in a relevant research area, good knowledge in mathematics as well as ecosystem ecology (alternatively in biogeochemistry, population/community ecology or hydrology), and previous experience of process-based and statistical modelling. Specific competence about plant-soil systems is a particular merit, as is GIS competences for spatial analysis.

Proficiency in English (both spoken and written) is required.

Driving license is a merit.

As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions for junior researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates with a doctoral degree that is three years old at most.
Place of work:
Uppsala

Form of employment:
Temporary employment, 24 months, with possible extension.

Extent:
100%

Starting date:
1 August 2022 or according to agreement.

Application:
We welcome your application no later than 30 April 2022, use the button below.

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