Postdoctor in Biodiversity Research/Computational Biology

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 47 500 students and 6 400 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Biological and Environmental Science (http://bioenv.gu.se) is the host of the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (http://ggbc.gu.se). The Centre has two main goals: to further develop biodiversity research, and to bridge the gap between scientists, the public and industry. The working language is English. At the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences we have teaching and research activities that stretch from the alpine ecosystem, through forests, cultivated land and streams, all the way into the marine environment. In these environments we study different levels of biological organisation from genes, individuals and populations, to communities and ecosystems. We work within ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics and combinations of these fields in order to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The current position is placed at Gothenburg Botanical garden with flexibility for spending time between Switzerland (University of Fribourg) and the UK (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London). Whenever possible, international collaborations will be carried out through video-conferencing to reduce environmental impact.

Project description
The goal of this  project is to create, develop and/or apply innovative solutions to tackle the on-going loss of biodiversity at any scale (taxonomic, phylogenetic, spatial). The project is expected to link with the Principal Investigators’ broad areas of research but there is flexibility in focus, approach and specific goals, depending on the candidate’s strengths and interests. Possible areas include, but are not restricted to:


• Integration of techniques for species identification combining automated image recognition, geo-location and taxonomic keys to be implemented in our mobile application knowme.earth
• Use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning with biodiversity data, such as species occurrence records and images
• Development or comparative evaluation of methods for automated assessments of extinction risks for species, Red List assignments or threats to specific regions

We are particularly keen to support projects that add new dimensions to our current research portfolios.

The project is a collaboration between Ass.Prof. Daniele Silvestro at the University of Fribourg and the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre; and Prof. Alexandre Antonelli at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre. Additional national and international collaborators may be sought depending on the project and suitability.

Job assignments
This employment includes the following tasks: conducting independent and collaborative research; responsibility for managing own workload; production of scientific articles; effective communication across the team and beyond, including in seminars and conferences; among other assignments depending on the project. 

Eligibility
The applicant must hold a PhD degree in an area relevant for the tasks at hand e.g., biodiversity research, computational biology, conservation, or a foreign exam substantially equivalent to a PhD degree in a relevant subject. Preference will be given to candidates who have been awarded the degree no more than three years before the application deadline. Applicants with a degree awarded earlier may also be preferred if specific reasons exist. Such specific reasons may be a leave due to illness, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

We want to actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion in our research groups to reflect society at large. We particularly encourage applications from underrepresented genders, sexual orientation, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc.

For more information and how to apply
In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system. https://www.gu.se/english/about_the_university/job-opportunities/vacancies-details/?id=5427
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. The selection of candidates is made on the basis of the qualifications registered in the application.

 


In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.