Doctoral student in ecology with specialization in marine ecology

Welcome to Linnaeus University! We meet the societal challenges of today and tomorrow in a spirit of openness, curiosity and creativity. By creating arenas for exchange of knowledge from different subjects, fields and cultures, we open up for new ideas and create new opportunities for long-term sustainable societal development. Linnaeus University – where people grow.

The Department of Biology and Environmental Science is part of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. The research activities within this multidisciplinary department include the areas of aquatic ecology, cell and organism biology, evolutionary biology, microbiology, environmental science and environmental engineering as well as disease ecology.

Field of subject for the appointment: Ecology with specialization in marine ecology

Placement city: Kalmar, Sweden

Job description

Coastal areas are some of the most productive aquatic systems worldwide, but they are under intense exploitation and pressure by human activities. Phytoplankton form the base of the marine food web and thus the production and diversity has direct effect on higher trophic levels. Phytoplankton bloom dynamics are affected by both environmental factors and biotic interactions (grazing, viral infection, and competition). In climate change predictions, changes in composition with an increase of smaller phytoplankton (picophytoplankton; <2 µm in diameter) and harmful algal blooms are expected. This can have dramatic consequences for the food web. In the pelagic realm, seasonal dynamics are relatively well studied but in coastal areas knowledge of species succession and interactions, and their food web contribution is limited.   

In this project, controls and species succession in the microbial food web in coastal areas will be studied. The project will consist of integrative studies across organism levels ranging from micro- and nanograzers, phytoplankton to bacteria and virus. The project will include environmental sampling and laboratory experiments using both traditional microbial and molecular methods (sequencing and PCR-based).   

This project is part of a larger multidisciplinary project within the Linnaeus University Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Systems (EEMiS) that seeks to understand the consequences of environmental change on phenology and interaction strengths across trophic levels in the coastal food web of the Baltic Sea. Hence, the present project will be highly collaborative and an integrated part of other PhD-student projects.

We seek a skilled and motivated PhD student with a passion for food webs, aquatic and microbial ecology. Important personal qualities are to be creative, good at problem-solving, a team-worker, independent, resilient, and structured.

According to the Higher Education Ordinance a person appointed to a doctoral studentship should primarily devote himself/herself to his/her own studies. An appointee may, however, work to a limited extent with education, research, artistic development, and administration. However, before a doctoral degree has been awarded, duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20% of a full-time post.

Requirements

A person fulfils the general entry requirements if he/she


• has been awarded a degree on second-cycle level
• completed the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits, of which 60 credits on second-cycle level, or
• in another way, in Sweden or abroad, has acquired principally equivalent knowledge.

Assessment grounds


• A high proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Documented experience within the field of microbial, plankton or food web ecology in aquatic systems.
• Experience of:

• Microbial/algal laboratory work
• Aquatic field sampling
• Molecular methods
• Statistical software analysis


• Driver’s license (class B)

Contacts:

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Elin Lindehoff (elin.lindehoff@lnu.se), +46-(0)-480-447359

Dr. Hanna Farnelid (hanna.farnelid@lnu.se),+46(0)-480-446296

Dr. Karin Holmfeldt  (karin.holmfeldt@lnu.se), +46(0)-480-447310

Head of Department Professor Jonas Waldenström (jonas.waldenstrom@lnu.se), +46-(0)480-446195

Personnel Officer Marianne Palmér (marianne.palmer@lnu.se), +46-(0)480-447303

Welcome with your application no later than November 15, 2022. 


Linnaeus University has the ambition to utilize the qualities that an even gender distribution and diversity brings to the organization.

Please apply by clicking on the Apply button at the bottom of the ad. Applicants are requested to the application resolving CV, cover letter , a copy of a relevant essay , grades and certificates and other relevant documents. The applicant also requested to submit with their application a proposed research plan within the current area of research. All documents must be attached to digital in the application. The application and other documents shall be marked with the reference number. All documents cited must be received by the University no later than 24.00 (Local time in Sweden) on the closing day.