Postdoctoral researcher in ecology and evolutionary biology

The Finnish Museum of Natural History LUOMUS  is looking for a highly motivated

postdoctoral researcher in ecology and evolutionary biology

to join Plant Adaptation and Conservation (PAC) group. The researcher will be employed for twelve months at the University of Helsinki starting latest on 1 Aug 2023. The position is located at LUOMUS.

The position is part of the research project ('Will adaptive plasticity and evolvability help plants to survive in a changing climate') funded by the Academy of Finland. In this project, we combine approaches from ecology, ecophysiology and quantitative genetics to quantify variation in trait means and to compare capacity for adaptation in key functional traits of widespread and narrowly distributed species, and we contrast leading-edge, core, and trailing-edge populations. We analyse three interrelated key mechanisms for adaptive potential in plants: (i) standing intraspecific variation in phenotypic trait means and plasticity, (ii) phenotypic plasticity within individual life-cycles and across generations, and (iii) evolutionary potential of populations and species. This combination of range-wide surveys of multivariate trait variation and plasticity with in-depth studies of population-level evolutionary potential provides an approach towards novel knowledge-based conservation applications in a changing climate.

The research project has entered the production phase and the duties of postdoctoral researcher will concentrate on:

• data analysis
• writing up research articles
• communicating the value of the results to the scientific community and the public e.g. by social media
• minor hands-on work with ongoing ecological experiments with European plant species is an option in summer 2023.

In this position, you are expected to engage in collaborative work with an international research community consisting of members representing all academic stages. There is also an opportunity to supervise MSc students.
Who can apply?  
For the position, the appointee must have a doctoral degree in a relevant discipline and the ability to conduct independent scholarly work. The appointee must have a maximum of five years since the completion of their PhD. Possible career breaks (maternity, paternity, parental or childcare leave, military/civil service etc.) will be considered. If the applicant pleads these special reasons, they should be mentioned in the CV.
Qualifications:
The candidate should have:

• track record in ecology or other relevant field demonstrated by published (or accepted) scientific articles as a first author
• aptitude towards modelling and statistical analyses using R statistical environment and experience on data analyses e.g. by GLM and GLMM.
• excellent communication skills in English

Advantages:

• Experience in carrying out research independently and working in a team.
• Good time management and project management skills

How to apply?
The application should include as one single pdf file:

Please submit your application via our recruitment system by 3 April 2023 (23.59 EET).
External applicants, please submit your application using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via Apply Now button.
Applicants who have a helsinki.fi -username and a valid employment contract, a grant researcher’s contract or a visiting researcher’s contract at the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application by using the employee login.

Salary and benefits
The University of Helsinki invests in the welfare of its employees by offering preventative occupational health services and general medical care, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. Luomus is an equal opportunity workplace committed to advance wellbeing and diversity and promote gender equality in science and education. We welcome applicants from a variety of gender identities, and linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

The salary will be based on level 5 of the requirement level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. The starting gross salary will be ca. 3 300 – 3 500 euros/month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience.

The appointee is expected to reside in Finland while employed by the University of Helsinki. The University assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland. Finland is a member of the EU, has high quality free schooling (also in English), generous family benefits and healthcare. Read more about why the University of Helsinki is an excellent career choice: working at the University of Helsinki.

Please note that there will be a trial period of six months in the beginning of the employment contract.

Further information
Further information can be obtained from the Vice-director of Luomus, Dr Marko-Tapio Hyvärinen marko.hyvarinen@helsinki.fi, +358 (0)2941 24440
About Luomus

The Finnish Museum of Natural History LUOMUS (www.luomus.fi/en) is an independent institute of the University of Helsinki and the national museum in the field of natural history in Finland. The duties of LUOMUS are to amass, maintain and display its collections, and to conduct related research. The collections serve research, teaching, and public education in biology, geology, and biodiversity, and form part of the international network of natural history repositories. LUOMUS has four units: Botany, Zoology, Natural Sciences, and Biodiversity Informatics. The institute has a staff of c. 165. The Botany Unit has a permanent staff of 35 (10 of them in research positions) and approx. 30 temporary employees working in three teams: Mycology and Bryology Team, Vascular plants Team, and the Garden Team.