Postdoc DESTRESS; Linking biodiversity trends to contaminant pressures

12 Apr 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

University of Amsterdam (UvA)

Research Field

Physics

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

5 May 2024 - 21:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Hours Per Week

38.0

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Would you like to contribute to a successful water transition? Do you have an interest in aquatic ecology, hydrology, and risk assessment? Are you looking for a Postdoc position where stakeholder interaction dynamics and teamwork are keys to success?

The Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME ) department of the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED ) at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) has a vacancy for an ambitious postdoctoral researcher in the DESTRESS project, as part of Biodiversa+ which is a European partnership focused on biodiversity to support excellent and impactful research.

The overall objective of DESTRESS is to provide guidance and actionable knowledge needed to balance freshwater needs between riverine biodiversity and human society. This enables a faster and more informed transition towards biodiversity-positive management and policies in river catchments with multiple functions. Together with partners in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, the project will analyze the ability to detect biodiversity change based on existing spatial (EU Water Framework Directive) data and analyze the responses of a time series of European riverine macroinvertebrate communities to changes in hydrological regimes and contaminant exposures. The overall goal is to define Safe Operating Spaces for biodiversity protection in the context of changing hydrological regimes and contaminant exposure to support evidence-based implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

What are you going to do?
You will compile existing European scale simulated data on contaminant concentrations and link these to ecological and biological trait compositions, abundance, and common biodiversity metrics for the macroinvertebrate time series. Contaminant concentrations will be converted into spatially explicit estimated toxicity towards stream biodiversity considering the summed effect of chemical mixtures based on relevant acute and chronic ecotoxicity databases. These data and correlations will be applied to pinpoint potential biodiversity tipping points in the high-resolution macroinvertebrate time series. This will be investigated using eco-epidemiological approaches, e.g., structural equation modeling, multi-variate statistics, and Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis. Consistency in identified tipping points and affiliated uncertainties using the different statistical approaches and biodiversity endpoints will be evaluated. In this correlation, we will also consider related factors such as land use and WFD river typologies.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• You will conduct independent research, resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals, in cooperation with other researchers in the DESTRESS project.
• Furthermore, we expect you to be an active member of our research group and to take part in teaching efforts, including assisting in practical courses and supervising bachelor and master students.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

• A successfully completed PhD degree in environmental sciences with a focus on aquatic ecology, ecotoxicology and/or risk assessment;
• You are a committed researcher, demonstrated by publications in international refereed academic journals;
• You are experienced in supervising BSc and MSc research;
• You can demonstrate relevant scientific and technical skills and preferably have experience with model development;
• Good analytical and statistical skills, including the use of programming languages (eg R, Python);
• You have excellent English language and communication skills;
• You are a team player and can easily link to other scientific disciplines. Working together across disciplines is essential for the success of this position.

Additional Information
Benefits

A postdoc position with a temporary contract for 38 hours per week for 18 months. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3.226,- tot € 5.090,- (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• a complete educational program for postdocs via the PERC Graduate school;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, handling stress and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• partly paid parental leave;
• the possibility to set up a workplace at home (max 40% of time);
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with your registration at UvA Staff Housing (application for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad).

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here .

Selection process

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the button below. We accept applications until and including 5 May 2024.

Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file):

• a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
• a letter of motivation;
• a list of publications;
• the names and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation.

Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.

(for details: national knowledge security guidelines )

We will invite potential candidates for interviews soon after the closing date.

Additional comments

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

prof.dr. Annemarie van Weze ([email protected] ), dr. Michiel Kraak ([email protected] ), dr. Milo de Baat, ([email protected] ), or Iris Pit PhD ([email protected] ).

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/340131/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Faculty of Science

Country

Netherlands

City

Amsterdam

Postal Code

1098XH

Street

Science Park 904

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/340131/postdoc-destress-linking-biodiversit…

Contact

City

Amsterdam

Website

http://www.uva.nl/

Street

Spui 21

Postal Code

1012 WX

STATUS: EXPIRED