Postdoc in Soil Biodiversity and Land Management

27 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

University of Amsterdam (UvA)

Research Field

Physics

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

11 Feb 2024 - 22:59 (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

Do you want to contribute to understanding how grassland management shapes soil biodiversity, and what the implications are for the conservation of soil biodiversity in Europe? Do you want to understand how grassland soils respond to multiple global change factors, and what the role of soil biodiversity is in this response? Do you love field work as well as running mechanistic experiments?

We are looking for a postdoc within the large European Biodiversa project “Monitoring the contribution of European grasslands to the conservation of soil biodiversity and ecosystem function under multiple global change stressors”, of which the part at the University of Amsterdam is led by Prof. Franciska de Vries.

This project will investigate how grassland management and conservation status affect soil biodiversity its functioning. This will be done by sampling 300 grasslands across Europe under different management practices and conservation status and assessing their soil biodiversity status and functioning, as well as testing their ability to withstand a range of global change stressors. These data will be used to model future soil biodiversity and function in European grasslands under different land cover scenarios. In addition, we will perform targeted, mechanistic experiments to assess how different types of natural grasslands respond to global change. The Biodiversa project is led by Prof. Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, and involves scientific partners and stakeholders from Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and The Netherlands. We are looking for a postdoc with a strong theoretical and practical background in assessing soil biodiversity and functioning, with a focus on soil microbial communities, and with experience in relevant techniques for studying these, such as plant and soil nutrient and carbon analysis, and DNA-based techniques for microbial community analysis, as well as experience in, and affinity for, field work.

What are you going to do?
You will actively participate in the planning and execution of the wider project goals, together with the project partners and stakeholders. You will participate in the cross-European field sampling and analyse the resulting samples in the laboratory. In addition, you will perform mechanistic experiments assessing grassland soil response to multiple global change factors, and what the role of soil biodiversity is in maintaining soil functions under these stressors. You will be responsible for analysing the resulting data, communicating results via presentations and publications in leading journals, and writing reports to the funder. You will work closely together with the project team, give input to the scientific direction of the project, and communicate research plans and findings with project partners and stakeholders. You will determine the priorities of these activities in close consultation with the project PI. You will also be expected to:

• Actively read the literature relating to (and around) the project;
• Be an active member of the Plant-Soil Ecology lab group, and show willingness to contribute to the work of others in the lab by offering practical and intellectual help, including technical staff and post-graduate students;
• Take an active part in group meetings, and to give presentations at these when required;
• Supervise postgraduate and undergraduate students, if and when requested;
• Plan and manage your own research activity in collaboration with others.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

• A PhD in Ecology, Soil Science, or Environmental Sciences, or a related discipline;
• A thorough understanding of between soil (microbial) communities, their activities, and environmental parameters;
• Experience in field work and setting up controlled-environment experiments;
• Experience in analysis and interpretation of experimental data, including statistical analyses of large and complex datasets;
• Excellent computational, quantitative analytical and statistical skills, including proficiency in the use of programming languages such as R;
• Experience in the use of sequencing methods for characterising microbial communities, including processing and interpretation of the resulting data;
• Publication record appropriate to stage of career including recent first authored research publications in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals;
• The ability to present information in an accurate and appropriate format, and to communicate effectively with a range of groups including scientists and stakeholders with interests in soils and their management;
• Good written and spoken English;
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work with colleagues at all levels;
• You value a diverse team and are willing to contribute actively to our inclusive and collaborative working culture;
• Full driving licence valid in The Netherlands (Dutch or EU).

Ideally, you also have experience in vegetation surveys.

Additional Information
Benefits

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week, initially for a period of 12 months, which can be extended for another 19 months based on positive evaluation. The preferred starting date is 1 April 2024.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,226 to € 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;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, 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;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with registration at UvA- Housing 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 February 11, 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 contact details of 2-3 referees (these will only be contacted after an interview)

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

The interviews will be held in the course of late February/ early March.

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

(for details: National knowledge security guidelines )

Additional comments

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

• Prof. Franciska de Vries, [email protected]

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/337089/

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/337089/postdoc-in-soil-biodiversity-and-lan…

Contact

City

Amsterdam

Website

http://www.uva.nl/

Street

Spui 21

Postal Code

1012 WX

STATUS: EXPIRED