Doctoral student in Natural Science, specializing in

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Doctoral position in Natural Science, specializing in biology

At the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BioEnv) 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 to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The department is placed at three different localities: in Gothenburg Botanical garden, at Medicinareberget in Gothenburg and at Kristineberg Center, Fiskebäckskil. The current position is placed at Gothenburg Botanical garden.

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages. https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/doktorand/?languageId=100001&skipSSOCheck=true    

The PhD will focus on the interactions between herbivores, vegetation and climate. The project will focus on quantifying the importance of herbivory on vegetation structure under natural conditions and the potential for this herbivory driven vegetation changes to influence global climate. The project will consist of programming and data mining with a main focus on integrating herbivory into dynamic vegetation modeling. The successful candidate will have Søren Faurby  as the main supervisor with Thomas Hickler (Senckenberg Research Institute) and Paul Miller (Lund University) as co-supervisors.

The successful candidate will be highly encouraged to join ClimBEco which is a research school associated with the Swedish strategic research area on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate (BECC ) where both Søren Faurby and Paul Miller are PIs. The successful candidate will also have ample opportunity to collaborate with other researchers at the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre: (GGBC ) where Søren Faurby is a member

Admission to third cycle education is aiming at a PhD in Biology, specializing in computational ecology. A selection of courses at the Department/Faculty is available, but national/international courses can also be selected. 

The main task is to conduct the PhD thesis work under supervision, which includes development of the PhD student’s methodological experience, analytical skills, as well as theoretical depth and breadth. The studies will mainly consist of programming and data mining. In addition to working in Gothenburg, time will also be spent working in the groups of Paul Miller (Lund, Sweden) and Thomas Hickler (Frankfurt, Germany).

Education at third-cycle level comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree.    

As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.  

Education at third-cycle level requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.  

The general eligibility requirements for education at third-cycle level are:    

To meet the specific entry requirements for third-cycle studies, applicants must:

The selection of applicants who meet the basic and specific eligibility requirements will be based on the ability to assimilate the education at third-cycle level.     

Essential qualifications

• A master's degree in biology, bioinformatics, computer science or related fields
• Excellent communication skills in English, written and spoken
• Documented ability to work both independently and as part of a larger group

Desired qualifications

• Advanced programming skills in a basic computer language. This could ideally C or C++ but potentially also other languages.
• Knowledge of the study group (mammals)
• Previous experience in data mining
• Previous experience working with vegetation dynamics, climate change or ecosystem ecology

The application should be written in English and must include:

• A short cover letter with the applicant’s justification for the application, i.e., that describes how the applicant meets the selection criteria
• An attested list of qualifications (CV)
• Examination certificates and a transcript of courses with grades
• Contact information on two references
• A short statement maximum 1 page outlining prior programming experience whether for courses, research or work including discussion of what programming language the applicant has experience with

The top ranked candidates will be selected for an interview, in English over Zoom.

Once you have been admitted for education at third-cycle level, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.   

The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100.    

Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time.  

A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at third-cycle level for four years.   

Location: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. Extent: 100%. First day of employment is upon agreement.

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.   

Søren Faurby, Senior Lecturer
Phone: +46 073 642 2482
Email: [email protected]
Webpage: https://scholar.google.se/citations?user=_KxB9FsAAAAJ&hl=en

Åsa Arrhenius, Head of Department
tel. +46 31 786 26 25
e-post: [email protected]

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here: 
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande    

You can apply to be admitted for education at third-cycle level via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal.   

It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per the vacancy notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.   

Applications must be received by: November 1st, 2022 

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: 

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/  

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

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.