PhD scholarship holder Carbon dynamics of coastal wetland ecosystems

Department: Department of Biology
Regime Full-time

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The ECOSPHERE research group, which is part of the Centre of Excellence on Global Change Ecology of the University of Antwerp, is looking for a full-time (100%) PhD scholarship holder in the field of Carbon dynamics of coastal wetland ecosystems 

Position

• Background: Tidal marshes and mangroves are highly valued ecosystems, among others for nature-based climate mitigation (through carbon sequestration) and climate adaptation (through coastal erosion prevention). Their dense vegetation protects shorelines from waves, currents and erosion risks. Furthermore, coastal marshes and mangroves are considered the most efficient ecosystems on Earth in terms of carbon sequestration per surface area. Yet, many tidal marsh and mangrove areas have been historically converted in human land use, leading to the loss of the valuable ecosystem services. Nowadays, projects are carried out to (re-)create marshes and mangroves, but it remains to be proven how efficient such newly created marshes and mangroves are for carbon sequestration and erosion protection. This will be the main objective of the project.
• Project organization: You will work on the WETCOAST project assessing the blue carbon sequestration and erosion protection functionality of newly created tidal marshes and mangroves. The VLAIO funded WETCOAST project is executed by a consortium of researchers of the University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL). Together with several other PhD students and post-doc researchers, you will work within an internationally oriented, multidisciplinary team of environmental scientists, within the Centre of Excellence on Global Change Ecology of the University of Antwerp (https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/research-groups/global-change-ecology/ ). You will be guided by Prof. Stijn Temmerman and Prof. Ivan Janssens, in close collaboration with project partners from VUB (Prof. dr. Tom Van Der Stocken) and KUL (Prof. dr. Christian Schwarz, Prof. dr. Steven Bouillon) and several other experienced researchers in the project team.
• The position: The key objective of your research is to advance understanding of the spatio-temporal variations in carbon sequestration in the soils and vegetation of tidal marshes and mangrove forests, that are newly created and developing from pioneer ecosystem stages to old established ecosystem states. To do so, you will work on a gradient of study sites with different ecosystem ages, both in tidal marshes in a temperate climate (the Schelde estuary in Belgium and the SW Netherlands), and in mangrove forests in a tropical climate (the Guayas delta in Ecuador). For your field studies in both study areas, you will build on extensive experience and collaborations with local experts. You will contribute to field campaigns, including soil and vegetation sampling, drone surveys, measurements of greenhouse gas fluxes and lateral carbon fluxes. You will work on lab analysis, data processing and the writing of scientific articles, reporting on your new research findings on the efficiency of carbon sequestration and erosion protection in developing tidal marshes and mangroves.

Profile

• We are looking for a highly-motivated candidate with an MSc degree in Physical Geography, Geology, Earth Sciences, Biology, Ecology, Bio-Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or related disciplines (or you will have obtained this MSc degree by the time you start the position).
• The candidate should have a keen interest in designing experiments, setting up and carrying out challenging field work in wetland environments, and be able to analyse complicated data. Good statistical knowledge and experience with geo-spatial analysis techniques is a benefit.
• Candidates should be capable of planning and organizing their own work independently, to organize and carry out field experiments, and meet deadlines imposed by the project.
• Most importantly, the candidate should be open and communicative, and keen on interacting with both end-users and interdisciplinary project partners.
• The candidate should be inspired by frontier-applied research, where fundamental knowledge is developed, in order to provide a knowledge base for end users.
• Excellent communication skills and an open collaborative attitude are essential for the success of the project.
• Good English oral and writing skills are demanded, as the candidate is expected to publish the findings in scientific journals and effectively communicate results to end-users.
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies .
• Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision .
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.

What we offer

• We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of one year, which after positive evaluation will be extended to a total period of four years.
• The planned start date is the 1st  of May 2024.
• Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts  for doctoral scholarship holders on the pay scales for Contract Research Staff (Dutch: Bijzonder Academisch Personeel, BAP).
• You will receive ecocheques, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
• You will do most of your work at campus Drie Eiken in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
• Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here .

Want to apply?

• You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including February 29 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button, complete the online application form and be sure to include the following attachments: a motivation letter, your CV, and contact information of max. 2 reference persons.
• The selection committee will review all of the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision has been made, we will inform you about the next steps in the selection procedure.
• If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions  or send an email to [email protected] . If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Prof. Stijn Temmerman, e-mail: [email protected] .

The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award  for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity  and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.