Post-doctoral position (2 years) in ecology with focus on marine pathogenic fungi - Befattningen är under tillsättning eller redan tillsatt, och det är inte längre möjligt att lämna in en ansökan

The department of Ecology and Environmental Science, EMG, Umeå University, is opening a post doc position (2 years employment) to study how pathogenic fungi affect marine phytoplankton and the marine carbon cycle. The employment is full-time for two years with access December 1st, 2020 or according to agreement.

The Department of Ecology and Environmental Science (www.emg.umu.se) carries out research and postgraduate education in ecology, environmental science and physical geography. The department has about 150 employees, about 15 of whom are post-docs.

Project description and working tasks
Phytoplankton constitute the base of the marine food web and their composition and productivity are important for the biogeochemical cycle of carbon and for the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. The environmental conditions shaping different food web types are well known, for example, that high nutrient concentrations promote a food web structure stimulating fish and shell fish production and that low nutrient concentrations promote microorganisms.

Many of the organisms in the marine food web and their adaptations are well described; however, one organism group we don’t know very much about is pathogenic fungi. It is possible that pathogenic fungi are of large ecological and evolutionary importance, for example by influencing the channeling of energy up the food web and selectively being promoted by climate warming. The project will give a unique possibility to participate in a quickly emerging research field.

In this project, we will focus on chytrids, which is a fungal group described as phytoplankton pathogen. We will study the spatial and temporal variation of chytrids in the Baltic Sea, with the aim to link them to specific environmental conditions and specific phytoplankton species. The field study will be followed up by an infection experiment to elucidate how chytrids affect the energy channeling in the food web and how they are affected by increased temperature. We will use an advanced technique (nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry, nanoSIMS), to analyze microbial interactions.

Competence requirements
A person who has been awarded a doctorate or a foreign qualification deemed to be the equivalent of a doctorate in microbial ecology qualifies for employment as a postdoctoral fellow. Priority should be given to candidates who have completed their doctoral degree no more than three years before the closing date of the application. A candidate who has completed their degree prior to this may be considered if special circumstances exist. Special circumstances include absence due to illness, parental leave or clinical practice, appointments of trust in trade unions or similar circumstances.

The candidate should have experience of molecular work. Good ability to co-operate as well as to work independently and take initiative are required. Good skills in written and spoken English are required.

Desirable qualifications
Experience of marine fieldwork, experiments with aquatic food chains and knowledge in fungal ecology and systematics. It is qualifying to have experience in bioinformatics, metagenomics and NGS data analysis.

Application
The full application should include:

• A cover letter describing why you are interested in the project and your suitability (max. 2 pages).
• A CV, including a list of your publications.
• Copies of your doctoral thesis and relevant publications (maximum 5).
• Copy of doctoral degree certificate and other relevant degree certificates.
• Names and contact details (mail and phone) of three reference persons.
• Any other documents you wish to refer to.

The application must be written in English or Swedish. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system. Documents sent electronically must be in Word or PDF format. The closing date is October 14th,2020.

Contact
For more information, contact Prof. Agneta Andersson (agneta.andersson@umu.se, Tel: +46 90 7869845).