Postdoctoral position (2 years) in marine and aquatic photophysiology - ,

The Department of Ecology and Environmental Science at Umeå University, Sweden, invites applicants for a Postdoctoral employment in marine and aquatic photophysiology. The employment is full-time for two years, starting October 2023 or by agreement. Application deadline is Monday 18th of September at 23:59.

Project description
Habitat-forming benthic plants and algae are found throughout the world’s coastal oceans, creating biodiversity hotspots that provide us with a wealth of socioeconomic, ecological and cultural benefits. However, rapid environmental change because of human activities is threatening their survival, because of a loss of suitable benthos and changes to the underwater environment. Understanding the impact of environmental change on their physiology is the first step towards actionable conservation management.

The Baltic Sea is considered to be a global “time machine” for marine environmental change. With a unique coastal environment, the Baltic Sea is characterised by strong seasonal cycles and latitudinal environmental gradients, significant terrestrial and human influence and a unique ecological community structure consisting of marine, limnetic and brackish-water taxa. Importantly for research application, there is already a well-developed cross-border management structure, providing a framework for using empirical understanding to inform and improve conservation actions.

Optically, the Baltic Sea is exceptional because of its brackish nature and its relatively high concentration of coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM). CDOM inputs are projected to continue to increase over the coming decades: so-called ‘brownification’. Understanding how habitat-forming benthic species will respond to such environmental change (compounded by other environmental factors such as warming) is therefore of critical regional-scale importance, with global applicability. The aim of this position is to (1) quantify the photosynthetic response of marine and aquatic plants and macroalgae to present day and future projected Baltic Sea light regimes over multiple timescales, and (2) predict implications for future habitat provision.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be employed at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences and spend time at the Umeå Marine Science Centre, providing a multidisciplinary working environment.  The successful candidate will be a member of a research active team that places a high value on collaborative, multidisciplinary and impactful science. The candidate will have the support of a multidisciplinary team with complementary expertise in aquatic photosynthesis, aquatic food web dynamics and marine global change.

Qualifications
To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirements must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the appointment decision.

To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area. Postdoctoral fellows who are to teach or supervise must have taken relevant courses in teaching and learning in higher education.

The candidate’s doctoral degree should contain a significant component of marine and/or aquatic photophysiology.

Essential criteria are:

• Theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the measurement of marine and/or aquatic (photo)physiology
• Good knowledge of oral and written English in a scientific context

Meriting criteria are:

• Experience in the culture and maintenance of marine macroalgae and / or aquatic plants and macroalgae in aquarium-based experimental mesocosms
• Experience of light-manipulation and / or multiple stressor aquarium experiments
• Experience in the statistical analysis of (photo)physiological experimental data
• Experience of field work on benthic habitats in coastal / aquatic environments
• Evidence of an emerging track record of academic research skills, including publication of research results in peer-reviewed journals and presentation at conferences

Application
A full application should include:

• A cover letter summarizing your qualifications, your scientific interests, your motives for applying, and how you feel you meet the essential and meriting criteria (max 2 pages)
• A curriculum vitae (CV) with publication list
• Certified copy of doctoral degree certificate
• Copy of doctoral thesis
• Copies of relevant publications (max 5)
• Contact information for at least two reference persons

The application should be written in English (preferably) or Swedish. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system. Documents sent electronically must be in Word or PDF format. The closing date for applications is Monday 18th of September at 23:59.

Further information
Evaluations will be based on the application and on interviews. For more information contact:

Dr Heidi Burdett, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (heidi.burdett@umu.se)

Prof Agneta Andersson, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (agenta.andersson@umu.se)

Prof. Nick Kamenos, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (nick.kamenos@umu.se)

The Department of Ecology and Environmental Science carries out research and postgraduate education in ecology, environmental science and physical geography. The department has about 160 employees, about 20 of whom are post-docs. For more information, visit: https://www2.umu.se/en/department-of-ecology-and-environmental-science/

Umeå University also offers a strong postdoc community with the Umeå Postdoc Society (UPS), which fosters networking amongst postdocs, organizes social and career development events. Check out their website: https://umeapostdocsociety.se/, and do not hesitate to get in contact with them early on!