PhD position in Physical Geography – Carbon cycling in northern lakes - 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 (Umeå University, Sweden) invites applicants for a PhD position on carbon cycling in northern lakes. The expected starting date for the PhD position is June 01, 2024 or by agreement. Application deadline is 17 April, 2024.

Project description
Northern high-latitudes are subject to pronounced warming, with expected major impacts on the numerous lake ecosystems and the services they provide. Recent research stress that responses of northern lakes to a warming climate are different from expectations based on conventional knowledge. This includes key functions such as biomass production, greenhouse gas exchange and carbon burial in sediments. This project aims to fundamentally advance the understanding of climate impacts on carbon cycling in northern lakes. Specific objectives include to assess direct (e.g. via water temperature) and indirect (e.g. via changes in carbon export from land) climate impacts on carbon cycling (e.g. respiration, photosynthesis, carbon burial) in lakes, and how these effects depend on lake and landscape characteristics. The project will also test methods and develop guidelines to be used for monitoring of climate impacts on northern lakes. The project will include field studies, remote sensing and modelling of lakes and their catchments in northern Boreal-Arctic Sweden. 

Admission requirements
To be admitted for studies at third-cycle level the applicant is required to have completed a second-cycle level degree, or completed course requirements of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are at second-cycle level, or have an equivalent education from abroad, or equivalent qualifications. To fulfil the specific entry requirements to be admitted for studies at third-cycle level within the subject of physical geography, the applicant is required to have completed courses within a first-cycle subject relevant to physical geography comprising at least 120 credits. At least one course at second-cycle level in a subject that is relevant to physical geography shall have been completed, as well an independent piece of work (degree project) with relevant specialization of at least 15 credits.

The candidate should have an academic background in Earth Science, Limnology, Ecology, or from similar fields. Additional requirements for this position are good knowledge of the processes controlling carbon cycling in aquatic ecosystems. You should have good ability to carry out physically demanding fieldwork in alpine environments, and experience of remote sensing/GIS and using programming languages (such as Matlab, R, or Python) is meriting. The successful applicant should have driver’s license for cars, good ability to write and speak in English, creativity, power of initiative, independence, and ability to collaborate. Evaluations will be based on the application and on interviews.

Terms for the employment
The employment is expected to result in a doctoral degree and the main assignment for the doctoral student is thus to be part of the research education, which includes participation in the described research project but also to take relevant courses. Teaching and other departmental work (up to a maximum of 20%) can be included. The employment is limited to four years at full time or up to five years if teaching and other departmental work is performed. The salary is fixed according to the established salary level for doctoral students.

Application
You apply through our recruitment system on April 17, 2024 at the latest. The application may be written in English or Swedish and should include:

1. A short (max 2 pages) description of why you are interested in the position
2. CV
3. Copy of certificates from higher education
4. List of completed university courses and the grades
5. Copy of publications/degree thesis
6. Contact information of two reference persons

Documents sent electronically should be in MS Word or PDF format. 

Contact
If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Jan Karlsson, jan.p.karlsson@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 120 employees, 24 of whom are PhD students. For more information, visit www.emg.umu.se