Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 37,000 students and about 4,700 employees. The University offers a diversity of high-quality education and world-leading research in several fields. Notably, the groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was made here. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campuses make it easy to meet, work together and exchange knowledge, which promotes a dynamic and open culture.
The ongoing societal transformation and large green investments in northern Sweden create enormous opportunities and complex challenges. For Umeå University, conducting research about – and in the middle of – a society in transition is key. We also take pride in delivering education to enable regions to expand quickly and sustainably. In fact, the future is made here.
Are you interested in learning more? Read about Umeå university as a workplace
We are announcing a postdoctoral position in plant community and ecosystem ecology to work on long term experimental sites established on a group of forested lake islands in northern Sweden. The employment is full time for three years. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2025 and the position is expected to start in September 2025, or according to agreement. Welcome with your application!
Research description
The past two decades has seen a major global focus on understanding the linkages between the aboveground and belowground components of ecosystems, and significant research effort has concentrated on understanding the feedback between plant communities, soil communities and ecosystem processes. There is also growing interest in how the linkages between these two components, and their impacts on ecosystem-level properties, drive feedbacks between the biosphere and atmosphere. Despite the profile that this topic is attracting, we still have a very limited knowledge of how aboveground-belowground linkages and their effects on ecosystems are driven by environmental context, for example about how they may vary across contrasting ecosystems, along environmental gradients, or in response to anthropogenic global change drivers.
The research will aim to fill this gap by performing measurements aimed at quantifying processes that drive ecosystem carbon fluxes and stocks in a large ongoing replicated field experiment on a group of lake islands in the boreal forested zone of northern Sweden that collectively represent 5000-year post fire chronosequence. The experiment was initiated in 1996 and involves continued removal of different subsets of the vegetation in different plots; it is now in its 29th year. This study system and experiment is unique globally and has resulted in several publications in leading journals including 7 in Science and Nature. The research will be generously funded through a 5-year grant from the Wallenberg Scholars award scheme.
The planned work for this announcement consists of performing measurements on the field experiment and collecting samples from the field for laboratory analyses. This will include quantifying net ecosystem exchange of carbon through gas flux measurements, determining carbon stocks and changes, and measuring decomposer processes that underpin ecosystem carbon dynamics. The selected candidate will take part in designing their project and take responsibility for its implementation from data collection through to publication. Opportunities also exist for collaboration with other researchers working on the study system and experiment, particularly in relation to linking ecosystem carbon dynamics to the structure and function of the soil microbial community.
The Postdoc will work with Prof. David Wardle (Umeå University), and key collaborators will include Prof. Daniel Metcalfe and Assoc. Prof. Micael Jonsson (both at Umeå University) and Prof. Paul Kardol (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences).
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 organisations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.
The successful candidate should have a PhD in terrestrial community or ecosystem ecology. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, the ability to conceive, execute and complete research projects, the ability to think independently and creatively as well as ability to work in a team and independently are expected.
How to apply
The application should contain the following, written in Swedish or English:
The closing date is April 1 2025.
Contact
Any additional questions about the research or application should be directed to David Wardle, Umeå University (david.wardle@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 30 of whom are postdoctoral researchers. For more information, visit: https://www2.umu.se/en/department-of-ecology-and-environmental-science/
Type of employment | Temporary position |
---|---|
Employment expires | 2028-08-31 |
Contract type | Full time |
First day of employment | 2025-09-01 or according to agreement |
Salary | Monthly salary |
Number of positions | 1 |
Full-time equivalent | 100% |
City | Umeå |
County | Västerbottens län |
Country | Sweden |
Reference number | AN 2.2.1-14-25 |
Contact |
|
Union representative |
|
Published | 08.Jan.2025 |
Last application date | 01.Apr.2025 11:59 PM CEST |