PostDoc - Forestry research

The School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD Forestry 

Ireland

Description

The School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD Forestry is seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for up to 24 Months.

The overall demand for roundwood in Ireland is expected to increase from to an estimated net realisable volume of 85 Mm3 . There will be an increase in the timber traffic on public roads, in accordance with this forecasted increase in timber supply. Therefore, a more sustainable, safer and cost effective approach in the form of a GIS based agreed routes map is needed to manage the transport of this increased woodflow. This map will be used by timber hauliers as part of the timber extraction planning process. The routes will be agreed between local authorities and district forest managers and private forest owners, identifying the strongest and safest routes, to avoid increased congestion around small towns and villages, reduce excess wear and tear on vulnerable roads and avoid excessive weight across roads. The development of the road database and GIS map will look at developing a road cost matrix to determine whether timber access routes are either fail or based on 4 main criteria - agreed routes, consultation routes, severely restricted routes and excluded routes. In addition, this map will be used to identify important routes that need maintenance and

upgrading work. A mobile app RouteTagger will also be developed to help build a database of road conditions, primarily for the lower class timber access routes for use in planning for all state and private harvesting sites.

PostDoc - Water sustainability and climate

University of Wisconsin-Madison

United States

Description

Postdoctoral Researcher in Water Sustainability and Climate: Water, land use and climate change in an urbanizing agricultural region.

A two-year postdoctoral researcher position is available with the Water Sustainability and Climate (WSC) research group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as part of a five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation. The position will be co-supervised by Drs. Chris Kucharik and Steve Loheide. This position is focused on using an agroecosystem model (Agro-IBIS) coupled to a groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) to investigate the impacts of changing land use, land cover and climate on hydrology and other related ecosystem services of the Yahara Watershed in southern Wisconsin. Therefore, this position requires strong background in ecohydrology, with preference to those with previous experience in groundwater flow modeling and modeling the connections between groundwater and land surface processes. The scientific goals of this two-year postdoctoral position are: (1) complete development and calibration of the newly developed Agro-IBIS-MODFLOW (AIM) model for the Yahara Watershed, and (2) use this new modeling approach to examine the impacts of changing climate and land use/cover on flows of water, N, and P through the watershed using a series of integrated scenarios that portray several pathways of change out to the year 2070.

PostDoc & fellowship - Forest resources management planning

University of Lisbon

Portugal

Closing date: 07/03/2014

Description and more information

The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment of the School of Agriculture of the University of Lisbon welcomes applications to 1 scholarship for a PhD holder and 2 scholarships for MSc holders. The focus of the research is on forest resources management planning. Details about the positions may be checked at:

*http://www.isa.ulisboa.pt/vida-no-isa/destaques/concursos-bolsas-premios-outros/20140214-call-of-applications-for-a-phd-scholarship

This is a *Post Doc scholarship* and not a PhD scholarship.

*http://www.isa.ulisboa.pt/vida-no-isa/destaques/concursos-bolsas-premios-outros/20140214-call-of-applications-to-a-scholarship-for-master-of-science-holder

*http://www.isa.ulisboa.pt/vida-no-isa/destaques/concursos-bolsas-premios-outros/20140214-call-of-applications-to-a-scholarship-for-master-of-science-holder-2

PostDoc - Green tree retention at clearcuts

SLU Uppsala

Sweden

Closing date: 23rd February 2014.

Description

Project description: The overall objective of this research project is to analyze the consequences of intensified forest management and conservation efforts conducted in managed forests. The results will be used when formulating recommendations about how to improve the current practice, to mitigate the negative effects on biodiversity of forestry. Field data is already available, so the post doc will focus on analyses and writing. A first project deals with tree mortality when trees are retained on clearcuts. When that project is finished, the post doc can chose between several options: (i) to analyze the occurrence of redlisted beetles on dead trees on clearcuts in relation with characteristics of the surrounding landscape, (ii) to analyze the conservation value of low-productive forests in relation to more productive forests, by comparing the availability of structures important for biodiversity, (iii) something else which comes up during the visit at SLU, or based on material the post doc has available. The post doc will be part of a group who conducts policy-relevant research on forestry and biodiversity (http://www.slu.se/en/departments/ecology/research/conservation-biology/). Thomas Ranius (http://www.slu.se/en/departments/ecology/hemsidor/ranius-thomas/) will be the host for the post doc, and Victor Johansson (http://www.slu.se/en/departments/ecology/hemsidor/johansson-victor-/) may help especially with statistical analyses. Several other people will also be involved in these projects. More information can be obtained from Thomas Ranius via email.

PhD - Biogeochemistry

Max Planck Institute

Jena, Germany

Description

The successful candidate will be involved primarily in a field experiment aimed at understanding the interactions between nutrient, water availability and carbon fluxes. The objective of the PhD work is to gain further understanding on the role and interaction of water/nutrient (N and P) availability in determining CO2 and water fluxes, water use efficiency, and their temporal variability at ecosystem level by combining eddy covariance with a manipulation experiment and terrestrial biosphere models. The field sites are located in Spain, with periodic visits during planned field campaigns and activities. The knowledge of a programming language or/and the experience with process-based terrestrial biosphere models will be considered an added value.

The position will be at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (Jena, Germany) in the Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions and Experimentation Group, Biogeochemical Integration Department (http://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/bgi/index.php/Main/HomePage).

The PhD Student will join an international team in a vibrant research environment. The successful applicant will be also encouraged to apply for admission to the International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles. This is a structured PhD program that offers thematically complementary courses as well as seminars on soft and hard skills. For detailed information, see www.imprs-gbgc.de.

PostDoc - Modeling plant biodiversity

The Mediterranean Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE, Aix-Marseille University)

Aix-en-Provence, France

Closing date: 31st Januery 2014

Description

Research Group "Conservation Ecology and Biotic Interactions" has a 22-months Post-doc     position open for applications. The position is funded through a European Neigborhood Partnership (ENPI) project on vulnerability of coastal ecosystems, involving research groups from Rome and Cagliari (Italy), Alexandria (Egypt), Beirut (Lebanon) and Sfax (Tunisia).

At IMBE, the project is directed by Arne Saatkamp, Agathe Leriche, and Cecile Albert, in Marseille, France - a region noted for its access to outdoor activities.

The project aims to model the impacts of fragmentation (spatial organization), habitat degradation (land use change) on plant biodiversity of coastal ecosystems around the Mediterranean. We aim to fit to observations and output from plant distribution models (accounting for spatial explicit migration, neutral (stochastic) processes and community assembly rules) in order to assess the impact of spatial configuration on plant diversity. We then aim to simulate potential future changes in spatial configuration of these habitats. This project will benefit from a large data base of plant distributions and co-occurrences as well as extensive environmental  and phylogenetic data gathered in previous projects and will be in     contact with other regional to large scale model project in our institute.

The post-doc should start as soon as possible, dealing with existing GIS and floristic databases, interacting with researchers in our lab working on a broad range of projects in climate/global change impacts, macroecological patterns, phylogeography, functional ecology, landscape ecology and conservation biology.

PhD - Remote sensing

Department of Geography, University of Calgary

Calgary, Canada

Deadline date: January 26, 2014

Description

The Foothills Facility for Remote Sensing and GIScience (www.ucalgary.ca/f3gisci), a research lab within the Department of Geography, University of Calgary, is seeking MSc and PhD candidates for several fully‐funded positions starting in the Fall of 2014.  

Contract - Assistant professor, rangeland ecology and management

Oregon State University (Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences)

La Grande, United States

Deadline date: 28/02/2014

Description

Responsibilities include teaching, advising, and interacting with undergraduate and graduate students; competing effectively for external funding; and working with stakeholders to implement a balanced program of fundamental and applied research directed toward the interactions of water, soil, vegetation, animals, and climate endemic to Eastern Oregon and regionally to the Northern Great Basin, Blue Mountains and Columbia Plateau. 

PhD - Climate change

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Deadline date: January 20th 2014

Description

McMaster Centre for Climate Change, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada is recruiting 6 PhD students as part of a newly funded project to explore the impacts of climate change, extreme weather events and forest management activities on carbon, water and nutrient cycle processes in an age-sequence of temperate forests in Southern Ontario, Canada. The sites are part of the Turkey Point Flux Station. You will join and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of scientists from McMaster, University of Toronto, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Canada-Canadian Forest Service and Long Point Region Conservation Authority.

POSITION (NAMES OF POTENTIAL SUPERVISORS):

PhD student - Micrometeorological measurements (carbon and water fluxes) (Dr. Altaf Arain).

PhD student - Belowground biomass estimation, using Ground Penetrating Radar (Dr. Joe Boyce).

PhD student - Biometric and ecological measurements (Dr. Jing Chen, U of Toronto).

PhD student - C and N cycle modelling, using ecosystem land surface-atmosphere interaction models (Dr. Paul Bartlett and Dr. Altaf Arain).

PhD student - Catchment scale hydrologic modelling, using distributed hydrologic models (Dr. Paulin Coulibaly).

PhD student - Environmental and Economic Modelling: Integrating biological and economic models to evaluate the economic potential and vulnerability of intensively managed forests to climate change (Dr. Dan McKenney and Dr. Altaf Arain).

Requirements

A background in a relevant discipline such as: biogeosciences, climatology, economics, environmental science, forest science, forestry, hydrology, hydrologic or ecosystem modelling, or meteorology is required. Past experience in field work, data analysis, programming (for modelling students) and statistics is preferred. Five of the students will be located at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and one at University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

More information and applications

PostDoc - Plant molecular biology

INRA Centre

Versailles Cedex, France

Description

Recent data indicate a meristematic role for LFY in addition to its well-known role during flower development (Chahtane et al. 2013). The goal of this project is to evaluate a novel function for the LEAFY (LFY) floral regulator in the development of plant meristems in Arabidopsis. For this, we will determine the link between LFY/UFO and two majors meristematic regulators, SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) and CUP SHAPED COTYLEDON genes. In many species with dissected leaves, KNOXI and CUC genes are expressed in the leaf primordia and act in concert to generate compound leaves. A. thaliana has simple leaves that do not express KNOX genes, but ectopic KNOX expression in leaves increases their dissection. A LFY-dependent increase leaf dissection in Arabidopsis is also induced by ectopic expression of the LFY coactivator UFO. Leaf dissection which is controlled either by the LFY or the KNOX pathway depending on species requires CUC2 activity (Blein et al., 2010). 

We will identify and compare the targets of these regulators in leaves with those identified in Arabidopsis meristems. For this, three ethanol inducible transgenic lines overexpressing STM, CUC2, and UFO/LFY have been generated. The proteins have been tagged with an HA epitope. Leave margins which are meristematic-like sectors from these lines will be dissected using Laser Assisted Microdissection and their transcriptome will determined. This, combined with ChIP assays and bioinformatics analysis performed in collaboration with the group of François Parcy. These targets will then be compared to those identified in Arabidopsis meristems or Medicago leaves in collaboration with Pascal Ratet and Etienne Delannoy who are involved in the project. A subset of these genes will be further functionally studied to test their importance in leaf dissection and to get new insights into the function of LFY.

This project will be conducted at the INRA of Versailles by Véronique Pautot and Patrick Laufs. This project is part of the broader project coordinated by François Parcy (CNRS Grenoble). 

The position is funded by the French National Agency for Research, to work in the Institut of Jean-Pierre Bourgin located near Versailles (http://www.ijpb.versailles.inra.fr/en/index.htm). 

Requirements

PhD in Plant Molecular Biology. The candidat should have expertise in molecular biology, genetic, biochemistry and bioinformatics. 

More information and applications

PostDoc - Water Management

The Cyprus Institute

Nicosia, Cyprus

Closing date: 30th December 2013

Description

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a European non-profit science and technology institution based in Cyprus and led by an acclaimed Board of Trustees. The research aims of the Cyprus Institute are represented by three research centers: the Energy Environment Water Research Center (EEWRC), the Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center (STARC), and the Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center (CASTORC).

The EEWRC aims to explore issues of global significance in the fields of energy, environmental and water research, with a focus on their specific regional, East-Mediterranean manifestations. Its research agenda addresses the great challenges related to: the mitigation and adaptation strategies necessitated by climate change, a reduced dependence on hydrocarbon energy sources and achieving a low carbon economy through the employment of renewables (solar) and enabling a sustainable management of water and other natural resources in arid and semi-arid environments.

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) invites applications for a Post-doctoral Fellow in Water Management at its Energy, Environment and Water Research Center (EEWRC). The successful candidate will join a dynamic team of researchers, who are investigating all aspects of hydrology and water management in semi-arid environments under changing economic and climate conditions.

The Post-doctoral Fellow will analyse and map different water and land management practices and climate change adaptation options, conduct policy analyses, and operationalize the concept of ecosystems services. He or she will also be responsible for all stakeholder interactions in two new EU funded projects (BEWATER and RECARE).

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Analyse and map costs, benefits and trade-offs of water and land management practices and climate change adaptation options.
• Facilitate communications between science and society in the area of environmental management and climate change adaptation, and mobilize formal and non-formal institutions.
• Operationalize the concept of ecosystems services in close cooperation with stakeholders.
• Conduct policy reviews and analyses and prepare clear policy messages.
• Contribute to a variety of research tasks within EEWRC's Water Group.
• Publish in scientific and popular media.

Requirements

• PhD in environmental, biological or geo-sciences, environmental economics or environmental engineering. Highly qualified candidates with an MSc and appropriate professional qualifications will also be considered.
• An adequate academic publication record. Experience in publishing in popular media is preferred.
• Experience in cooperating with a wide variety of stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, and small and medium enterprises.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent knowledge of the Greek and English languages both in verbal and in writing
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Appointments will be on a full-time basis for a fixed period of 2 years with the potential of contract renewal, depending on performance and availability of funding.

More information and applications

PhD - Genética y bioquímica de lípidos de semillas

Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC)

Sevilla, España

Descripción

Se busca investigador predoctoral interesado en solicitar una beca FPU para desarrollar una Tesis doctoral en el grupo de Genética y Bioquímica de Lípidos de Semillas (GGBLS) del Instituto de la Grasa (Sevilla).

Nuestro grupo, desde un punto de vista más básico estudia las rutas biosintéticas de ácidos grasos y lípidos en plantas y de manera práctica lleva a cabo el desarrollo de nuevas plantas oleaginosas para su uso alimentario e industrial utilizando mutagenesis y/o transgenesis.

El grupo, aunque financiado por proyectos competitivos, regionales, nacionales e internacionales mantiene una fuerte relación plasmada en contratos de investigación con empresas productoras de semillas, alimentarias o de procesado de aceites.

Requisitos

- Ser elegible para solicitar la beca FPU (imprescindible).

- Haber obtenido la titulación de Bioquímica, Biología, Farmacia, Química o Biotecnología en fecha posterior al 1-1-2010.

- Importante y excluyente: Expediente Académico > 2.7 (sistema de 1-4).

- Motivación para la investigación, capacidad de integrarse en equipos multidisciplinares, gran capacidad de comprensión y de comunicación, conocimientos de inglés.

- Se valorará el tener conocimientos de Química, Bioquímica y Biología Molecular.

Más información y solicitudes

PhD - Computing-intensive landscape ecology applications

McGill University

Montreal, Canada

Deadline date: 15/12/2013

Description

The Computational Landscape Ecology group at McGill University is seeking MS and PhD students interested in computing-intensive landscape ecology applications. Students will join a dynamic and growing lab of graduate and undergraduate students working on a wide range of landscape ecology projects that demand a heavy component of computing power, including:

• Forest connectivity estimation and validation at regional and continental scales, using Circuitscape.
• Regional estimation of lake carbon content with remote sensing, GIS, and Bayesian stats in 10**6 lakes in Quebec.
• Use of Google Earth Engine for estimation of landscape-scale patterns across very large areas.
• Spatial and statistical patterns of landscape metrics at continental and regional scales.

Requirements

Successful candidates will have strong to moderate programming experience, ideally in R or Python or a similar language like Matlab or Java. Depending on the project, specific experience with certain tools will be of especially high value, including: remote sensing, GIS, simulation modeling, data mining techniques in very large data sets and coursework in statistics. Canadian students who would be eligible for federal and provincial scholarships are given high priority. 

More information and applications

PostDoc - General equilibrium modelling and resource economics and policy

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei and Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change

Milan and Venice, Italy

Deadline date: 11th December 2013.

Description

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM, a leading research institute on sustainable development - www.feem.it) and the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC, a research institution that manages and promotes scientific and applied activities in the field of international climate change research – www.cmcc.it) aim to recruiting motivated and talented researchers to cover one open position on climate change and sustainable development economics.

The selected applicant will join the FEEM Research Programme on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (CCSD), or the CMCC Research Division on Climate Impacts and Policy (CIP). These research branches carry out high level research on climate change economics, climate change integrated assessment modelling, climate change policy and governance, climate-related innovation and technological change, natural hazards and extreme climate-related events, management of natural resources, sustainability and growth beyond GDP.

Requirements

Applicants should have a PhD in economics and/or past proven experience, both with a focus on applied general equilibrium modelling and resource economics and policy. Applications from PhD candidates who are close to its completion are accepted. Experience in conducting applied economic research using empirical and numerical methods is required. The selected applicant will join a project focusing on policies for resource efficiency. 

This project involves analysis of policy mixes to decouple resource use from growth, using a computable general equilibrium modelling approach. The main tasks of the selected candidate will be to: (i) contribute to numerical modelling of policy mixes in a general equilibrium framework; (ii) compile a review of the theoretical predictions of general equilibrium models regarding selected policy mixes; and (iii) provide a qualitative assessment of relevant socioeconomic implications, not reflected in the models. 

More information and applications

PostDoc - Abiotic stress protection

Plant Response Biotech S.L. 

Madrid, Spain

Application Deadline: 15/01/2014

Description

Plant Response Biotech (PlantResponse) is offering a PhD Researcher position for its headquarters located at Madrid (Spain). PlantResponse is a “spin-off” company from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain) that is focused in the area of plant immunization for crop protection and metabolite identification for abiotic stress protection. The company is currently developing new products and technologies for commercialization.

Functions:

• Research Functions.
• Developing the company R&D projects including new products.
• Development of customers’ projects.
• Technical support of the sales team.

Requirements

• PhD in Biology, Agricultural Engineering or Biotechnology.
• Fluent English.
• 1 to 5 years experienced in R&D.
• Experience in molecular biology, genetics and genomics of plants and their associated microorganisms. Experience in plant pathology bioassays will also be considered.
• Capable to organize the work in an efficient and systematic way.
• High degree of initiative and flexibility; independently and systematic in approach.
• Orientation to results.
• Self confident, inquisitive and open-minded to new ideas.

More information and applications

PhD - Freshwater Palaeoecology

Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Graz

Graz, Austria

Deadline date: November 30th, 2013

Description

The Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Graz, Austria invites applications for a PhD position in Freshwater Palaeoecology within the project "Biogeography, ecology and taxonomy of the Neotropical ostracod Cytheridella" funded by the Austrian Sciences Fond (FWF).

The project aims at investigations of interrelationships between phenotypic variability, geographical distribution, and environmental conditions of the common Neotropical freshwater ostracod genus Cytheridella. Therefore we intend to analyse intraspecific morphological variability within and between populations in relation to ecological conditions, various habitats and site specific geochemical signatures. This actualistic approach will provide essential information which can be applied to fossil Cytheridella populations.

The successful candidate will be responsible for a variety of topics, including microfossil preparation, stable isotope measurements, data management and interpretation, and assistance during field work.

Requirements

We are looking for an enthusiastic ecologist with a strong and proven interest in (palaeo)biology, geochemistry (i.e., stable isotopes), hydrochemistry, and freshwater ecosystems. The candidate should have an MSc degree (or equivalent) in ecology, biology or closely related field. A multidisciplinary interest, the ability to collaborate in a group, and a strong motivation to obtain a PhD degree are essential.

More information and applications

PostDoc - Soil carbon modelling

Organisation Agroscope Reckenholz Tänikon

Zurich, Switzerland

Closing date: 24th November 2013

Description

Organisation Agroscope Reckenholz Tänikon, Research Station ART conducts research for an environmental friendly, competitive agriculture. We combine ecology, economy and agricultural technology in an integrated research approach and develop scientific based decision support for farmers, government authorities and society. At the Research Group Climate / Air Pollution, a position is available for a postdoctoral researcher with background in soil science and scientific modelling.

Your research will be assigned to two research projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, which combine experimental and modelling work. In these projects, the effects of land-use change and agricultural management on current and future soil and ecosystem carbon storage and dynamics are being assessed. You will be involved in the overall activities of two research clusters comprising c. 57 individuals and ongoing soil modelling activities. You will be using existing soil carbon models (e.g. RothC, Yasso) that need to be substantially extended in their functionality and applied to various field situations from different countries. The simulations will be based on i) existing data and ii) data collected by other members of these projects. The research includes i) simulation and model development using data from controlled experiments, incorporating 14C data; and ii) model applications to gradients in land-use and management intensity, and various management scenarios.

Requirements

University degree (diploma, MSc) and PhD in environmental sciences, geography, agriculture or forestry. Indepth expertise in process based soil carbon modelling, statistics, and good understanding of the suitability of radiocarbon as a tracer. Profound knowledge of R and computer languages (e.g., Fortran, C). Good communication and publication skills. Fluency in spoken and written English, knowledge of German is advantageous.

More information and applications

Faculty Position - Academic Programming in Sustainable Environmental Management

School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Canada

Description

The School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), a priority initiative at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), invites applications for an exciting opportunity to grow and lead the Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (MSEM) graduate program. We are seeking a full-time tenure-track faculty position at the rank of assistant or associate professor in an academic programming appointment position, with a focus on sustainable environmental management. The primary responsibility of this appointment is to champion and coordinate the Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (MSEM) program within SENS. This program is a one year professional degree with a project focus. With 21 students at present, this program is anticipated to grow over time under the skilled leadership of this faculty appointment. Delivery and oversight of core components of the MSEM program will be central to this position. Additional responsibilities will include coordination of the School's professional skills programs, teaching two courses per year at graduate and undergraduate levels, professional practice and scholarship as appropriate for the successful candidate's field, administrative duties, and on-going evaluation of programs administered.

SENS is known for interdisciplinary education, research, and knowledge translation, as well as innovative teaching and curriculum design. We house three graduate programs in environment and sustainability, and offer a vibrant atmosphere for graduate student and post-doctoral fellow research and training. SENS facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations at and beyond the U of S. The School has faculty affiliated with the Global Institute for Water Security, funded by the Canada Excellence Research Chair Program; the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy; and, the International Centre for Northern Governance and Development, as well as the internationally-renowned U of S Toxicology Centre.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a relevant field, such as, but not limited to: environmental management, natural resources management, sustainability sciences, and/or environmental education. Other professional accreditations will be viewed positively. Enthusiasm for and creativity related to professional education is required. A track record of outstanding teaching performance in a post-secondary environment is highly desired, as is experience with the administration of a professional degree program. Experience working with community-based organizations, government, and private-sector organizations will be viewed positively, as will experience advising students at the graduate level. Candidates must provide evidence of scholarly work in an applied, professional, or academic environment. The willingness to take creative approaches within the context of teaching and program administration is encouraged. The successful candidate will join a supportive interdisciplinary team working across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and physical sciences.

More information and applications

PhD - Geodynamics / Geomorphology / Atmosphere Dynamics

University of Grenoble

Grenoble, France

Description

As part of the iTECC Marie Curie Training Network (http://www.falw.vu/~itecc), we are looking to fill a fully funded 3 year PhD position in the field of computational geomorphology and/or atmospheric dynamics. The successful candidate will help Jean BRAUN (http://isterre.fr) at the University of Grenoble in France to develop and use a numerical model to simulate the interactions between erosion, climate and tectonics in the Himalayas. The main question that will be addressed is how the variability in rainfall along the Himalayan arc affects erosion and potentially feedback into tectonics, both at present and in the geological past.

A good background in numerical modeling or in the Earth Sciences but with a demonstrated ability in using and comprehending numerical models is essential. An MSc degree in a relevant domain of expertise obtained from an institution outside of France is necessary (see iTECC web site http://www.falw.vu/~itecc, for complete information).

iTECC's objectives include the training of scientists with the ability to contribute to multi-disciplinary research ranging from solid-Earth processes to climate, and apply their skills in academia and industry; the integration of research on present-day deformation with information from the geological record to understand how the lithosphere deforms; a significant improvement in the recovery and exploitation of tectonic, erosive, weathering and climatic records from sedimentary sequences; the evaluation of the impact of elevation and exhumation of the Himalayas on climate; the evaluation of the impact of climate, through erosion, on the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan orogen; and the validation of climate models, using them to verify the interconnections between tectonics and climate.

More Information and applications

PhD - Terrestrial carbon cycle model optimisation

University of Lund

Lund, Sweden

Description

The Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science is has an opening for a PhD student with a strong background in Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Geoecology, Environmental Engineering, mathematics or physics to work with model-data fusion methods on optimising terrestrial CO2 fluxes using the LPJ-GUESS dynamic vegetation model.

The PhD student will carry out research within the project "Spatio-temporal statistical methods for inverse modelling of CO2 fluxes" which is a collaboration involving 4-5 senior scientists and one additional PhD student at the Departments of Mathematical Statistics and Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science.

The student will work with and refine established data assimilation techniques to exploit the complementary strengths of ecosystem flux measurements, remote sensing data and process-based ecosystem modelling in terms of quantifying and upscaling ecosystem CO2 fluxes from forest stands and surrounding landscapes to a braoder regional scale.

Requirements

The applicants are expected to hold a university degree (preferably MSc. or equivalent) in natural sciences. Candidates must possess an Honours or Masters degree in a quantitative subject such as Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Geoecology, Environmental Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or a related subject of relevance to the research. Good numerical skills with advanced knowledge of quantitative methods and computer programming experience, as well as interest in climate change and terrestrial ecology, are required. Knowledge of FORTRAN, C/C++, MATLAB and previous experience working with process-based ecosystem models and large environmental datasets is an important advantage. Experience with optimisation methods or the LPJ-GUESS ecosystem model is an important advantage. Candidates must be fluent in written and spoken English. We seek a well-motivated candidate who is able to work independently while contributing as part of a team.

More information and applications