Postdoctoral Research Fellow - DNA Metabarcoring of Herbivore Diet

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in DNA Metabarcoring of Herbivore Diet

A three year position as postdoctoral research fellow available available at Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo.

Within the framework of the position duties may be assigned. The position is available from September 2016. No one can be appointed for more than one fixed-term period at the same institution.

Project description

We generate DNA based diet data and study species and human interactions of the reindeer - one of the last remnants of the Beringian megafauna in the Arctic, keystone species, with high cultural and economic value for indigenous residents. Using DNA metabarcoding we analyze geographic, climatic and seasonal patterns of reindeer diet variation in different socio-economic settings. We will study diet overlap and infer trophic interactions with other herbivore species in the Arctic, such as geese, ptarmigan (Svalbard) and rodents (Finnmark). Our study will test whether reindeer diet changes correlate with warmer/longer summers or variation in population density. We integrate this ecosystem-based information with socio-economic data and local knowledge of reindeer herders to apply adaptive governance for developing co-management actions and implementation of alternative reindeer husbandry practices and mitigation measures for climate and/or land use change. The project is closely linked to the PhyloAlps (LECA, CNRS, Grenoble), ECOGEN (Tromsø University Museum) and REINCLIM (NTNU, Trondheim) projects. Project partners: CEU (Budapest, Hungary) and James Hutton Institute (Aberdeen, Scotland) provide necessary expertise on socio-economic and adaptive governance approaches.

Qualifications:

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Applicants must hold a PhD-degree in Biology (or other corresponding education equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree). Additionally some years of post-doctoral research experience or research experience at this level are considered an advantage. In particular, research experience in DNA metabarcoding including data processing from high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analyses, herbivore diet analyses, as well as experience/knowledge of herbivore and arctic community ecology, arctic biodiversity, molecular biology and biostatistics are very relevant. Experience in field work in arctic/boreal regions and student supervision are a strong asset.

The candidate will be hosted by the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) at the Dept. of Biosciences and work on the NCR funded research grant to Galina Gusarova, project nr257642 entitled REININ - Reindeer interactions from plants and birds to humans: balancing the odds of climate change. The work will be done in close collaboration with research teams from the linked projects. The candidate will be engaged in field collecting, laboratory and data analyses stages of the project with the focus on DNA metabarcoding/metagenomics and ecological data analyses and interpretations.

We seek a highly motivated, enthusiastic person with the ambition to push research and methodology frontier and publish papers in leading international journals, and in possession of good interpersonal skills and willingness to work in close collaboration with others.

The main purpose of post-doctoral research fellowships is to qualify researchers for work in top academic positions within their disciplines.

Please also refer to the regulations pertaining to the conditions of employment for post-doctoral fellowship positions.

A good command of English is required.

Salary:

Position code 1352, NOK 486,100 – 567,100 per year, (Pay Grade: 57 – 65) depending on qualifications and seniority.  

The application (Reference number: 2016/8420) must include:

• Application letter including a statement of interest, describing how your background and previous experience relate to the project in general, and how your skills fit into the framework outlined for the postdoc
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other relevant activities)
• Copies of educational certificates, transcript of records, letters of recommendationA complete list of publications and unpublished work, and up to 5 academic papers that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

Please remember that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Application deadline: 15 August, 2016

In accordance with the University of Oslo’s equal opportunities policy, we invite applications from all interested individuals regardless of gender or ethnicity.

UiO has an agreement for all employees, aiming to e.g. secure rights to research results.


Contacts:
Dr. Galina Gusarova
Questions regarding Easycruit, contact HR Officer Torunn Standal Guttormsen
Telephone: +47 22 85 42 72