PhD. Position in behavioural ecology

I'm offering a PhD position on the behavioural ecology of free living
European mammals, to be based at the Institute of Zoology, Department of
Biology at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, starting April, 1st.
2005. Neuchâtel is a beautiful little city in the French speaking part of
Switzerland, at the foot of the Jura mountains, with a big lake, and the
Swiss Alps in the background. The major Swiss cities Zürich, Bern, Basel,
Lausanne and Geneva are all within 90 min distance. The salary will be at
30,000 SFr per year for a period of 4 years. The behavioural ecology group
has been set up very recently in 2004, and we are currently developing our
research profile. As a consequence, I do have two potential topics for the
successful applicant to do his/her research (see below) but own suggestions
by applicants will be considered as well. In any case, the successful
candidate will have freedom in developing the project him/herself.
First I am interested in life history decisions and tactics of Alpine
marmots, a cooperatively breeding animal. A research focus would be to test
some of the claims about the importance of helpers experimentally. Further I
am interested in the link between parasites (possibly in collaboration with
the parasitology group) and costs of reproduction in this species. A second
possible research topic is on feeding behaviour and sociality of Alpine
ibex. In this study the main focus would be on the link between sociality
and group decision making/group cohesion with respect to foraging
behaviour/ruminating of different age and sex (body size) classes.
The successful applicant is expected to help tutoring behavioural practicals
and excursions during terms. Knowledge of the French language would be an
asset but not mandatory. Since both projects take place in the mountains the
candidate should be fit and feel comfortable working in a harsh environment.
Further it would be an advantage if the applicant had some experience in
studying wildlife. Applications including CV, fields of interest and
bibliography can be sent by e-mail, to Dr. Peter Neuhaus at
peter.neuhaus@unine.ch or by 31st of January to:
Dr. Peter Neuhaus
Adjunct Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive, N.W.
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
CANADA

peter_neuhaus@hotmail.com