Postdoctoral Fellow in the Evolution of Cognition and the Brain (Sweden)

at the Department of Zoology, Stockholm University. Closing date: 29 May 2018.

The Department of Zoology consists of five divisions: Ecology, Ethology, Functional Morphology, Population Genetics, and Systematics and Evolution. The advertised position will be part of the Division of Ethology. There is a long-standing tradition for researchers at the Department of Zoology to collaborate amongst divisions and with researchers from other fields and universities.

Project description
We are seeking to recruit a postdoctoral fellow interested to work in the multidisciplinary project Cognitive evolution in guppies. The project uses the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) as a model to comparatively and experimentally investigate the factors driving cognitive evolution. As such, the project spans over multiple disciplines including field collections, artificial selection, assays of behaviour and detailed tests of cognitive ability, brain imaging and neural density estimations, and analyses of the genomic architecture that orchestrates changes in brain anatomy and cognitive ability.

The project will use both animals from wild populations with known differences in ecology, and from a selection experiment. These animals will be subjected to relevant assays of behaviour, brain anatomy and genomics. The overall aim of the project is thus to increase our understanding of the evolutionary relationship between brain anatomy, cognitive ability and the genome.

Main responsibilities
The work will mostly be lab-oriented but includes at least one field trip to Trinidad. The project will require hard work but at the same time provide excellent opportunities for personal initiatives and development towards pursuing a successful academic career. An important task will be to undertake selection experiments followed by the collection and analysis of complex data. The project is undertaken in a brand new section of the large tropical freshwater fish labs in the Department of Zoology with established assays of brain anatomy, several different aspects of cognitive abilities, swimming parameters, personality, individual and collective behaviour, etc.

The successful candidate will be part of an international team consisting of an Ethologist (Alexander Kotrschal, Stockholm University), Evolutionary Biologist (David Reznick, University of California & Trinidad), Genome Biologist (Alison E. Wright, University of Sheffield), and Information Technology researcher (Kristiaan Pelckmans, Uppsala University) that investigate the evolution of cognition, brain anatomy and the genome via state-of-the-art methods.

Qualification requirements
Postdoctoral positions are appointed primarily for purposes of research. Applicants are expected to hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent degree from another country.

Assessment criteria
The degree should have been completed no more than three years before the deadline for applications. An older degree may be acceptable under special circumstances, which may involve sick leave, parental leave, clinical attachment, elected positions in trade unions, or similar.

In the appointment process, special attention will be given to research skills in cognitive evolution, with excellent analytical ability and experience from quantitative analyses of behaviour and other traits of interest. Experience in genomic analyses and working with aquatic animals in the lab is especially meriting.

Terms of employment
The position involves full-time employment for a maximum of two years, with the possibility of extension under special circumstances. Start date July 2018 or as per agreement.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact
Further information about the position can be obtained from Alexander Kotrschal, telephone: +46 8 16 40 27, alexander.kotrschal@zoologi.su.se.

Union representatives
Ingrid Lander (Saco-S), telephone: +46 708 16 26 64, saco@saco.su.se, Lisbeth Häggberg (Fackförbundet ST and Lärarförbundet), telephone: +46 8 16 20 00 (operator), and seko@seko.su.se (SEKO).

Application
Apply for the position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Please include the following information with your application
Your contact details and personal data
Your highest degree
Your language skills
Contact details for 2–3 references

and, in addition, please include the following documents
Cover letter
CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of publications
Copy of PhD diploma
Publications in support of your application (no more than 3 files).

The instructions for applicants are available at: Instructions – Applicants.

You are welcome to apply!

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