extant organisms.
Both graduate positions are based at the Institute of Ecology & Evolution,
University of Bern and at the Eawag Center for Ecology, Evolution &
Biogeochemistry in Kastanienbaum.
The advert texts follow:
1. PhD in Evolutionary Biology The position is fully funded for 4 years,
and will be based in the Aquatic Ecology & Evolution group of Prof. Ole
Seehausen at the University of Bern and the Eawag Center for Ecology,
Evolution & Biogeochemistry in Kastanienbaum, Switzerland.
The project will explore 15,000 years of evolution and ecosystem dynamics
in Lake Victoria, East Africa, as reconstructed from sediment cores,
fossils and ancient DNA. This Swiss NSF Sinergia project is a cooperation
between U Bern, EAWAG (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and
Technology), the Centre for Geogenetics at U of Copenhagen, Denmark,
the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, U of Arizona, U Massachusetts
and others.
The group of Ole Seehausen focusses on the phenotypic and genomic
evolution of Lake Victoria's super-diverse cichlid fish radiation. The PhD
in evolutionary biology and paleogenetics will investigate the evolution
of the cichlid radiation through study of time series of fossils and
ancient DNA. We want to understand how the ecological and phenotypic
diversity changed through time, how genetic variation arose and got
assembled into new species in the course of the adaptive radiation. This
is one of 4 PhD and several Postdoc positions in the project. In close
collaboration with ecologists, paleo-ecologists and paleo-genomics
researchers, we want to address how the evolutionary diversification of
the cichlid fish interacted with the Lake Victoria ecosystem. The student
will analyse subfossil remains of cichlid fish from sediment cores for
their morphology and ancient DNA content. Extensive reference collections
of modern cichlids and their genome sequences will be available to aid
interpretation of fossil phenotypes and ancient DNA data. The PhD will
be co-supervised by Dr. Moritz Muschick.
Ideally, the candidate has extensive prior training in molecular
genetic techniques, statistical shape analysis, computational analysis
of genomic sequence data, or evolutionary biology. The candidate is
motivated to learn and apply advanced laboratory techniques and to
work independently. The group's working language is English and fluency
in writing and speaking is required. Knowledge of German or French is
not required.
Besides Uni Bern, the student will spend time at Eawag's Center for
Ecology, Evolution & Biogeochemistry. The Centre is located at Lake
Lucerne and is a strong nucleus of Eawag research groups aimed at
integrating evolutionary biology, community ecology, and ecosystem
science http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/cc/ceeb/index_EN.
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ole Seehausen, Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Salary: Swiss NSF PhD Fellowship (47,000 to 50,000 CHF, 100%). The
position is available from March 1, 2019 (for 3-4 years).
Review of applications starts on January 20, 2019 and continues until
the position is filled.
Please direct inquiries to Prof. Dr. Ole Seehausen,
ole.seehausen@iee.unibe.ch.
Please send one pdf file only, with CV, letter of motivation, if
applicable transcript of MSc with grades, publication list, and contact
details of three referees by email to therese.oesch@iee.unibe.ch.
2. PhD in Evolutionary Ecology of Ecosystems The position is fully funded
for 4 years, and will be based in the group of Blake Matthews at the
Eawag Center for Ecology, Evolution & Biogeochemistry in Kastanienbaum,
Switzerland. The successful applicant will be a student of the University
of Bern, and be co-supervised by Prof. Ole Seehausen (Institute of
Ecology and Evolution, Bern).
The project will explore 15,000 years of evolution and ecosystem dynamics
in Lake Victoria, East Africa, as reconstructed from sediment cores,
fossils and ancient DNA. This Swiss NSF Sinergia project is a cooperation
between U Bern, Eawag, the Centre for Geogenetics at U of Copenhagen,
Denmark, the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, U of Arizona,
U Massachusetts and others.
The group of Blake Matthews focuses on phenotypic evolution in a
community and ecosystem context. The open PhD position will investigate
how the community composition and phenotypic diversity of zooplankton has
changed over time in Lake Victoria. To this end, the student will analyse
subfossil remains of zooplankton from sediment cores spanning hundreds
to thousands of years of ecosystem and evolutionary history. This is one
of 4 PhD positions funded by the project. In close collaboration with
ecologists, paleo-ecologists and paleo-genomics researchers, we want to
address how the evolutionary diversification of the cichlid fish along
with other ecosystem changes (e.g. eutrophication), have interacted with
the plankton community of Lake Victoria.
Ideally, the candidate has some prior experience in invertebrate taxonomy
(ideally with zooplankton), or paleolimnology. The candidate is motivated
to learn about evolutionary ecology in general, and about paleolimnology
and zooplankton in particular. The group's working language is English
and fluency in writing and speaking is required. Knowledge of German or
French is not required.
Eawag's Center for Ecology, Evolution & Biogeochemistry (CEEB) is located
on the shore of Lake Lucerne and is a strong nucleus of Eawag research
groups aimed at integrating evolutionary biology, community ecology, and
ecosystem science http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/cc/ceeb/index_EN. The
PhD student will interact with a diverse range of researchers studying
community ecology, evolutionary biology, ecological genetics, ecosystem
science, and applied environmental science.
Review of applications will start on January 20, 2019 and continue until
the position is filled.
Please send one pdf file only, with CV, letter of motivation, if
applicable transcript of MSc with grades, publication list, and
contact details of three referees by email to Dr. Blake Matthews
(blake.matthews@eawag.ch).
We look forward to seeing your applications
Best wishes
Ole Seehausen
"Seehausen, Ole" <Ole.Seehausen@eawag.ch>
