Researcher in Biology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Project description
We want to recruit a researcher 100% to the Department of Biology, Lund University, for 2 months to a research project that wants to find out how wild songbirds deal with pathogens, specifically what adaptations these birds have in their adaptive immune system.

Work tasks
The researcher will analyze complex bioinformatic data related to immune genes, so called Major Histocompatibility Complex genes, in wild songbirds, and also do one week of fieldwork. The work include leading the work of creating and handling large datasets and data bases, conduct statistical analyses, as well as writing scientific articles to be published in peer-reviewed international journals. The researcher will be part of the research groups of Prof Dennis Hasselquist (ERC Advanced grant EcoImmuneCosts) and Docent Helena Westerdahl (ERC Start-up project ‘Optimal-Immunity’), at the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab (MEEL), Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden. MEEL constitutes a strong research environment with six senior scientists, their PhD students and post docs, master project students and visiting scientists, in total 25-35 persons. MEEL spans several research areas and many study organisms, and is inter-connected by many within-group collaborations and shared (molecular, immunological, genetic and genomic) methods. The focus of the studies is on wild organisms in their natural environments (and often their parasites and/or immune protection), but also studies on wild caged as well as domesticated animals. For more information about MEEL see:

http://www.biology.lu.se/research/research-groups/molecular-ecology-and-evolution-lab

Necessary skills for the position

• PhD in the area of animal ecology or equivalent
• Extensive field work experience (documented) with catching, blood sampling and measuring morphological traits in songbirds
• Experience of creating data bases, organizing large numbers of samples and performing statistical analyses using large datasets
• Experience of handling and analyzing HTS data from MHC genes in songbirds
• Ability to conduct research independently as well as part of a research group and in collaborations
• Excellent communication skills, in particular for writing scientific articles for publication in internationally peer-reviewed journals
• Fluent in English (in writing and spoken)

Additional merits for the position

• Driving license

It will also be evaluated whether the applicant have good collaborative skills, a strong drive for research and proven experience of independent research, as well as how the applicant through her/his experiences and competence will be able to strengthen ongoing work in the research projects of the two PIs.

Prerequisites for the position
The position is time-limited to 2 months and it is 100% of a full position.

Application
For more information please contact Docent Helena Westerdahl(helena.westerdahl@biol.lu.se)

Instructions for the application
The application should be written in English and include:

• CV and total publication list
• A general description of previous research experiences and how this match to projects included in the advertised position (maximum 3 pages)
• Copies of PhD examination as well as other certificates/grades you would like to enclose to this application