Doctoral student in Biology/Biogeochemistry (MSCA COFOUND project PRISMAS) - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

PRISMAS - PhD Research and Innovation in Synchrotron Methods and Applications in Sweden – is a new doctoral network training the next generation of 40 leading synchrotron experts, co-funded by theHorizon Europe MSCA COFUND Programme.

As a PRISMAS PhD student, you will have the chance to conduct cutting-edge research in your field,taking advantage of state of the art tools that will bring to attractive future job opportunities in academia or industry. Moreover, you are part of designing the future of synchrotron technology and instrumentation and using these to tackle some of the most significant global challenges the world faces today while acquiring interdisciplinary and intersectoral knowledge. Being part of the PRISMAS programme gives you the one-of-a-kind experience in form of a secondment at the world´s first 4th generation synchrotron, MAX IV in Lund, Sweden. Complemented with a tailored training programme, including courses to build scientific and technical competence as well as strengthen transferrable skills, PRISMAS provides you with the skills, knowledge and competence needed to successfully achieve your doctoral degree.

Description of the workplace

The Faculty of Science conducts research and education within Biology, Astronomy, Physics, 
Geosciences, Chemistry, Mathematics and Environmental Sciences. The Faculty is organized into 
nine departments, gathered in the northern campus area. The Faculty has approximately 1500 
students, 330 PhD students and 700 employees. The Biology Department has approximately 450 
students, 75 postgraduate students and 300 employees.

Biology is the broad subject about all living things. It encompasses everything from processes at 
the molecular and cellular level to global processes at ecosystem level. The subject is divided into 
a range of sub-disciplines and specialisations. The PhD programme at the Department of Biology 
includes many of these specialisations, from molecular biology to applied ecology, from viruses 
and individual cells to evolutionary biology and global biodiversity. Taking on research studies at 
the Department of Biology generally means focusing on a delimited part of the research area of 
biology and may include field studies, experiments, theoretical studies, or a combination of 
those.
The advertised project requires an interdisciplinary approach, and the team of researchers to 
support the project has been assembled to include expertise in biogeochemistry, fungal 
taxonomy, metabolic strategy and the expertise to probe transformation and mobilization of Fe 
and OC. Main supervisor will be Prof. Emma Kritzberg with a background in aquatic 
biogeochemistry with a particular focus on links and transformations between and across 
compartments of the landscape (https://portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/emma-kritzberg). 
Kritzberg’s group has made important contributions to current knowledge about freshwater 
browning, and been pioneering when it comes to the role of iron to this process and linking 
browning to land-use change. Her group has through interdisciplinary collaborations contributed 
to much of the novel knowledge about transport and transformations of Fe that provides the 
starting point for the proposed project.

Other key persons to the project are Prof. Håkan Wallander (Dept of Biology), Dr. Dimitrios Floudas (Dept of Biology), Prof. Per Persson (Centre for 
Environmental and Climate Research) and Dr. Susan Nehzati (Max IV).

References

Škerlep M, Nehzati S, Johansson U, Kleja DB, Persson P, ES Kritzberg. 2022. Spruce forest 
afforestation leading to increased Fe mobilization from soils. Biogeochemistry 157: 273-290 
10.1007/s10533-021-00874-9

Björnerås C, Persson P, Weyhenmeyer GA, Hammarlund D, ES Kritzberg. 2021. The lake as an 
iron sink - new insights on the role of iron speciation. Chemical Geology 584:120529 
10.1016/j.chemgeo.2021.120529

Herzog SD, Persson P, Kvashnina K, ES Kritzberg. 2020. Organic iron complexes enhance iron 
transport capacity along estuarine salinity gradients of Baltic estuaries. Biogeosciences. 17: 331-
344 10.5194/bg-17-331-2020

What we offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee: Benefits for employees | Lund University.

The MSCA COFUND project PRISMAS offers you outstanding opportunities as well as a stimulating and inspiring surrounding for performing cutting-edge research. Supporting your mobility, it createsperfect conditions for strengthening your international network.

Work duties and responsibilities

The role of fungal communities in controlling mobilization of organic carbon (OC) and iron (Fe) 
from forest soils.

This project aims to synergize forestry management with sustainability. The scientific goal is to 
understand how fungal communities influence mobilization of iron (Fe) and organic carbon (OC) 
from forest soils. In the background are striking increases in terrestrial export of Fe and OC to 
surface waters resulting in browning of aquatic systems. Coniferous afforestation has been 
shown to contribute to these trends, e.g. mobilization of Fe and OC is enhanced under mature 
spruce forests. This may link to differences in the fungal community, where brown-rot and 
white-rot fungi dominate in coniferous and deciduous forests respectively. It may also be linked 
to the practice of ditching peatsoils to promote forestry which increases activity of mycorrhizal 
fungi. We expect that differences in fungi-induced biogeochemistry have a strong impact on the 
decomposition processes and thereby the leakage of Fe and OC to surface waters. The project 
combines controlled laboratory experiments and field-based investigations. Synchrotron-based 
imaging and spectroscopy of wood/soil/soil solution will monitor structural and chemical 
modification during fungal decomposition. Complementary vibrational spectroscopic techniques 
will track decomposition and mobilization. By integrating experimental and observational efforts 
we can reveal which process/es underpin transformations and fluxes observed in the field.

You will be responsible for performing field measurements and laboratory experiments, with the 
overall objective to enhance our knowledge of how fungal communities influence Fe and OC 
mobilization from soils to water. You will apply advanced methods to characterize fungal 
communities, organic matter composition and Fe speciation. You will with increasing degree of 
responsibility analyse and interpret data, and present and discuss results in manuscripts to be 
submitted to scientific journals. You will take courses to provide you with knowledge and tools to 
manage the research project and to become an increasingly independent researcher.

At times the research will require long workdays over prolonged periods of time and travels 
within and outside of Sweden, and it is therefore essential that the candidate shows flexibility.
You will present results from the research project at international conferences.
The training implies a secondment of 3-12 months at MAX IV laboratory in Lund, Sweden

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in biology, biogeochemistry, environmental science 
  or equivalent fields, preferably with a focus in biogeochemistry.
• Knowledge and a strong interest in biogeochemical processes in soil and/or water.
• It is an additional qualification if you have knowledge and a strong interest in fungal 
  communities and their decomposition processes.
• It is an additional qualification if you have knowledge, experience and a strong interest in 
  applying synchrotron based and spectroscopic techniques.
• Previous experience of field work, laboratory work, experimental work, applying analytical 
  methods to quantify and characterize organic matter and metals, characterizing microbial 
  communities with genetic methods, and analysing complex datasets are additional merits.
• A driver’s license is highly beneficial, but not mandatory in terms of qualification.
• Important personal qualities are to be creative, good at problem solving, collaborative, 
  independent and to demonstrate strong organizational skills and a strong work ethic.

Eligibility criteria

To comply with the mobility rule of the MSCA COFUND programme, you are eligible if you have 
not resided in Sweden for more than 12 months during the period 2020-05-01 to 2023-05-02 for work or studies as main occupation.

By the employment date (before 01/09/2023) you must have completed courses of at least 240 
credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, have been awarded a 
Master´s degree, including a degree project in the relevant subject comprising at least 30 credits,
or have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

In addition to the criteria above mentioned, you must have fulfilled a second cycle education in a 
relevant field, such as Biology/Biogeochemistry/Environmental Science or equivalent fields.

You are eligible for the PRISMAS programme, if you are a doctoral candidate, i.e., are not already in possession of a doctoral degree.

Job assignments

The position is a fixed term position for four years at 100 per cent of full time and foreseen to start on 01/09/2023. 

The holders of these positions have a primary obligation to successfully fulfil their postgraduate (third cycle) education ending with a doctoral degree (PhD). A position as doctoral student can contain some limited teaching or other departmental work at the Department of Medical Radiation Physics. The maximum amount of such work is 20%.

How to apply
Applications are to be submitted via the online Lund University VARBI portal and must include the following documents:

• CV in Europass format
• A two-page cover letter, justifying your interest in the position and how it matches your 
  qualifications as well as the prioritization in case of applying to several PRISMAS 
  positions.
• at least one reference letter
• an evidence of English 3 proficiency (minimum B2 level)
• Copy of academic records (including marks for all coursework) with a transcript of 
  diploma in English,
• and any other document to which you would like to draw attention (details of referees, 
  letters of recommendation, etc.)

These documents should be uploaded (pdf) in the job application portal. Exam certificates and other documents on paper should be scanned or photographed before being uploaded.

The application will be evaluated based on scientific excellence, the adequacy of your career plan and your thesis project as well as your research experience.

Details on the novel, unique and common selection process for all the PRISMAS positions can be foundhere: How to apply – MAX IV (lu.se)

Contact
For more detailed information on the position or the research project, please contact: Professor Emma Kritzberg, emma.kritzberg@biol.lu.se

If you have questions on the selection process, please contact: prismas@maxiv.lu.se

For questions on the employment conditions and the university, please contact:
Ewa Kralik, HR-administrator, ewa.kralik@biol.lu.se