Postdoctoral fellow in Microbial Ecology

Subject description

Microbial communities govern global biogeochemistry. They are the valve that rate regulate decomposition and nutrient mineralisation in soils, and simultaneously constitute the main pathway of atmospheric carbon (C) into soil fractions with long retention times. Climate change is recasting the environmental forcing that determine the microbial ecology that runs biogeochemistry, including warming, drought, thawing of frost, and the perturbations induced by extreme weather events. All this highlights that a fundamental understanding of microbial responses to environmental change are key to predict how biology will feedback to ongoing climate change.

Work duties

The main duties involved in a post-doctoral position is to conduct research. Teaching may also be included, but up to no more than 20% of working hours. The position shall include the opportunity for three weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning.

This postdoc position will investigate how warming, drought, thawing frost, and extreme weather will impact on soil microbial communities by resolving responses in growth rates and associated microbial biogeochemistry (C, N and P cycling). In it, we will functionally characterise key microbial trait distribution at community levels and link these to taxonomic composition to unearth links between microbial structure and ecosystem function (https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecy.3594). Uncovered patterns will also be interfaced via conceptual models into ecosystem and global-scale models using e.g. LPJ GUESS / EC-Earth. You will be working closely with several researchers and PhD students to extend the breadth and cover of environmental factors. You work will include field work, the establishment of field experiments, laboratory experiments, and will be laboratory intensive.

The postdoc will also have large degrees of freedom, including the development of the project’s research focus and forms of research, in consultation with the host.

You will be working within the MBLU environment within the department of Biology at LU (https://portal.research.lu.se/en/organisations/microbial-biogeochemistry-in-lund), which includes faculty, researchers, postdocs, PhD students and master students, together forming a thriving, curiosity driven research environment totalling 15-20 regular members.

The work duties also include:

• Research within the subject area
• Teaching in the first, second and third cycles of studies
• Supervision of degree projects and doctoral students
• Actively seeking external research funding
• Collaboration with industry and wider society
• Administration related to the work duties listed above

Qualification requirements

Appointment to a post-doctoral position requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the date of employment decision. Under special circumstances, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier.

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Assessment criteria and other qualifications

This is a career development position primarily focused on research. The position is intended as an initial step in a career, and the assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications and potential as researchers. Particular emphasis will be placed on research skills within the subject.

For appointments to a post-doctoral position, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and conduct high quality research.
• Teaching skills.
• The successful applicant will have completed a PhD in Biology, Microbiology, Environmental Science or Soil Science, or a related discipline, within 3 years of the commencement of the postdoctoral project.
• The candidate will have excellent knowledge of microbial ecology and documented experience with laboratory methods relevant to the project.
• The candidate will have documented experience with conducting independent research projects, including all staged from design, via laboratory analyses and data interpretation, to final publication.
• Experience of research in microbial ecology, soil microbiology, biogeochemistry, or soil science with relevance to the project is an important merit.
• Documented experience of using radio-isotope or stable-isotope methods to assess microbial carbon or nutrient use in environmental samples is a merit, but not a requirement.
• Documented experience in the analysis of amplicon datasets (or other -omics datasets) is an important merit, but not a requirement.
• Publications in international, peer-reviewed journals, with a leading role (i.e. first-author, and/or corresponding author) is also an important merit.

Additional assessment criteria:

The candidate will have documented experience with conducting independent research projects, including all staged from design, via laboratory analyses and data interpretation, to final publication. Experience of research in microbial ecology, soil microbiology, biogeochemistry, or soil science with relevance to the project is an important merit. Documented experience in the analysis of -omics data (including amplicon sequencing) is an important merit, but not a requirement.

Experience of using radio-isotope or stable-isotope methods to assess microbial carbon or nutrient use in environmental samples is a merit, but not a requirement.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Terms of employment

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment of a maximum of 3 years. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow”) between Lund University, SACO-S and OFR/S, dated 1st February 2022.

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and be compiled into a PDF-file containing:

• résumé/CV, including a list of publications,
• A cover letter of maximally one page explaining how your profile (including past research, qualification and interests) match our need.
• contact information of at least two references,
• copy of the doctoral degree certificate, and other certificates/grades that you wish to be considered.