Researcher in Evolutionary Ecology

Subject description

The “Speciation, Adaptation and Co-Evolution” research group is recruiting a researcher to join the team of the POLLCLIM project funded by the European Research Council. The project is led by Dr. Øystein Opedal and aims to provide a better understanding of plant adaptation in novel pollination environments, with focus on floral evolution in pollination-generalized systems. The recruited researcher will contribute to both primary research and project management as outlined below.

Work duties

The successful applicant will play an important role in the project team, allocating most of their time to primary research tasks but also a portion of their time to the management of project infrastructure (maintenance of experimental facilities, plant cultivation in greenhouses, supervision of project assistants, organization of field campaigns, data management). The exact work tasks and the allocation of time between research and management tasks will be defined based on the background and interests of the successful applicant.

Detailed description of the work duties

• Active participation in the scientific design of the project
• Contributing to field work, laboratory work, data curation and project management
• Analysis of multivariate data including phenotypic-selection analyses and latent-variable modelling of phenotypic and pollinator assemblage data.
• Supervision of project assistants and MSc projects
• Dissemination of results through presentations and scientific publications
   

Qualification requirements 

Applicants must have: 

• A PhD or equivalent research qualification within the subject of the position.
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English
• Background in evolutionary botany, especially evolutionary studies of plant-pollinator interactions

Other merits

• Experience with plant cultivation in greenhouses
• Experience in planning and leading extended field campaigns
• Experience with multivariate statistical analyses, especially Bayesian joint modelling approaches

Assessment criteria and other qualifications

The assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications, with emphasis on research skills within the subject, and experience with leading extended field campaigns. Substantial emphasis will also be placed on organizational skills, personal suitedness and motivation for the position.

The following merits form assessment criteria for the position:

• Fulfilment of qualification requirements
• Documented ability to develop and complete high-quality research
• High intellectual capacity and problem-solving ability
• Technical, analytical and organizational skills
• Enthusiasm, dedication and an ability to work both independently and in a team

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

Full-time, permanent position with a starting date of December 1st 2024 or by agreement.            A probationary period of 6 months might be applicable.

 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 general description of past research and future research interests (no more than three pages),
• contact information of at least two references,
• copy of the doctoral degree certificate, and other certificates/grades that you wish to be considered.