Postdoctoral positions within the Programme of Excellence in Macroecology and Evolution

August 14, 2008

Postdoctoral positions within the Programme of Excellence in Macroecology and Evolution

The University of Copenhagen Programme of Excellence series is launching the cross-disciplinary research program “Center for macroecology and evolution: How to explain distribution of life on Earth”. This five-year research program, starting the 1st of July 2008, is established as an integrated study of geology, biogeography, ecology, evolution, and human disease and includes six sections from the Department of Biology, the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology including several Danish NSF funded centers. It further makes an explicit interdisciplinary link with a novel initiative at our University to promote Evolutionary approached to medically relevant questions. The involved research groups are all placed at the same campus. Associated with the program is a strong network of international collaborations. See list of senior scientists involved.

A number of individual postdoctoral positions are now open for applications
Candidates can apply to themes that match their specific skills within the broader program. We seek candidates with strong publication records, relevant analytical and data handling skills, and an ability to communicate within a cross-disciplinary research team. We offer a competitive salary (depending on qualifications approx. 8,600 USD / 5,500 Euro per month, including pension and holiday-allowance). The appointed post doctoral researchers will refer to one of the PIs and will be expected to maintain strong links to at least one of the other participating research groups and one of the relevant international partners. Cohesiveness of the Center will be further strengthened through workshops in the Copenhagen area with active participation of external partners in some of them.

Mission of the research program
The overall aim of the program is to conduct cross-disciplinary basic research using some of the World’s largest collections of contemporary distribution data, information on historical distributions (including ancient DNA), evolutionary history (phylogenies, phylogeographical data), Earth history, and climate, to elucidate the primary mechanisms that underly the distribution of life on Earth. The objective is to reconcile current controversies through the amalgamation of historical, evolutionary and contemporary data in a single unified analytical framework. This insight will allow greater accuracy in predicting biosphere responses to changes in land-use, global climate, and the spread of emerging diseases.

Themes where we seek postdoctoral applications

THEME 1 – VERTEBRATE MACROECOLOGIST/BIOGEOGRAPHER to work on questions related to species distributions and diversity patterns using information on species evolutionary history derived from phylogenetic trees (details).

THEME 2 – CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGIST to work on questions related to prediction of potential effects of climate change on future patterns of species distributions and diversity (details).

THEME 3 – INVERTEBRATE BIOGEOGRAPHER/MACROECOLOGIST to work on questions related to species distributions and diversity patterns using information on species evolutionary history derived from phylogenetic trees (details).

THEME 4 – SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGIST/ARACHNOLOGIST to work on the phylogeny of spiders (details).

THEME 5 – ANCIENT DNA – PAST POPULATION GENETICS to work with questions relating to past population genetics of humans in the New World and/or past population genetics of marine animals and/or ice age megafauna (details).

THEME 6 – GEOLOGY to work on Paleogeography in close collaboration with the research groups in macroecology and biogeography (details).

THEME 7 – GEOLOGY to work on low temperature geochemistry in close collaboration with the research groups in macroecology and biogeography (details).

THEME 8 – HUMAN DISEASES – EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE to work on questions related to the geographical distribution of vector born diseases, with particular emphasis on the climatic parameters that affect vector and host distributions and thus the geographic mosaic of their co-evolutionary history. This postdoc position is funded by the Copenhagen Centre for Social Evolution and aims to develop explicit interfaces with the Centre for Macroecology and Evolution (details).

Candidate profile – general requirements and expectations

The positions require a PhD-degree, a demonstrated ability towards increasing independence, quantitative analytical skills and proficiency in writing, as documented by publications. In addition to pursuing their own independent research within the program outline, successful candidates are expected to participate in collaborative projects with other researchers at the Center and to develop innovative angles as the Centre develops.

Specific inquiries concerning positions within individual themes should be directed to the contact person listed at the full description (details) of each theme. General questions can be made to Professor Carsten Rahbek, Center of Macroecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark E-mail: crahbek@bio.ku.dk; Phone: +45 35321030.

Applications must be in English, emailed as a single PDF file to vacancy@bio.ku.dk (Subject line: last name and the Theme number for which you apply). The application should include a cover letter, a brief outline (1-2 pages) of planned research, a CV with the names and contact details of 3 referees, and copies of relevant official exam documents.

Applicants may apply for more than one position, as long as position-specific applications are submitted for each position applied for.

Closing date for applications is the 1st of October 2008 at 12:00 noon.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Additional information on Danish postdoc and PhD rules and regulations, including salaries and taxation, is available at http://www.ku.dk/pers/hrm/

Application and Further Information

Scholarship Tags: Denmark, Evolution, Excellence, Macroecology, positions, Postdoctoral, programme