A 30-months PhD position is offered at the Natural History Museum in Vienna (NHMW). The successful candidate will enrol for PhD studies at the University of Vienna and become a member of the Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE).
The position should start as early as July 2022, but not later than October 2022. The position is financed by a grant from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) attributed to Dr. Pedro Frade as part of an international BioDivERsA cooperation. An extension of 6-12 months might be available from VDSEE.
The overarching project (RESTORESEAS, Marine Forests of animals, plants and algae: nature-based tools to protect and restore biodiversity) includes 13 partners of 11 countries throughout the Atlantic Ocean. In this task, we baim to investigate the role of microbiomes in the success of restoration efforts for deep-water coral in the North Atlantic, in close collaboration with colleagues at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. This PhDs main goal is to study microbiomes improving larval settling in *Lophelia pertusa* and enhancing restoration success over time. Particular focus will be put on applying a combination of methods (amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, with an emphasis on reconstructing metagenome-assembled genomes) to initially identify key microbes and functions that can be harnessed to improve restoration success.
Qualifications
Applicants should have a passion for marine conservation and hold an MSc degree in microbiology or molecular biology, and have experience in molecular genetic techniques. Experience in microbial community analyses and bioinformatics is desired, and familiarity with metagenomics analysis is of advantage. Since the research potentially involves work in different countries, willingness to travel is crucial.
Salary and terms of employment
Terms of appointment at NHMW and salary are in accordance with the general conditions of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
Further information
For further information on the project please contact Dr. Pedro Frade (mail: pedro.frade@nhm-wien.ac.at, phone: +43 (0)1-52177-329. See also https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en/
Application procedure
Online applications should be sent to Dr. Pedro Frade via email (pedro.frade@nhmwien.ac.at) by June 6th 2022. Please send your application including a letter of motivation, your CV, a list of publications, transcripts of university examinations (in English), contact details for 2 persons of reference, and possibly other material you want to include, all as a single pdf file. An assessment committee will evaluate the applications. Applications and enclosures received after the deadline or with insufficient documentation or otherwise not complying with the above requirements may not be considered. The Natural History Museum Vienna and the Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution wish to reflect the diversity of society and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.