GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is a foundation of public law jointly financed by the Federal Republic of Germany (90Â %) and the state of Schleswig-Holstein (10Â %) and is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine sciences. Currently GEOMAR disposes over an annual budget of approx. 80 million Euro and has approx. 1000 employees.
The research unit Marine Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics of the research division Marine Evolutionary Ecology is offering a position as PhD in marine evolution and population genomics, starting on October 1st, 2022. The position offers the possibility to attain a doctoral degree in natural sciences.
The advertised position is funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) and will contribute to the research group of Prof. Dr. Reid Brennan. This position provides the opportunity to join a growing group focused on ecological and evolutionary genomics and rapid adaptation to global change. GEOMAR is located in Kiel, Germany on the Baltic Sea and is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine sciences. Kiel is also an evolutionary hotspot in Germany with both GEOMAR and the University of Kiel hosting numerous research groups. Further, the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Biology is nearby in Plön and there is ample opportunity for formal and informal interactions with these institutions.
Project Description
Human-caused global change is driving rapid environmental shifts of historic and unprecedented magnitude. In order to understand how populations will respond to these shifts, it is necessary to understand current patterns of local adaptation, after which, potential maladaptation can be predicted. However, validating predictions of maladaptation is difficult for many organisms due to long lifespans and husbandry difficulties. This project will leverage populations of the copepod, Acartia tonsa, distributed along a salinity and temperature gradient to understand local adaptation and to predict and validate maladaptation to future environment change. Acartia tonsa is an ideal model for this question due to available genomic resources and experimental tractability. This research will leverage phenotypic, transcriptomic, and genomic approaches to answer these questions.
Tasks
The scientific objectives of the project are to:
- Quantify the degree of local adaptation between populations of Acartia tonsa using phenotypic and transcriptomic methods
- Identify the genomic basis of local adaptation and gene-environment associations
- Predict maladaptation to future environmental change
- Validate predictions of maladaptation with lab-based phenotypic assays
- Present findings in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences
Qualification
MSc degree or Diploma degree in biology, population genetics/genomics, biological oceanography, population biology, evolution, ecology, or similar.
Requirements
- Experience with at least one programming language (R, python, bash, etc.).
- Good statistical knowledge
- Willingness to work with live animals in a laboratory setting
- Excellent knowledge of English writing and language
- Socially-conscious, supports an equitable, inclusive, and collaborative research environment
Additional skills and knowledge
- Experience with one of either population genetics, zooplankton husbandry and experiments, or genomics/transcriptomics.
- Ability to contribute to field collections of live animals.
- Experience with writing or editing of scientific manuscripts is desirable
- We especially value working with good colleagues who want to foster a positive, curious, and fun research environment.
The position is available for a funding period of 36 months. The salary depends on qualification and could be up to the class E13 TVöD-Bund of the German tariff for public employees. This is a part-time position according to 75 % of a full-time equivalent. The position can not be split. The fixed-term contract shall comply with Section 2 Paragraph 1 of The Act of Academic Fixed-Term Contract (German WissZeitVG).
The working language of GEOMAR and the research group is English, no skills in German are necessary. Further, it is possible to live and work in Kiel and Germany with no German language skills.
As a research group, we value diversity and inclusion and encourages scientists from under-represented groups to apply. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel seeks to increase the proportion of female scientists and explicitly encourages qualified female academics to apply. Please consider applying even if your background does not exactly match the proposed requirements.
GEOMAR is an equal opportunity employer and encourages scientists with disabilities to apply. Qualified disabled applicants will receive preference in the application process.
To apply
To apply please provide a letter of motivation discussing your research interests, your interest in the position, and how your past experience has prepared you for this role. Also include a CV with contact information for two references. Please send your application for this post by 28th July 2022 in asingle pdf-file using the keyword “Copepod adaptation PhD Position” in the subject line to the following address: bewerbung@geomar.de
As soon as the selection procedure has finished, all your application data will be removed according to data protection regulation.
For further information regarding the position and research unit please contact Prof. Dr. Reid Brennan (rbrennan@geomar.de).
Please do not contact us by phone about the present state of procedures. However, we will answer all your questions if you send us an e-mail to bewerbung@geomar.de. In doing so, please refer to the keyword.
To find out more, follow this link.
