Doctorat în Germania

O poziție de doctorand este disponibilă în cadrul unui proiect germano-elvețian, coordonat de Universitatea din Beielfeld, pentru studiul tritonilor. Mesajul original e în continuare, pentru eventualii doritori:

„PhD position

Population genetics & demographic analysis of newt populations

University of Bielefeld, Dep.of Animal Behaviour, Unit Molecular Ecology and Behaviour &
Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Application deadline 18.12.2011

[printable version http://www.dzg-ev.de/de/stellenboerse/ausschreibungen/2011/phd_bielefeld2011d.pdf]

1 PhD Position in population genetics and demographic analysis of newt populations

Due to their limited dispersal ability amphibians are generally considered to be structured as metapopulations. However, new studies show that the dispersal propensity of amphibians has been vastly underestimated in the past, thus challenging this common view. Aimed as a case study on a typically pond-breeding amphibian species this research project analyses the population structure of crested newts (Triturus cristatus) in the north of Germany (Hamburg). By applying new and powerful molecular approaches to determine the spatial extent of crested newt populations without any a priori assumption on the level of three spatial scales this project will explore the real spatial extent of crested newt populations by overcoming potential biases of past approaches. The chosen study design will allow to identify the degree of population connectivity and gene flow between breeding sites of crested newts and to combine these genetic data with demographic parameters estimated from mark-recapture data (birth, death, immigration and emigration) of breeding sites on a local scale. The results of the study will provide new and deep insights into the population dynamics of a typically pond-breeding amphibian species in evolutionary and ecological terms without confounding past a priori assumptions on the structure of amphibian populations.

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate who is willing to perform intensive field work (collection of genetic and mark-recapture data), molecular laboratory work and state-of-the-art statistical modelling of genetic and mark-recapture data. Field work will be performed near Hamburg, molecular laboratory work and analyses will be carried out in the group of Sebastian Steinfartz at the University of Bielefeld and analysis of demographic data will be done at the University of Zurich in cooperation with Benedikt Schmidt. While based in Hamburg a close cooperation with the groups of Jörg Ganzhorn (Department of Ecology) and Alexander Haas (section of Herpetology) at the Zoological Institute of the University of Hamburg is intended. We are searching for a candidate who is highly flexible and willing to challenge the successful integration of molecular and first hand collected field and ecological data on a high level. In order to achieve this goal the successful candidate will be based at the three different locations (i.e. in Bielefeld, Hamburg and Zurich) with excellent research conditions and groups of highly motivated people with a strong interest and research background in organismic ecology and evolution. The position (65% TV-L E13) will start at the beginning of February 2012 and is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) for three years.

Please send your application until December 18st, including a curriculum vitae, a letter of motivation why you are interested in the project and addresses for references (e-mail addresses and telephone numbers) of two referees as a merged PDF to:

Dr. Sebastian Steinfartz
Assistant Professor in Molecular Ecology and Behaviour
Department of Animal Behaviour
University of Bielefeld
Germany
Telephone: +49 521 106 2653
Email: sebastian.steinfartz at uni-bielefeld.de

We expect to interview candidates in early January in Bielefeld.

Inquiries and requests on the project should be directed either to Sebastian Steinfartz or to

Dr. Benedikt Schmidt KARCH
Passage Maximilien-de-Meuron 6, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 32 725 72 06
Email: benedikt.schmidt at ieu.uzh.ch

Author: Horea Olosutean