PhD student in ecology and evolution

The Department of Ecology, Environmental Science and Botany (DEEP) conducts research and education at the Arrhenius laboratories on the Frescati campus. We are approximately 100 employees, including PhD students and postdocs, distributed across 25 research groups.

More information about us can be found at: Institutionen för ekologi, miljö och botanik.

Project description

The Department of Ecology, Environmental Science and Botany is seeking a PhD student for a research project aimed at elucidating evolutionary drivers for and genomic consequences of pollen evolution in connection with shifts in pollination modes. The doctoral thesis will be conducted within the framework of this project, focusing on analyses of selection on pollen in connection with shifts from insect to wind pollination. The work will involve large-scale genomic analyses within an evolutionary framework, as well as population genomic and transcriptomic analyses in suitable plant systems. The project is led by prof. Tanja Slotte and is carried out in close collaboration with prof. John Fitzpatrick, prof. Catarina Rydin, and dr Allison Hsiang at Stockholms universitet. The project is funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

Eligibility requirements

To be admitted to doctoral education, the applicant must possess basic and special eligibility. Eligibility must be met by the final application date.

You have basic eligibility if you have completed a degree at an advanced level, or fulfilled course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (hp), of which at least 60 hp are at an advanced level, or have otherwise acquired substantially equivalent knowledge within or outside the country.

Special eligibility is described in the general study plan for doctoral-level education in the subject of ecology and evolution. For special eligibility to be admitted to doctoral-level education in ecology and evolution, the applicant must have passed courses at an advanced level of at least 60 hp, of which 15 hp must be courses in ecology or evolution, and at least 30 hp must be independent work within one of the areas of ecology or evolution or equivalent.

Selection

Selection among the applicants is made with regard to the ability to undertake doctoral-level education. The criteria used to assess this ability are:

• documented subject knowledge and skills relevant to the research area such as evolutionary biology, evolutionary genetics/genomics, population genetics, phylogenomics, and related subjects
• analytical and creative thinking
• documented experience in bioinformatics or other computational-based analyses
• personal initiative
• independence
• ability to cooperate
• excellent ability to express yourself in speech and writing in English.

Documented experience of molecular genetic laboratory work and/or research on plants is desirable but not a requirement. Great importance will be placed on personal suitability.

Admission order for doctoral-level education at Stockholms universitet.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a PhD student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to doctoral-level education on a full-time basis for four years. As a PhD student, you will primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research, and administration to a limited extent (at most 20 %).

A new employment as a PhD student is valid for a maximum of one year; the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholms universitet strives to be a workplace that is free from discrimination and provides equal rights and opportunities for all.

Contact

Further information is provided by the project leader professor Tanja Slotte, tanja.slotte@su.se, and by the subject representative professor Peter Hambäck, peter.hamback@su.se.

Application

You apply for the PhD position via Stockholms universitet's recruitment system. Attach a cover letter and CV as well as the appendices requested in the application form. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and that it is provided to the university no later than the final application date.

Instructions for applicants can be found on the webpage: att söka en anställning.

Stockholms universitet contributes to the development of a sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment, and the pursuit of truth.