Doctoral Researcher, Ecology and Genetics

The University of Oulu; Oulu; Hybrid; EUR 31,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangement

Collaborative research group

Job summary

The University of Oulu invites applications for a Doctoral Researcher in Ecology and Genetics to study mechanisms of plant biodiversity change. The project connects field, lab, and analytical work across international collaborators, culminating in a doctoral degree from the University of Oulu Graduate School.

Responsibilities include collecting data, statistical analyses, manuscript writing, presentations, and teaching.

Qualifications

• MSc in plant community ecology or equivalent field.
• Strong motivation and curiosity for ecological research and doctoral studies.
• Experience or interest in plant biodiversity, experimental and global-change research.
• Excellent statistics skills using R.
• Willingness to travel and conduct field work.
• Grassland plant identification skills and learning ability.
• Good command of English (written and spoken).
• Strong communication and teamwork in international settings.
• Driver’s license or willingness to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Collect new data on plant communities across field, greenhouse and lab settings.
• Conduct statistical analyses on field and long-term experiment data.
• Write manuscripts (2-3) and publish in international journals under supervision.
• Present at national and international conferences and workshops.
• Teach in BSc/MSc courses and co-supervise students and interns.
• Actively participate in the working group and collaborate internationally.

Skills

Statistical analysis

R

English proficiency

Grassland knowledge

Field work

Teamwork

Communication

Mobility/Travel

Driver’s license

Education

MSc in plant community ecology

Tools

R

Job description

Doctoral Researcher, Ecology and Genetics

Faculty of Science, Ecology and Genetics

The University of Oulu is a multidisciplinary, international research university, with about 4000 employees who produce new knowledge based on high-standards research and provide research based education to build a more sustainable, smarter, and more humane world. The University of Oulu community has about 19,000 people in total. Our northern scientific community operates globally and creates conditions for the emergence of innovations. The University of Oulu is ranked in the top 3% of the world’s universities. All our research, education, and community activities are guided by our university’s values and ethical principles.

We are looking for a highly motivated and research-oriented person to carry out doctoral research addressing the mechanisms of plant biodiversity change. In this project, we investigate what are the roles of mechanisms related to spatial context, dispersal in space and time, biotic interactions (competition, herbivory) and intraspecific trait change in driving heterogeneous responses of plant biodiversity to different global change factors (e.g., climate warming, nutrient enrichment). We aim for a more holistic understanding of plant biodiversity change in the Anthropocene, being able to provide answers to questions: how, why and where plant biodiversity changes. The specific research questions can relate, for example, to (1) the role of temporal dispersal via soil seed banks as a diversity maintaining mechanism under multiple global changes, (2) the role of intraspecific trait change in modifying the effects of climatic and other global changes on plant biodiversity, and (3) relative and interactive roles of spatial context (i.e., connectivity and habitat size), dispersal and herbivory in mediating plant biodiversity response to global changes. A suitable combination of these questions/ideas will be developed together with the project leader. We use already existing data (ready to be analyzed) and will also collect new data from two unique, existing long-term experimental systems to address these research questions.

As a Doctoral Researcher, you will conduct research in the “Mechanisms of Plant Biodiversity Change” project described above and complete a doctoral degree and studies studies at the University of Oulu Graduate School. Your specific tasks are:

• Collecting new data on plant communities (field, greenhouse and laboratory work),
  including organizing and planning the work
• Conducting statistical analyses on new and already existing research data from long-term field experiments
• Writing manuscripts (2-3) and publishing the research findings in high-quality international peer-reviewed journals under the guidance/supervision of your mentor and in collaboration with other researchers
• Participating national and international conferences and workshops, when relevant
• Teaching in BSc/MSc level courses and co-supervising master's students and interns.
• Being an active member of the working group

Although the position will be based at the Ecology and Genetics Research Unit in Oulu, the doctoral researcher will also collaborate with an international researcher team from, for example, the University of Helsinki, Finland and the University of California, Davis, USA. There may also be research visit(s) to these collabortors’ groups.

Qualification requirements for the Doctoral researcher position

• MSc in plant community ecology or equivalent field
• Strong motivation, curiosity, and enthusiasm towards ecological research and to pursue doctoral studies
• Experience and interest in some of the following: plant biodiversity research, experimental research, global change research, trait-based plant ecology
• Excellent statistical skills with software R
• Ability to travel and do field work, experience in field work
• Good grassland plant identification skills and ability to quickly learn new species
• Knowledge of grassland ecosystems (e.g., temperate, tundra)
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Good communication and teamwork skills, ability to work in an international team
• Driver’s licence is needed or willingness to acquire one

Assessment of the applicants will be based on, acknowledging the content of the job, 1) overall fit to the above profile, 2) scientific publications (if applicable), 3) motivation, 4) previous work experience, 5) national and international mobility and networking skills, and 5) other academic activities and merits.

What we offer

• A three-year, full-time Doctoral Researcher position in an ambitious project
• Opportunities for national and international collaboration, conference participation, co-authored publications and research mobility if relevant to your doctoral project
• You will become a part of a highly enthusiastic and talented research group that is working on globally significant research areas
• Possibility for a flexible combination of presence work and remote work (this can be negotiated, depending on the situation of the applicant and project demands)
• Full benefits provided by the University of Oulu to university employees, including free time corresponding to holidays and free occupational health care services. The successful candidate will receive also benefits provided by the Finnish government to residents, for example possibility to obtain access to the national healthcare system, tax benefits for employees with children, and high-quality affordable childcare services.
• We have an HR Excellence in Research -quality label, which is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers.
• Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, an excellent education system, and a competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu.

The position is fixed-term for three (3) years as of February 1, 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The start date is flexible and can be negotiated.

The salary will be based on the levels 2-4 of the demand level chart for teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (a maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). The typical starting gross salary will be approx. 2600-3000 € per month (before taxes). As the doctoral research progresses, there is salary progression in accordance with the University salary system. A trial period of 6 months is applied to the position.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact Professor Anu Eskelinen (anu.eskelinen(at)oulu.fi)

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including people of different ages, genders, languages, cultures, and minority communities.