PhD: Modeling Phytoplankton Trait Diversity in Lakes

KNAW (Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen); Wageningen; On-site; EUR 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) at Wageningen hosts a PhD candidate to study how phytoplankton trait diversity shapes lake ecosystem processes. You will integrate trait diversity into PCLake, run sensitivity analyses, and collaborate with project team members to calibrate models and validate findings.

You will develop a PhD thesis plan, conduct analyses, present results at conferences, and contribute to publications over a four-year appointment.

Qualifications

• MSc in environmental sciences or a closely related field.
• Experience with ecosystem modelling and ecological forecasting.
• Proficiency in programming with R, Python or Matlab.
• Professional working proficiency in English, including scientific writing.

Responsibilities

• Investigate how phytoplankton trait diversity affects lake ecosystem functioning.
• Run sensitivity analyses in PCLake+ and perform meta-analyses.
• Collaborate with PhD candidates and postdocs on parameterization and validation of the model.
• Present results at meetings and publish in international scientific journals.

Skills

Phytoplankton trait-based ecology

Ecosystem modelling

Ecological forecasting

Phytoplankton ecophysiology

Trait-based ecology

Education

MSc in environmental sciences / computational ecology / quantitative biology

Tools

R

Python

Matlab

Job description

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) at Wageningen hosts a PhD candidate to study how phytoplankton trait diversity shapes lake ecosystem processes. You will integrate trait diversity into PCLake, run sensitivity analyses, and collaborate with project team members to calibrate models and validate findings.

You will develop a PhD thesis plan, conduct analyses, present results at conferences, and contribute to publications over a four-year appointment.