Doctoral student in Microbial Nitrogen Cycling in Oxygen-Depleted Waters

Göteborgs universitet; Göteborgs kommun; On-site; SEK 277,223 - 388,112; Full time

Job summary

Göteborgs universitet is offering a PhD studentship under the ERC Synergy project RECLESS. The successful candidate will engage in groundbreaking research on microbial nitrogen transformations in oxygen-depleted waters through fieldwork and advanced isotopic techniques.

Applicants should possess a Master’s degree in microbial ecology, substantial communication skills, and familiarity with aquatic systems. The position is full-time for 4 years, ideally starting on 1 November 2026.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in microbial ecology or related discipline.
• Knowledge of elemental cycling within aquatic systems.
• Experience with stable isotopes and/or mass spectrometry techniques (advantageous).
• Ability to process, analyze and visualize scientific data with R or Python (advantageous).

Responsibilities

• Participate in fieldwork campaigns in the eastern tropical Pacific and Baltic Sea.
• Elucidate pathways of microbial processes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling.
• Operate instrumentation for incubations and oxygen determinations.
• Collaborate with RECLESS team members on interdisciplinary projects.

Skills

Verbal and written communication skills in English

Ability to process, analyse and visualise scientific data using R, Python or similar

Experience collecting, processing, and analysing samples from aquatic systems

Knowledge of elemental cycling within aquatic systems

Familiarity with stable isotopes and/or mass spectrometry techniques

Involvement in fieldwork and/or seagoing research

Knowledge of low‑oxygen aquatic environments

Education

Master’s degree in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry or a related discipline

Job description

The University of Gothenburg tackles society's challenges with diverse knowledge. The ERC Synergy project RECLESS (Recycling versus loss in the marine nitrogen cycle: controls, feedbacks, and the impact of expanding low oxygen regions) aims to predict how ongoing ocean deoxygenation impacts microbial nitrogen transformations and the future availability of nitrogen to support oceanic primary production and carbon sequestration. This PhD studentship is part of the project and offers the successful candidate a unique opportunity to use oxygen‑contamination‑free sampling technologies and state‑of‑the‑art stable isotope techniques to investigate microbial processes in oxygen‑depleted waters.

Responsibilities

• Participate in fieldwork campaigns (research stations and seagoing expeditions in the eastern tropical Pacific and Baltic Sea), carrying out sampling, lab‑based and in situ incubations.
• Elucidate pathways and environmental controls of microbial processes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling, using in situ and lab‑based rate measurements with stable isotopes.
• Operate novel instrumentation for in situ incubations and oxygen determinations.
• Develop and optimize laboratory and field‑based analytical methods.
• Collaborate with other RECLESS team members on interdisciplinary projects.
• Publish results and present at internationally recognised journals and conferences.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of elemental cycling within aquatic systems.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Experience collecting, processing, and analysing samples from aquatic systems (advantageous).
• Familiarity with stable isotopes and/or mass spectrometry techniques such as GC‑MS (advantageous).
• Involvement in fieldwork and/or seagoing research (advantageous).
• Knowledge of low‑oxygen aquatic environments (advantageous).
• Ability to process, analyse and visualise scientific data using R, Python or similar tools (advantageous).

Employment and Benefits

• Type of employment: Fixed term employment, 4 years.
• Full time, 100 %.
• Location: Department of Marine Sciences, Gothenburg.
• First day of employment: preferably by 1 November 2026.

Eligibility

• Completed a university degree at the second‑cycle level or equivalent knowledge to satisfy third‑cycle level requirements.