POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES IN THE EVOLUTION
AND ECOLOGY OF INVASIVE CANE TOADS (2x POSITIONS)
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
REFERENCE NO. 1614/0912
· Enhance your research profile by joining a high-profile well-funded project
· Become part of a world-class research team
using a powerful model system to study evolution
operating at ecological timescales
· Full-time, fixed term 3-4 years; remuneration
package: $92K p.a., further offers may be possible subject to funding and need
The University of Sydney is Australia's first
university with an outstanding global reputation
for academic and research excellence. It employs
over 7500 permanent staff supporting over 49,000 students.
The <http://sydney.edu.au/science/biology/>School
of Biological Sciences is one of the largest in
Australia with research strengths in many areas
of mathematics and statistics. The school
attracts a strong body of excellent students as
well as Australian Research Council (ARC) grants,
fellowships, and other competitive external funding.
Applications are sought for two Postdoctoral
Research Associate positions in the evolution and
ecology of invasive cane toads that are funded by
an ARC Laureate Fellowship "Using biological
invasions to understand evolutionary processes"
held by <http://sydney.edu.au/science/biology/shine/>Richard Shine.
The project exploits the unique logistical
opportunities offered by the cane toads
Australian invasion to pose and test a suite of
hypotheses about evolutionary-ecological
processes. In particular, why has the rate of
dispersal of invasion-front toads increased so
rapidly over this relatively brief period? What
are the relative roles of spatial sorting and
natural selection in driving that range-edge
acceleration? How and why do cane toads at the
invasion front differ from those in
long-colonised areas in traits such as cognitive
ability, behavioural syndromes, dispersal
tactics, immunobiology, locomotor ability,
morphology and phenotypic plasticity? The project
not only will compare such traits between toads
from invasion-front versus long-colonized areas,
but also link those changes to concurrent
research on the genetic divergences that have
accumulated during the toads Australian invasion.
This is an opportunity to conduct research in a
highly productive research team, on a project
that has gathered substantial international
recognition. You will spend most of your time
working out of the Universitys Tropical Ecology
Research Facility at Middle Point, in a bushland
setting 65km east of the city of Darwin in the
Northern Territory. The field station has
accommodation, office and laboratory facilities,
and four-wheel-drive vehicles. However, the
research also will require extensive travel in
order to collect toads from across the breadth of
the Australian tropics. Teaching is not a requirement.
You will have:
· PhD degree in biology (or be close to completing one)
· sound knowledge of advanced techniques and
demonstrated capability of research in at least
one of the following areas: analyses of
morphology, physiology, performance, behaviour,
genetics and/or ecology of free-ranging animals
· demonstrated ability to conduct high-quality
research either independently or as part of a
research team, published research as sole author
or in collaboration, excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience in conducting fieldwork in remote
areas, and in working with multidisciplinary teams, will be highly regarded.
The positions are full-time fixed-term for three
to four years subject to completion of a
satisfactory probation and confirmation period
for new appointees. Further offers may be
available subject to funding, need and
performance. Successful applicants will need to
become members of a University approved superannuation scheme.
Remuneration package: $92K p.a. including $78K
p.a. base salary, leave loading and up to 17%
superannuation. Some support towards relocation
and visa sponsorship will be available for the
successful appointees if required.
All applications must be submitted via the
University of Sydney careers website. Visit
sydney.edu.au/positions and search by the
reference number for more information and to apply.
CLOSING DATE: 13 January 2013 (11:30pm Sydney time)
The University is an Equal Opportunity employer
committed to equity, diversity and social
inclusion. Applications from equity target groups and women are encouraged.
