PhD position on Ecological and Genomic Control of Migration
The <http://www.orn.mpg.de/IMPRS> International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Organismal Biology is jointly organized by the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen and Radolfzell and the University of Konstanz. More than 25 internationally recognized research groups actively participate in the PhD program and offer challenging, cutting-edge PhD projects in the fields of Behavioral Biology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Physiology, and Neurobiology. Project description Animal migration is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of many animals. However, our knowledge about the underlying mechanisms, which generate the decision to migrate or not, or when and where to go, is still limited. We would like to welcome students who are interested to study the ecological and genomic control of migration in the partially migratory Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) using state of the art field tracking techniques and genomic approaches (e.g. comparative transcriptomics). Across its breeding range the Eurasian blackbird, like many other species, consists of populations which exhibit different overwintering strategies ranging from completely sedentary (e.g. Spain, France), partially migratory (e.g. Germany, Czech Republic, Poland) to mainly completely migratory (e.g. Finland, Russia). We will use this phenotypic variation within and among populations across the entire breeding range of this species to elucidate the genomic and ecological players of individual migration strategies. This PhD-project will be co-advised by the Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell and the Genomics Center Konstanz. Main advisers <http://www.orn.mpg.de/409052/employee_page?c=660919&employee_id=26364> Jesko Partecke, MPIO Radolfzell and <http://www.evolutionsbiologie.uni-konstanz.de/?section=25> Axel Meyer, University Konstanz Our offer All students accepted to the program will be supported by stipends or contracts. Besides their own research, the IMPRS fellows attend laboratory courses and workshops in relevant transferable skills like scientific writing and project management. Talks by invited speakers during our annual IMPRS symposium, student retreats, and conference participation complete the individually tailored curriculum. The working language is English. Each PhD student receives individual supervision and mentoring and is guided in her/his research work by a PhD advisory committee. Your application Outstanding students of all nationalities with a deep commitment to basic research in Organismal Biology are invited to apply. Deadline for the application is January 15, 2014. Interviews with the applicants are scheduled for Mid-March. Candidates accepted into the program may start latest September 2014. The Max Planck Society and the University of Konstanz are equal opportunity employers. Qualification: Applicants should hold a MSc or equivalent degree in biology or a related discipline at the point of enrollment. Queries should be mailed to the program office: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] Application : For the online application process visit <http://www.orn.mpg.de/2383/Application> www.orn.mpg.de/2383/Application. More information on the current PhD projects at http://www.orn.mpg.de/projects and <http://www.facebook.com/OrganismalBiology> www.facebook.com/OrganismalBiology.
