2 PhD student positions in Microbiome Ecology (Start March 2017 for 3 years) Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Wuerzburg
#### Project description #### Within a collaborative framework between Würzburg (S. Leonhardt, A. Keller), Salzburg (R.R. Junker) and München (M. Schloter), the bacterial associates of flowers and bees will be investigated, with focus on the influence of land-use intensity on natural microbiota. Both positions will work in close interaction with each other in Würzburg, conducting field work, NGS-based microbiome assessments, bacterial cultivation, bioassays, chemical analyses and genomics. Position 1 Floral Microbiota: Although flowers are directly linked to plant fitness and reproduction, bacterial colonizers of the anthosphere are less well characterized and understood compared to such associated with leaves or roots. We will investigate the organismal, functional, and genetic diversity of floral microbiota as a function of land use, plant diversity, and functional flower traits to understand links between these levels of diversity. Position 2 Bee Microbiota: When investigating land-use effects on pollinators, a major player has been mainly ignored: microbes. Pollen, nectar and nesting materials are strongly affected by land-use, but also determine the microbiota of solitary bee adults, larvae and nests with direct consequences for host health. Goal of this study is to identify effects of land-use, landscape and foraging on microbial associates and functions in bees, on stability of the mutualism and also disease vectorization. #### Applications and further information #### Please send your application via eMail to Dr. Alexander Keller ([email protected]) as a single PDF document until 15th January 2017. Applications should include a cover letter, a short summary of research interests, CV, certificates, and contacts of two potential referees. Please also indicate your preference for one of the two projects. Both position are pending final funding decision. #### Requirements #### Primary requirement is strong interest and motivation in conducting biodiversity research on a metagenomic, molecular level. Further, applicants must have a MSc/ Diplom (DE) related to one of: - Metagenomics - Community ecology - Pollination ecology - Chemical ecology - NextGen-Sequencing - DNA-Barcoding - Bioinformatics - Microbial biochemistry - Microbial cultivation The successful candidates must be willing to become acquainted with these topics during the projects, as well as scientific writing in english. #### Salary & Conditions #### According to public service positions in Germany (TVL E13: 65%) for three years. The University of Würzburg is an equal opportunity employer, i.e. female scientists are particularly encouraged to apply and disabled applicants will be preferentially considered in case of equivalent aptitude. We offer membership in friendly and ambitious young research work groups, as part of a vivid ecological department.
