We are seekinga highly motivated PhD student to join an interdisciplinary research projectthat was recently funded by the Swedish Research Council aimed at identifyingmanagement practices and native tree species that can be used to guide thetransition to a more sustainable bio-based economy (https://www.researchgate.net/project/Balancing-production-and-ecosystem-services-from-degraded-tropical-rain-forests-to-aid-the-transition-to-a-more-sustainable-bio-based-economy).A primary goal of this PhD project is to investigate the links betweenfunctional traits of native tree species and ecosystem services, such as carbonsequestration and associated biodiversity, with the ultimate goal ofidentifying tree species that have both high economic and ecological value. Itis expected that the PhD student will also use a combination of greenhouse andfield experiments to assess key factors limiting tree establishment as well asthe resilience of different native tree species to climate change. Field workfor this project will be conducted in northern Borneo, Malaysia, within the “INIKEASow-a-Seed” rain forest restoration project (https://sites.google.com/site/sowaseedproject). The successful candidate will spend up tofive months a year at the field site in Borneo. The PhD student should start in April or May of 2018,but starting date is flexible. This position is fullyfunded for four years with the expectation that she or he will complete aPhD-degree within this time. There may be potential to extend the length of thePhD contract with teaching, but the successful candidate is expected to beprimarily researched based. The PhDstudent will be under the supervision of Niles Hasselquist at the Department of Forest Ecology and Management,SLU in Umeå, Sweden and will work closely within an international group ofresearchers with diverse expertise. SLU has an international character both when it comesto research and teaching. The department of Forest Ecology and Management has astaff of 76 members, of which 12 are professors. Our mission is to advance the understanding of forest ecosystemprocesses and to assist in developing sustainable forest management practices.For more information about the department please visit http://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-ecology-management/. Qualifications We are seeking a highly motivated individual with goodcommunication skills in English, both orally and written, a strong work ethic, andsomeone who works well independently and in a collaborative environment. We aresearching for a person with a MSc. in ecology, plant ecophysiology, forestscience or a related field. Previous experience working with plant functionaltraits, biodiversity assessment and/or in tropical ecosystems is a merit.Experience with field data collection, working in remote locations with littleto no modern services, analysis of large datasets and/or the use of R or otherstatistical programs is preferred.
Contact and Application InformationTo apply for this position please visit http://www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/postgraduate-studies/new-phd-student/Read-more/?sprak=e&Uid=2236 and click on the link "Application Form" at the bottom on the page. Apply no later than January 26, 2018. For additional information about this position please contact Niles Hasselquist ([email protected]). Sincerely, Niles Hasselquist
