Two PhD positions are available at The Plant Ecology Lab of Dr. Edwin Lebrija-Trejos in Haifa University, Israel, to study the effects of altered precipitation on the performance of tropical tree species and forests via plant interactions with pathogenic and mycorrhizal fungi. The positions are part of a multidisciplinary project involving work in plant ecology and pathology, microbial ecology and metagenomics, in collaboration with Drs. S. Joseph Wright and Helene Muller-Landau from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama, and Dr. Krista McGuire from the University Of Oregon, USA. The successful applicants will be enrolled in The Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology (DEEB) of the University of Haifa. The positions involve an extensive period (over 2 years) of field research and experiments in Panama. In Panama, Students will be hosted by the STRI (https://stri.si.edu/), which offers top-end research facilities and a multinational/multicultural environment with a vibrant scientific community unmatched in the tropics. The positions are for 4 years and will start ideally from mid October 2018 (a delayed start is possible). Applicants must be able to work both independently and in a team setting, have an MSc degree in Life Sciences (biology or other relevant area), proven academic achievement, and good communication and writing skills in English. A background in microbiology or plant ecology, experience with experimental work, large datasets and/or good quantitative and analytical skills are an advantage. Please send questions and application to Edwin Lebrija (elebr...@gmail.com). Applications should include a (1) motivation letter, (2) CV, including list of publications (if available), (3) copy of academic transcript/record, and (4) names and email addresses of 2-3 professional references.
