A major challenge of a sustainable bio-based economy is to balance the trade-offs between maximizing the production of renewable raw materials while at the same time minimizing negative impacts to ecosystems services. In this study, we will investigate the trade-offs between increasing biomass production and ecosystem services among a number of large-scale forest management treatments of varying degrees of management intensities; ranging from assisted regeneration practices that include restoration, agroforestry and selective logging to intensively managed exotic tree plantations. In doing so, this approach will allow for some of the first direct assessments of the complex interactions and feedbacks between increasing production and ecosystem services with the ultimate goal of identifying sustainable forest management practices to aid the transition to a more sustainable bio-based economy.
We are seeking a highly motivated candidate for a fully funded, two-year postdoctoral position aimed at enhancing our understanding of the trade-offs between production of raw materials and ecosystem carbon sequestration among different forest management practices. The successful candidate will be responsible for organizing the collection of numerous field measurements (i.e., tree growth, litter fall, fine root biomass, soil organic carbon and soil respiration) and using this data to model the total carbon balance of alternative forest management practices. This project will take advantage of the rich history of measurements in large-scale forest management treatments in Sabah on northern Borneo and will be strategically centered in and around the INIKEA rain forest restoration project (https://sites.google.com/site/sowaseedproject). The successful candidate will work with Dr. Niles Hasselquist and Dr. Ulrik Ilstedt in the Department of Forest Ecology and Management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå. Our mission at the Department is to advance our understanding of forest ecosystem processes and to assist in developing sustainable forest management practices (http://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-ecology-management/). Additionally, the successful candidate will work closely with our collaborators on the project at Northern Arizona University, USA (Dr. Kevin Grady) and at the University of Western Australia (Dr. Peter Speldewinde and Dr. Philip Weinstein) as well as researchers at the University of Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Danum Valley Field Center, Sabah Forest Department and WWF- Malaysia. Although this position is primarily based in Umeå, Sweden, the successful candidate will spend at least one month a year at the field sites in Sabah. Duties: 1) Managing field technicians to assist in data collection on tree growth, soil carbon pools and fluxes; 2) Modeling ecosystem carbon balance; 3) Analysis and publishing in relevant high-impact scientific journals. As such, we are looking for candidates with strong communication skills, good knowledge of different field techniques to measure carbon pools and fluxes, strong quantitative and modeling skills and a demonstrated ability to write and publish. Qualifications: . We are seeking a highly motivated individual with good communication skills in English, both orally and written, a strong work ethic, a team player that works well in a strong research environment. We are searching for a person with a PhD in ecology, environmental sciences, forestry or related fields. The successful candidate must also have: 1) Demonstrated experience of field research in the tropics; 2) Demonstrated experience of strong communication skills that allow for working effectively as a member of a spatially disturbed collaborative research team; 3) Strong statistical background and 4) Demonstrated writing skills, as evident by a strong publication record. Previous experience modeling total ecosystem carbon balance will be considered an important merit as will advance skills in handing and processing large, multiple-source data sets using R or similar software. Competence: As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions for junior researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates with a doctoral degree that is three years old at most. Place of work: Umeå Form of employment: A temporary position for two years Extent: 100% Starting date: The position start date is somewhat flexible but is anticipated to start January 16, 2017. Application: We welcome your application marked with Ref no. SLU ua 3869/2016. Please submit your application to the Registrar of SLU, P.O. Box 7070, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden or registra...@slu.se no later than November 3, 2016. If you have any questions about the position please contact Dr. Niles Hasselquist (niles.hasselqu...@slu.se) or visit http://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/jobs-vacancies/read-more/?eng=1&Pid=2583. Specific documents attached: Persons interested in this position should send a statement of interest outlining relevant research qualifications (max two pages), a CV, PhD diploma,up to three relevant publications and contact information for three references.
