Postdoctoral Researcher in Ecological Modelling or Trait-based Ecology

The Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences invites applications for a
 

Postdoctoral researcher position in ecological modelling or experimental trait-based ecology.

This position is for 2 years, starting at earliest in February, but not later than April 2025.

Job description
 

The main aim of this postdoc project is to investigate the potential links between functional diversity of plant communities and the resilience and stability of ecosystem functioning under environmental changes. In the NorEcoFun group (https://www.helsinki.fi/northern-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-functioning), funded by the Research Council of Finland, we investigate changes in both biotic and abiotic environment, such as herbivory, plant-fungal interactions, warming and eutrophication. We use a wide range of methods to address these questions, including field experiments in boreal forest and tundra, greenhouse mesocosm experiments, and large-scale analyses of long-term observations. We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to strengthen our team with strong skills in ecological modelling of both observational and experimental data, OR in experimental trait-based ecology especially using mesocosm setups. The project offers the opportunity to use the established research setups within NorEcoFun, including readily available datasets and openness to develop the candidate’s ideas for further studies. As supportive working environment is important for our team, we are looking for a skilled researcher, who values collaborative work, developing and sharing skills, and contributing to advancing common goals in the team.

Your profile
 

Applicants must have completed a PhD degree or submitted their thesis for evaluation before the application deadline. Applicants should demonstrate good teamwork skills, ability to lead internationally recognized scientific articles, and fluency in English. We are interested in two alternative profiles:

Profile 1: PhD in computational ecology, statistics, or related field. Strong analytical and statistical skills, as well as expertise with quantitative ecological modelling is expected. Experience in joint species distribution modelling, spatiotemporal analyses, functional trait diversity analyses and good general skills in ecology are an asset.

Profile 2: PhD in trait-based ecology, biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research, or plant ecology. Expertise in trait diversity measurements, analyses and literature is expected. Experience in plant-fungal interactions and in running greenhouse experiments will be assessed positively but are not prerequisites for consideration for the position.

What we offer?
 

• A fully funded 2-year postdoctoral position at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences (Viikki campus)
• Supportive, friendly and ambitious scientific environment with support for healthy work-life balance
• Lively academic community with seminars, career events, morning coffees and postdoc association connecting people of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program and Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences
• Opportunities to attend international conferences to build your scientific network
• Access to state-of-the-art resources and excellent support to further professional development
   

Salary
 

The salary will be based on level 5 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary will be ca. 3600–4100 euros/month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. There will be a trial period of six months in the beginning of the position.

Place of work
 

The University of Helsinki is Finland’s largest academic institution with ca 40,000 students and staff members. It is consistently ranked in the top 100 of the world’s universities. The University offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. The International Staff Services office assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland. The Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme (OEB) of the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences comprises ca 40 research groups which employ around 120 researchers.

How to apply
 

The application should include the following documents as a single pdf file:

• motivational letter outlining your research interests, expertise and previous work, and demonstrating why you are the right person for this position (max 1 page)
• CV (max 2 pages)
• list of publications (no page limit)
• contact information of two persons who are willing to provide a reference letter by separate request

The University of Helsinki welcomes applicants from all genders, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds.

Please submit your application using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link Apply for the position. Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application by using the employee login.

The deadline for applications is 30th December 2024 (23:59 EET).
Interviews will be conducted remotely in the first half of January 2025.

More information
 

• About the position and project: Academy Research Fellow Elina Kaarlejärvi, elina.kaarlejarvi[at]helsinki.fi
• Recruitment system and applying: HR Specialist Harri Hamara, harri.hamara[at]helsinki.fi
• Viikki Campus: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/campuses/viikki-campus
• Support for international staff: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/welcome and https://ihhelsinki.fi (International House Helsinki)
• Why choose University of Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/careers/why-university-helsinki