Jobs & Scholarships

on “The effects of bioirrigation on benthic foraminifera”(vacancy number 72082)

The Darwin Center for Biogeology is a virtual Dutch research institute, which aims at performing cutting-edge science in the central field of Biogeology where Biology and Earth Sciences meet. Its research mission is to understand the functioning of global, regional and local ecosystems, focusing on change and feedback at all time scales in and between biotic and abiotic components of a changing Earth. The Center is partially funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO),

Recently, a new research programme was started in close collaboration between Utrecht University (UU) and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), entitled:

Niche engineering and the evolution of biogeochemical cycles through time

Modern marine environments are characterized by complex faunal communities living in the sediment with densities and diversities that vary depending on sediment type, availability of oxygen and organic matter load arriving at the sea bottom. Some species play an extraordinary role in creating suitable environments for other taxa to live in. These keystone species, for example deep burrowing lugworms, are regarded as niche engineers. Through geological history, origination of such niche engineers is hypothesized to have lead to sudden bursts in evolution of other infaunal taxa.

The programme embraces two Ph.D. positions. Currently, we are looking for a candidate for the Ph.D. position at Utrecht University concerning the project:

The effects of bioirrigation on benthic foraminifera

Project description:

The aim of this project is to study the effects of the presence of various types of niche engineers on the surrounding meiofauna, in particular the foraminiferal population, and on biogeochemical cycling. Bioturbation, burrow ventilation, bioirrigation and grazing are activities that may have a significant impact on the vertical distribution of benthic foraminifera in marine sediments. Alternatively, foraminifera seem to have a considerable impact on the bacterial population and, consequently, the biogeochemistry.

The project will involve laboratory experiments with the coupled system biogeochemistry-bacteriaforaminifera in sediment cores with different imposed biogeochemical conditions, and with or without artificial bioirrigation. It also involves field sampling of marine sediments (Wadden Sea).

The project will be supported by ongoing modeling work within the research groups of Stratigraphy & Paleontology at Utrecht University and Microbial Ecology at NIOO-KNAW.

Qualifications:

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with excellent communication skills who is interested in interdisciplinary research combining various fields of biogeology. The candidate holds an M.Sc. or equivalent degree in an appropriate field.

Terms of employment:

We offer a full-time Ph.D. position for 4 years, with monthly salary starting at € 1956,- in the first year to € 2502,- in the last year of appointment. We also offer a pension scheme, a collective health insurance and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch Universities and are supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8 % per year and a year-end bonus of 3%.

Further details:

For further details, please contact:
dr. Mariëtte Wolthers (wolthers@geo.uu.nl) or Prof.dr. Bert van der Zwaan (bzwaan@geo.uu.nl),

You may also wish to visit the following websites:
- Utrecht University’s Institute of Earth Sciences: http://www.geo.uu.nl/ivau,
- the Netherlands Institute of Ecology NIOO-KNAW: http://www.nioo.knaw.nl
- the Darwin Center for Biogeology: http://www.darwincenter.nl

How to apply:

Applications, including a curriculum vitae, a statement of your research interests, and the names and addresses of 2 references, must be sent to

Faculty of Geosciences – Personnel Department
PO Box 80115
3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
or submitted by e-mail to: peno@geo.uu.nl.

We seek a candidate to fill a Ph.D. position in the Department of Earth Sciences at Utrecht University.

Project title:

The role of grain size in the rheology of planetary ice

Project description:

The icy surfaces and inferred internal structures of icy planets and moons of our solar system show a remarkable diversity, and form an important basis for comparative planetary research. Various thermophysical modeling studies have already been performed, aiming to understand composition, structure, origin and evolution of the icy planets and moons, including conditions for life. Large-scale dynamic processes (e.g., convection) are implied for the solid interiors of the icy bodies, so the modelscritically depend on the rheological descriptions implemented to describe the flow of ice.

One aspect of ice rheology that has received increased attention of late is the role of grain (crystal) size and its evolution during deformation. Extensive work on solid state flow of rocks has shown that quantitative understanding of such grain size evolution is essential if laboratory derived rheological laws are to be reliably extrapolated to natural (extreme) conditions. This also applies to the case of ice, but has not been accounted for to date.

The objectives of the project are:

a) to develop a state-of-the art microphysical model for water ice including microstructural evolution and multiple creep mechanisms,
b) to test this model against data that are to be obtained from laboratory deformation experiments on ice, to be performed by the Ph.D. student in collaboration with co-workers at MIT/Cambridge MA and USGS/Menlo-Park CA, U.S.A., and
c) to assess the large scale implications of the results by building the obtained mechanism-based description into numerical models of tectonic processes on icy moons, with particular focus on tidal deformation of planetary moons, in collaboration with researchers from Delft University of Technology.

Funding for this project is provided by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, through the Dutch National User Support Programme Space Research.

Qualifications:

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with a strong background and excellent communication skills. The candidate has a broad interest in Earth materials research in a laboratorial setting. The candidate is familiar with numerical modeling, preferably but not necessarily in the context of rheological modeling. Proficiency in at least one modern programming language is a requirement.

The candidate holds a recent M.Sc. or equivalent degree in Geology, Geophysics, Materials Science, Solid State Physics, or a related field.

Terms of employment:

We offer a full-time Ph.D. position for 4 years, with gross monthly salary starting at € 1956,- in the first year to € 2502,- in the last year of appointment. We also offer a pension scheme, a collective health insurance and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch Universities and are supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% per year and a year-end bonus of 3%.

Further details:

The project will be carried out within the Experimental Rock Deformation group at Utrecht University’s Institute of Earth Sciences, in collaboration with researchers at MIT and USGS in the U.S.A and at Delft University of Technology. For further details, please contact dr. Hans de Bresser at j.h.p.debresser@geo.uu.nl.

You may also wish to visit the website of the Institute of Earth Sciences:
http://www.geo.uu.nl/ivau.

How to apply:

Applications, including a curriculum vitae, a statement of your research interests, and the names and addresses of 2 referees, must be sent to
Faculty of Geosciences – Personnel Department
PO Box 80115
3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
or submitted by e-mail to: peno@geo.uu.nl.

The Theoretical Physical Chemistry Group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL) invites applications for a Ph.D. position in theoretical chemistry and chemical physics. The preferred start date is between January and August 2008.

The successful candidate will use quantum-mechanical and semiclassical methods to explain physicochemical properties of molecules, such as, nuclear quantum effects on reaction rate constants, quantum effects in atomic and molecular clusters at low temperatures as well as decoherence in mesoscopic systems. Our group is also interested in using classical statistical physics to predict interactions between biological macromolecules, e.g., in order to find genes regulated by microRNAs.

Requirements:

An M.S. or M.A. in physics, chemistry, mathematics, or a related field is required, although exceptional candidates with a B.S. or B.A. in one of these fields will be considered. Preference will be given to candidates with a strong undergraduate background in all three fields mentioned above and who are familiar with writing computer codes in C or Fortran. Since the language used at the doctoral school of EPFL is English, applicants whose first language is not English should provide results of the TOEFL and/or GRE to demonstrate their English proficiency.

The appointment is for up to four years during which a Ph.D. thesis must be completed. The Ph.D. stipend is SFr. 50,000 per year. More information about the doctoral program at EPFL can be found at: http://phd.epfl.ch/edch.

Application:

Interested candidates should submit an application with a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, names and contact information of three references, and a brief description of research interests. The most qualified candidates will be invited for an on-site interview at EPFL. The applications should be sent to

Prof. Jiri Vanicek
EPFL SB ISIC UPVANIC
CH C3 391, Station 6
CH-1015 Lausanne
Switzerland

or

Email: jiri.vanicek[ at ]epfl.ch

Applications are invited for a Masters/PhD studentship in the area of sensing and wireless technologies for reconfigurable radio systems. One of the critical challenges in software radio, or more specifically cognitive radio, is the issue of sensing your environment. In this project we are looking at developing the platforms necessary for sensing other users and collectively agreeing to a common channel.

Candidates should hold a first or upper second class honours degree in Electronic Engineering. Interest, and preferably experience, in the area of electronics and specifically wireless propagation and RF circuit design is essential.

Successful candidates will join a large multi-disciplinary team and be initially enrolled on a full-time Masters of Engineering Science, with a review after 18 months for progression to a PhD programme.

The studentship will comprise of fees and an annual stipend of 17,000 Euros. It will be initially awarded for a period of 18 months years, extendable upon satisfactory review to a subsequent 18 months. The position is available immediately though, upon agreement, the start date may be postponed to January 2008.

For all queries please contact:

Dr. Ronan Farrell
Email: rfarrell[ at ]eeng.nuim.ie
Tel: +353-1-7086197

Job Description

The Mobile Systems Communications Group (MOTION) within the Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT) is seeking to recruit Ph.D candidates to conduct top-level research in the general area of wireless communication, specifically addressing one of the following
themes:

MIMO signal processing techniques for wireless networks using Distributed Antenna Systems and Cooperative Diversity
Vertical Handover for heterogeneous systems.
Radio Resource Management for wireless networks using cooperative diversity.
Architectures and methodologies for system level simulations of wireless networks.

Applicants should have a good honours degree in telecommunications, and must be fluent in at least C/C++, or Matlab programming. Creativity, independence and the ability of critical analytical thinking are essential.

Organization

You will join an established research group at the Instituto de Telecomunicações and the opportunity to conduct research at the highest international level. The group has extensive expertise in 3G systems and future emerging technologies. The group has also been?involved in EU Framework Programme 5&6 projects such as MATRICE,?4MORE, ACE, ASILUM, NEXTWAY, UNITE, and ORACLE and has wide?collaboration with industry, including Siemens and Portugal Telecom.

Contact for informal enquiries

Informal email enquiries can be made to Prof. Atilio Gameiro by email: amg[ at ]det.ua.pt or Dr. Jonathan Rodriguez: jonathan[ at ]av.it.pt.
For further information on the Instituto de Telecomunicações and the MOTION group, please visit the following sites: http://www.it.pt/ and http://www.av.it.pt/motion

Application

To apply, please email or post a covering letter attaching a detailed CV, together with the names and addresses of two referees to Sandra Corujo, Instituto de Telecomunicações, Campus Universitário de Santiago, P-3810-193 Aveiro-Portugal.
Phone: +351 234 377900, Fax: +351 234 377901
e-mail: Sandra[ at ]av.it.pt

The positions are fully funded and the offered grant is in accordance with the funding scales imposed by the FCT (Portuguese Research Council).

The closing date: December 3, 2007