Jobs & Scholarships

Your Reliable Source for Jobs and Scholarships Information on the Web

Posts Tagged ‘Microbial Communities’

5 PhD positions in Ecolocy and Environmental Chemistry

May 12th, 2010

Five Phd positions in Ecology and Environmental Chemistry to the strategic marine research program ECOCHANGE

ECOCHANGE is a governmental strategic marine research program at Umeå University (UmU) in Sweden in collaboration with the Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden. Ecosystem dynamics in the Baltic Sea is studied in a climate change perspective. The effect of climate related changes on lower and higher trophic levels are investigated in a north-south gradient in the Baltic Sea, as well as effects on bioavailiability of pollutants and their potential to change food web function. It is an interdisciplinary project spanning from ecology and chemistry to environmental science. Within this strategic program we now announce 7 positions:

PhD student position in Ecology: Influence of land on marine ecosystem drivers and microbial communities.
We are looking for an aquatic microbial ecologist with a keen interest to understand how variation in river run-off influences marine ecosystem drivers, e.g. bio-optics and CNP concentrations, and microbial communities and productivity. The project will involve both comparative studies as well as experimental studies along a north-south gradient in the Baltic Sea to elucidate the effect of river inflow on phytoplankton and bacterial productivity and community compositions.

PhD student position in Environmental Chemistry: Sources of Baltic Sea pollution
We are looking for a chemist with good competence in environmental science and mathematics/statistics.The project is focused on finding methods for tracing significant pollution sources to the Baltic Sea. Chemical analyses of Baltic air and sediment cores will be conducted, and the data will be evaluated using various multivariate modeling techniques. The aim is to identify and apportion pollution sources and to increase knowledge and understanding on spatial and temporal trends.

PhD student position in Environmental Chemistry: Bioavailability of pollutants and effects on ecosystem function.
We are looking for a chemist with good environmental and/or analytical chemistry competence.
The project is focused on climate-induced changes on the bioavailability of pollutants and related ecosystem functions at lower trophic levels. Studied chemicals will be biologically active environmental pollutants, e.g. health drugs and biocides. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) will be used as reference substances.

PhD student position in Ecology: Environmental monitoring and sampling designWe are looking for a candidate in ecology, natural geography or similar with some background in statistics. Focus will be to evaluate common sensors to estimate biomass and activity in the planktonic food web. This includes statistical evaluations of environmental data from historic time series, and extensive measurements in the lab and in contrasting environments, from estuaries to the open sea. The achieved knowledge will be used to design monitoring programs in different time scales with automatic sensors.

PhD student position in Ecology: Modeling marine microbial production
We are looking for a person with a mathematical, and/or microbiological alignment, who is interested in food web modeling. The long-term goal of this project is to develop a model to predict the complex effects of climate change on the production at lower trophic levels in the Baltic Sea. Work tools will, for example, be compilation of results from experiments to reveal complex mechanisms, available field data to elucidate environmental changes in the Baltic Sea, and to execute modeling simulations to make future predictions.

http://www.umu.se/english/about-umu/open-positions

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags: Baltic Air, Baltic Sea, Change Perspective, Chemical Analyses, Chemistry Sources, Ecosystem Dynamics, Interdisciplinary Project, Kalmar Sweden, Marine Ecosystem, Microbial Communities, Microbial Ecologist, Phd Positions, Pollution Sources, River Inflow, Sea Pollution, Sediment Cores, Student Position, Temporal Trends, Trophic Levels, Web Function

No Comments »

NSF-IGERT Ph.D. Traineeships in Geomicrobiology

December 2nd, 2009

We are excited to announce the availability of Ph.D. traineeships as part of a National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) Program focused on the geomicrobiology of complex microbiological systems. This graduate program brings together expertise in hydrodynamics, geochemistry, microbial ecology, biochemistry and genomics. The primary goal of this research and education program is to train students to use interdisciplinary approaches in the study of microbial communities that lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the important interface between the biosphere and geosphere. The novel training program encompasses research scientists focused on the microbiology of extreme thermal (Thermal Biology Institute), psychrophilic (SubZero Science and , or industrial biofilm communities.

For more information and application instructions, please consult the IGERT Program on-line at www.igertmsu.montana.edu.

If you need additional information regarding program content or application procedures, please contact Dr. Bill Inskeep (binskeep@montana.edu) or Dr. Christine Foreman (cforeman@montana.edu).

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags: Application Instructions, Application Procedures, Biofilm Communities, Biosphere, Dr Bill, Dr Christine, Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology, Graduate Program, Inskeep, Integrative Graduate Education, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Microbial Communities, National Science Foundation, Nsf Igert, Program Content, Research Scientists, Subzero, Thermal Biology Institute, Traineeships

No Comments »

Graduate Fellowship/Assistantship in Oceans & Human Health

September 4th, 2009

We are seeking a self-motivated, enthusiastic student to participate in a National Science Foundation, Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease project beginning Summer 2010. The project focuses on interactions between microbial communities, marine aggregates and suspension feeding bivalves. Research initiatives will evaluate the links between aggregates and public health by examining the way in which aggregates mediate uptake and accumulation of pathogens in several species of commercially important bivalves. Techniques of microbiology, video endoscopy, and molluscan physiology will be employed in the research. The successful candidate will work towards a doctoral degree in Oceanography (Marine Biology concentration) at the marine sciences campus of the University of Connecticut in recently constructed research facilities. The student will interact with collaborating scientists at Old Dominion University (Virginia), University of Minnesota-Duluth, and University of Georgia. Additional opportunities for interaction are possible between the student and participants of Connecticut’s “Interdisciplinary Research and Training Initiative on Coastal Ecosystems and & Human Health” (www.i-rich.uconn.edu/).

Applications are being accepted from candidates who have a background in microbiology or related field, and who are interested in shellfish biology and human health. Applicants with a MS degree are preferred, but those with a BS and at least 1-year work experience will be considered. Screening of applications will begin in November and the successful student will be notified in January 2010. This is a competitive research assistantship position and carries with it a full stipend (9 months plus summer salary) and tuition benefit. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Interested individuals should contact Dr. J. Evan Ward (evan.ward@uconn.edu; http://web2.uconn.edu/jevanward/). More information about the Department of Marine Sciences’ graduate program can be found at www.marinesciences.uconn.edu.

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags: Benefit Women, Coastal Ecosystems, Ecology And Evolution, Evolution Of Infectious Disease, Foundation Ecology, Graduate Fellowship, Infectious Disease Project, Marine Biology Concentration, Microbial Communities, Molluscan, Ms Degree, National Science Foundation, Old Dominion University, Research Assistantship, Research Initiatives, Summer Salary, Tuition Benefit, University Of Connecticut, University Of Minnesota Duluth, Video Endoscopy

1 Comment »

PhD student in Limnology, Molecular Microbial Ecology

August 14th, 2009

PhD student in Limnology, Molecular Microbial Ecology, Limnology/Department of Ecology and Evolution (Uppsala University, Sweden), in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Microbiology (UFZ, Leipzig, Germany).’

Microbial communities inhabiting aquifers are expected to be well adapted to the nutrient-poor groundwater environment. Massive carbon inputs (e.g. petroleum spills) are an extreme challenge to such communities. Although aquifers are thought to be particularly vulnerable towards anthropogenic impacts due to low turnover rates, we can find evidence for naturally occurring degradation of pollutants in groundwater systems. Unfortunately, our knowledge of the processes governing the degradation of pollutants by natural microbial communities is limited. Consequently, the stress responses of groundwater ecosystems, and thus the stability and resilience of the services they provide are largely unknown.
The main task of the PhD student will be to identify the key players in hydrocarbon degradation and analyze their (meta)genome using techniques such as CARD-FISH, MAR-FISH, Magneto-FISH, pyrosequencing and sequence analysis. The aim is to provide insight into the processes governing intrinsic bioremediation.

The position is at Uppsala University, but the work will be located both in Uppsala (Sweden) and Leipzig (Germany).
We seek a highly motivated creative person with a strong interest in interdisciplinary research and the willingness to live and work at both locations (Uppsala and Leipzig) during their PhD studies. Candidates should have a master (Diplom or equivalent) in Biology and should have a very good knowledge of English.

For further information contact Dr. Annelie Wendeberg, +49 (0)341 235 1377, e-mail: annelie.pernthaler@ufz.de, or Dr. Stefan Bertilson +46-18-4712712, e-mail: stebe@ebc.uu.se.

Posted in Uncategorized