How have Swiss mountain lakes been impacted by recent environmental change, particularly climatic warming over the past decades? The Geoecology research group of the University of Basel (Switzerland) is looking for two PhD student candidates that will explore this question using high-resolution palaeoecological analysis of very recent sediments in high-elevation lakes.
Mountain lakes are fascinating but vulnerable ecosystems under increasing pressure by a range of global change drivers, particularly climatic warming during the past decades. This has potentially led to significant changes in species composition as well as biogeochemical cycling in these ecosystems, with even more pronounced changes expected for the future. This project will use state-of-the-art palaeoecological methods (e.g. cladoceran, chironomid, diatom analysis, carbon isotope analysis of invertebrate remains) at exceptionally high sampling resolution to determine how these ecosystems responded to environmental change over the past decades, and to assess mountain lake vulnerability and potential response to ongoing and future environmental change.
Your position
The two PhD students will conduct fieldwork in extensive field campaigns sampling Swiss mountain lakes with support of other research group members. They will collect water chemistry, observational and recent historical data and obtain short sediment cores encompassing sediments deposited during recent decades. Palaeoecological analyses will focus on identifying aquatic invertebrate remains, with one position concentrating on cladocerans and the other on chironomids, as well as on analyzing carbon isotopes in chitinous invertebrate structures. Together with other proxy data, this will result in high-resolution reconstructions of ecosystem change at these sites during the recent past. Work will take place in close collaboration with other research group members and researchers from other institutions. The project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and salaries will follow SNF guidelines (www.snf.ch).
Your profile
Applicants should hold an MSc in Earth or Environmental Sciences, Physical Geography, Ecology, Quaternary Science, Palaeoecology, or a related field. Experience in palaeolimnology, palaeoecology, limnology, microfossil analysis and/or sediment work would be an advantage. Candidates should be motivated to conduct fieldwork in alpine environments, hold a valid driver’s license and have good English language skills. Good communication and organizational skills and willingness to work in a team environment are essential.
We offer you
We offer interesting positions for four years in an international and interdisciplinary research environment at the University of Basel. Salary and social benefits are provided according to University of Basel rules.
Application / Contact
A first evaluation of applications will start on 22 November 2021 and continue until the positions have been filled. For enquiries please contact Prof. Dr. Oliver Heiri (oliver.heiri@unibas.ch), for more information on the Geoecology group please visit https://duw.unibas.ch/en/research-groups/geoecology/.
Please submit your complete application documents, including a letter of motivation, CV, copies of academic qualifications and contact details for three referees via our online recruiting platform. We accept online applications only.