The Faculty of Health Science and Technology has an opening for one full-time post-doctoral research fellow at the Department of Environmental and Life Sciences in the field of river connectivity ecology with focus on rehabilitation, management and development strategies.
The River Ecology and Management Research Group (NRRV), a research group within the Department of Environmental and Life Sciences at Karlstad University, conducts both basic and applied research in rivers, lakes and the surrounding landscape. The group is interested in the sustainable use of natural resources in watersheds, working for solutions to environmental problems that benefit both society and nature. Areas of research addressed by the research group include river connectivity and the effects of hydropower, aquatic-terrestrial interactions, winter ecology under global climate change, endangered species, conservation biology and social-ecological research relating to river regulation and recreational fishing (kau.se/biology/research; nrrv.se). Many research topics are conducted in collaboration with stakeholders from industry, administrative agencies, interest organizations and landowners as well as with the group’s extensive international research network. The group was recently selected as a ‘Strong Research Environment’ by Karlstad University, and has received directed funding to further develop the group’s research profile. This post-doctoral position is part of the strategy to develop the group, focusing on one of the core interests of the research group, and includes collaboration with group members.
Duties
The main duty of the position is to conduct research on river habitat connectivity. River connectivity is essential for most organisms inhabiting lotic environments, and especially so for organisms that migrate between different habitats to complete their life cycle, such as many fish species. Many rivers are modified by dams of different types, such as historical water mills and more recently, hydroelectric power plants. Dams disconnect river stretches and habitats, thereby reducing dispersal and migration possibilities for fish, with negative effects on individual success and populations. The post-doctoral candidate will be expected to evaluate measures to improve connectivity arising from dams in rivers. These may include evaluations concerning the function of fishways, the restoration of habitats, the design of environmental flows, or the effects of dam removal. Investigations will be based on empirical work in the field and/or the laboratory and may include studies of fish behaviour and hydraulics, habitat and hydraulic modelling, and other relevant methods aimed at the understanding of longitudinal habitat connectivity in regulated rivers.
The successful candidates will join a strong and motivated research team to carry out the following tasks:
- Conducting high quality research and producing results
- Coordinating research projects and delivering outputs
- Providing guidance to PhD and MSc students
- Disseminating results through scientific publication
- Assisting in teaching duties
- Participate in the organization of scientific conferences and workshops
Requirements
To be eligible for the position, applicants are required to hold a PhD (or to be completed by March 1, 2017) in ecology or related fields. The candidate must have completed the degree no more than three years before the last date for applications unless special grounds exist.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.
Assessment grounds
We are searching for a highly motivated candidate with experience in the fields of fish ecology, river rehabilitation techniques, and modelling. In the assessment procedure, emphasis will be placed on the applicant's scientific experience in fish behavioural ecology, river habitats and ecosystems, telemetry and modelling techniques, as well as experimental field and lab studies. Special attention will be given to research skills, as demonstrated by the quality of the applicant’s PhD thesis and other scientific merits. The applicant should have well documented abilities in general and behavioural ecology, experimental design, and knowledge of statistical and modelling tools (such as R). Additionally, interpersonal skills facilitating rapid integration of the postdoctoral research fellow into the research group are important.
Karlstad University values personal qualities such as the ability to cooperate and establish good relations with colleagues, as well as the ability to work independently and to take initiatives. Karlstad University is an equal opportunity employer.
The application should include
- Personal letter describing the applicant and her/his research interests in relation to the announced position
- CV with verified copies of degrees, scertificates, etc.
- List of completed courses with grades and dates
- Copy of degree projects and other relevant publications or a link to elecronic versions
- Any other documents submitted for consideration
- Reference contact information (at least two) or letter of reference
Application should be submitted electronically via Karlstad University´s web-based recruitment tool MyNetwork with uploaded attachments.
Documents that cannot be sent electronically, should be sent to
Karlstads universitet, Registrator, 651 88 Karlstad, Sweden, state ref.no REK2016/196.
