We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD student to explore how global warming, common pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and pesticides affect lower trophic levels in freshwater communities. The PhD student will conduct laboratory and outdoor experiments in heated mesocosms to investigate the effects of these stressors on nutrient fluxes and microbial, phyto- and zooplankton communities. The study will link these effects to changes in the physiology, life history, population dynamics and species interactions of Daphnia, a keystone zooplankton species in pelagic food webs, and examine the consequences for ecosystem functioning. The PhD topic can be tailored to the student’s interests and focus primarily on Daphnia or on the interactions between Daphnia and lower trophic levels.
The student will join the group of Assoc. Prof. David Boukal at the Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic (https://davidboukal.com) and will also have the opportunity to work closely with the group of Dr. Michaela Salcher from the Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Czech Republic (https://www.hbu.cas.cz/en/staff/profil/736-michaela-mariasalcher/). Both research groups are multinational and publish regularly in leading journals (e.g. Ecology Letters, Global Change Biology, Water Research, ISME journal, Nature Microbiology). Both research centres are located in Ceske Budejovice, a relaxed town of about 100,000 inhabitants, easily accessible from Prague and Vienna. The campus offers access to many other research groups and facilities.
Basic qualifications are a Master’s degree or equivalent in ecology, entomology, limnology or microbiology and a strong interest in experimental ecology. Previous experience with experiments with aquatic invertebrates or protozoans, writing of scientific publications, and statistical analyses in R are desirable. Applicants must be able to communicate and write fluently in English.
To apply, please send a CV, contact details of two references and a cover letter describing your qualifications, previous work and motivation for the position to David Boukal (dboukal@prf.jcu.cz) or Michaela Salcher (michaelasalcher@gmail.com) by 2 April 2024. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed during the week of 8-12 April 2024 and the final decision will be made immediately afterwards. The successful candidate is expected to start their PhD in September 2024, but interested candidates are encouraged to join the team earlier.
The student will receive a stipend from the University for the 4-year PhD programme and part-time employment on the project sufficient to cover living expenses in Czechia. Applicants from all countries are eligible.
For further information and informal enquiries, please contact David Boukal (dboukal@prf.jcu.cz / boukal@entu.cas.cz).
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