Project: “Can parasite evolution reinforce the effects of climate warming? (Paradapt)” (duration: 20 months)
It is commonly believed that global warming will result in a “sicker world”, with infectious diseases increasing in prevalence and virulence. However, these predictions are based on short-term experiments that have not recognized evolution that could lead to thermal adaptation. This project aims at answering the question whether parasites’ prevalence is altered under elevated temperatures and if long-term exposure to warming amplifies this effect. The successful candidate will analyse field samples (eDNA of water, Daphnia samples) that have been collected from a set of five artificially heated lakes that receive warm water from two power plants and have experienced an elevation in water temperature of ca. 3-4ºC for the last 60 yr. These will be compared with eDNA and Daphnia samples that have been collected from five nearby non-heated control lakes, to generate new predictions regarding the evolution of (plankton) parasites in a warmer world. There are also possibilities to run experiments, with host (zooplankton Daphnia) and parasite isolates from these different sets of lakes. The successful candidate will join the Disease Evolutionary Ecology < https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/wolinska> research group. The position is located at IGB in Berlin < https://www.igb-berlin.de/en>.
Your tasks
* Generate and analyse sequence data from eDNA and Daphnia
field samples
* Lead at least two high-quality publication in the project area
* Collaborate with other team members, including supervising
students and sharing skills
Your profile
* PhD in ecology, evolution, bioinformatics or related field
* Demonstrated experience in molecular/genomic work
* Ability to perform metabarcoding, metagenomic, or other
bioinformatic analyses
* Publication experience
* Collaborative team-worker
* Very good communication skills in English, including
scientific writing
Our offer
We offer an exciting position in an international and dynamic team of researchers, and an attractive scientific working environment including excellent equipment and technical support. We foster flat hierarchies and active participation and offer a variety of training opportunities < https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/human-resources-development-hrs>. We actively support the reconciliation of work and family life <https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.igb-berlin.de%2Fen%2Fequal-opportunities&data=05%7C01%7CSasi.Nayar%40sa.gov.au%7C8b3dfdd3574f439044b508daf855ac84%7Cbda528f7fca9432fbc98bd7e90d40906%7C1%7C0%7C638095344109764055%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=LIRHsawstz0Usu9guSVkMAxUbIyJCoIRR29RUGg8Pr4%3D&reserved=0>. Qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply. The IGB is committed to diversity < https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/equal-opportunities>. We welcome every application, regardless of gender and gender identity, origin, nationality, religion, belief, health and physical disabilities, age or sexual orientation. Disabled applicants with equal qualification and aptitude will be given preferential consideration.
This is a full-time position with 20 months duration and a tentative start date of 01.04.2023 (or shortly thereafter). Salary is paid according to the German salary scheme for the public sector for postdoctoral research (TVöD Bund E13). The working language at IGB is English.
Are you interested?
We look forward to receiving your application (letter of motivation indicating research interests and experience, CV, certificates, contact information of two potential referees) by 15.02.2023. Please state the job reference number 03/2023 and apply exclusively via our recruitment platform at https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/jobs