1 PhD Position in Marine Coastal Paleoecology at GAME

What, where, and when

We are seeking 1 motivated PhD student to work within our interdisciplinary team starting in summer 2018. Candidates should contact Dr Oscar Serrano to discuss funding options. The position is limited to a duration of 3 years.

The main body of the works to be conducted by the PhD student are part of the project “Novel approach to understand past and future dynamics in coastal ecosystems”, financed by the Australian Research Council; Sub-program: Discovery Early Career Research Awards.

The project main aim is to reconstruct the history of environmental changes in coastal areas (marine and terrestrial) driven by human and climate forces in the Mediterranean Sea, with particular emphasis on the role of ancient civilizations (e.g. Greeks and Romans) and the Industrial Revolution.

The selected applicant will join the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB) at Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and/or the Centre for Marine Ecosystem Research (CMER) at Edith Cowan University (ECU; Perth, Australia). The candidate will participate initially in a field mission in Greece.

The supervisors of the student will be Dr Oscar Serrano (ECU), Dr Miguel Angel Mateo (CSIC-CEAB) and Prof. Paul Lavery (ECU), from the Group of Aquatic Macrophyte Ecology (GAME; https://game-csic.com)

Your profile / Requirements

Applicants must have finished a Master degree, with demonstrable above-average marks, in natural sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Marine or Environmental Sciences, or similar) and, at least, 1 peer-reviewed publication. They need to have knowledge or interest in vegetation ecology, biogeochemistry, and palaeoecology. Very good to excellent English skills (oral and written) is also a prerequisite (English test required for international students). Knowledge of the Spanish language is no requirement but is beneficial. Provable skills in boat handling and SCUBA are requirements. One major mission on a yacht vessel is planned for summer 2018.

Applications / Time line

30 April 2018: Deadline for applications.
31 May 2018: All applicants are notified of outcome.
18- 31 August 2018: Field mission in Greece.
August 2018 – August 2019: laboratory and data works.

This is a tentative time line that can be modified and adjusted to the PhD program of the university of the selected candidate.

To apply, please send (i) a cover letter describing your research interests and why would you like to join us in this project; and (ii) a complete CV. Please send applications and make informal enquiries to Dr. Oscar Serrano; Email: o.serranogras@ecu.edu.au