Announcing a PhD position in Systematics and Evolution

Project description

“Phylogeny, colonization and evolution of  water beetles on Madagascar” Madagascar is the worlds’ top biodiversity hotspot according to the official list that ranks areas based on
I) endemism – in most groups 80–100 % of the species occur nowhere else on earth.
II) degree of threat – 90 % of the natural forests are gone and half of all animal and plant species are considered doomed to extinction.

Vertebrates and plants are the best-known groups on Madagascar, but regarding insect diversity most remain to be discovered, described and, with the help of DNA, elucidate the colonization and speciation histories.

The PhD-project will be part of a research project at the Department of Entomology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, which deals with the faunistics, distribution, taxonomy, phylogeny and evolutionary history of water beetles on Madagascar. DNA labwork, fieldwork, databasing, phylogenetic analyses, dating, taxonomy etc. will be important parts, as well as a conservation aspect. The DNA labwork will be conducted at the Molecular Systematics Laboratory at the Swedish Museum of Natural History.

Qualifications

To be qualified for research studies in systematic zoology the applicant needs to have passed in at least 120 hp of biology studies, including an approved independent project in systematic zoology of at least 30 hp at advanced level. Applicants who have in principle acquired the corresponding  competence in Sweden or abroad are also qualified.

Criteria for selection

Among qualified applicants, selection is made according to ability to profit from the studies. The criteria to be used are the applicant's documented knowledge in subjects of relevance for the research area, ability to master language (including both spoken and written English), analytical ability, creativity, initiative, independence, and ability to cooperate. The basis for judgement of how well the applicant fulfils these criteria is: the relevance of earlier studies for the research area, grades on courses at the university level, the quality of the independent project, quality and relevance of publications if any, references, interviews and the applicant's letter of intent. Previous experiences in molecular (DNA) laboratory work, GIS and entomological fieldwork are considerer as additional qualifications and meriting.

Terms of employment

The research education comprises 48 months at full time. The position is financed by a fellowship ("utbildningsbidrag") for the first two years, and then continues with a PhDemployment (“doktorandanställning”) for the last two years. It is possible to conduct the study at 80 or 90 % and then extended over 5 or 4,5 years.

To be included in the application

Maximum one A4-page of personal  presentation and your reasons for applying (letter of intent). Curriculum vitae. Copy of independent project report (master thesis, degree thesis). Copy of relevant publications if any. Copy of degree certificates, or transcripts of academic records (LADOK-excerpt). Also provide a list of two persons who may act as references (with telephone numbers and e-mail addresses).

For more information, please contact Johannes Bergsten, the Swedish Museum of Natural History, telephone +46-(0)8-5195 4192, johannes.bergsten@nrm.se.

Union representatives are Bo Ekengren (SACO), Lisbeth Häggberg (Fackförbundet ST), telephone +46-(0)8-16 2000 (switch board), and Gunnar Stenberg (SEKO), telephone +46-(0)70-316 43 41.

You are welcome with your application, labeled with the reference number SU 02/10 JB, no later than November 20, 2010, to:

Stockholm University
Head of the department
Department of Zoology
SE-106 91 STOCKHOLM
SWEDEN.