Two PhD positions in Terrestrial Arctic Ecosystems and Permafrost with the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Potsdam, Germany
The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) is a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF) and is funded by the federal and state governments. AWI focuses on interdisciplinary polar, coastal and marine research in climate science, geoscience (or earth science) and the biological sciences.
AWI is inviting aspiring science graduates to apply to their program: AWI INSPIRES (International Science Program for Integrative Research in Earth Systems)
AWI is recruiting twenty-four PhD candidates to strengthen its contribution to the research program of the Helmholtz Association entitled “Changing Earth – Sustaining Our Future”. This year they are looking for two PhD candidates for their Terrestrial Arctic Ecosystems and Permafrost project:
1. Palaeoviromes: Host–Virus Interactions in Polar Regions from Ancient Sedimentary RNA/DNA
Background:
Viruses are an essential part of all ecosystems. However, our understanding of past virus dynamics and host–virus interactions is limited. Utilizing ancient DNA/RNA from lake sediments could contribute to a more holistic view of past ecosystem changes. The aim of this PhD project is to establish laboratory and bioinformatics protocols for the extraction and identification of RNA/DNA viruses. The envisioned protocols should be capable of identifying host–virus interactions within terrestrial polar ecosystems. Target systems include bacteriophage interaction with soil nutrient cycling, Antarctic bird-virome dynamics, and full-ecosystem-level virome changes in response to millennial-scale warming.
Tasks:
- Establish laboratory and bioinformatics routines for sedimentary ancient RNA extraction and virus identification.
- Analyse a shotgun dataset to identify changes in hosts and viruses in polar (Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems over the last 30,000 years.
- Potentially, conduct fieldwork in polar regions.
Requirements:
- Master’s or equivalent degree in biology, chemistry, bioinformatics, or a related discipline.
- Knowledge of molecular genetics and bioinformatics, preferably with laboratory experience in molecular genetics (RNA/DNA extraction, PCR, and library preparation for NGS sequencing).
- Knowledge in data handling using R (or another syntax-based language).
- Highly motivated to publish results in international journals and present at international conferences.
- Interest in conducting field work in polar regions.
- Good communication skills in English, both oral and written and ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment.
Further Information:
Please contact Prof. Dr. Ulrike Herzschuh (Ulrike.Herzschuh@awi.de; +49 ( 0) 331 58174-5601) or Dr. Simeon Lisovski (Simeon.Lisovski@awi.de; +49(331)58174-5635).
This position is limited to 3 years. The salary will be paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federation (Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes, TVöD Bund), up to salary level 13 (66%).
Location: Potsdam, Germany
All doctoral candidates will be members of AWI’s postgraduate program POLMAR or another graduate school and thus benefit from a comprehensive training program and extensive support measures.
Please submit your application, including:
- Letter of motivation
- CV and copies of relevant certificates (master’s degree; training)
- Two letters of recommendation or the contact information of two references
Application Deadline: 14 August 2023. Electronic applications only.
Interviews: 4-9 September 2023.
Reference number: 23/143/D/INSPIRES-b
Equal opportunities are an integral part of our personnel policy. The AWI aims to increase the number of employees who are women, and therefore strongly encourages qualified women to apply.
Applicants with disabilities will be given preference when equal qualifications are present.
The AWI fosters the compatibility of work and family in various ways and has received a number of awards as a result of this engagement.
2. SnowImpact: Understanding Arctic Snow–Permafrost Interactions (West Greenland & NWT, Canada)
Background:
This project’s objective is to study the interactions between snow cover, permafrost, and groundwater hydrology in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. Specifically, it aims to deepen our understanding of how snow affects the destabilization of legacy industrial sites and the release of contaminants resulting from thawing permafrost. The project has three main goals:
- To understand the conditions in which snowpack compromises permafrost stability at contaminated sites.
- To study how snowmelt mobilizes contaminants through groundwater flow.
- To enhance risk assessment and develop technical solutions to stabilize legacy industrial sites on permafrost.
Tasks:
- Comprehensively measure the physical properties of snow and survey snow through remote sensing at Drilling Mud Sump Sites during winter and snowmelt.
- Assess the impact of snow cover on the thermal regime and hydrology of permafrost.
- Apply geophysical methods such as electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to study the physical state of contaminated sites and trace the release of contaminates.
- Conduct model experiments using the CryoGrid permafrost model to simulate the thermal and hydrological impact of different snow cover types.
Requirements:
- Master’s or an equivalent degree in physics, earth sciences, geophysics, physical geography, or geoecology.
- Experience applying geophysical methods to snow or permafrost or a remote sensing or numerical modelling background is highly desirable.
- Strong background in programming, statistics, and data analysis.
- Multi-week Arctic field campaigns under harsh environmental conditions; prior experience with expedition-based field research and permafrost landscape dynamics is an asset.
- Good communication skills in English, both oral and written.
Further Information:
Please contact Julia Boike (Julia.Boike@awi.de; +49(331)58174-5454) and Moritz Langer (moritz.langer@awi.de; +49 176 20106875).
This position is limited to 3 years. The salary will be paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federation (Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes, TVöD Bund), up to salary level 13 (66%).
Location: Potsdam, Germany
All doctoral candidates will be members of AWI’s postgraduate program POLMAR or another graduate school and thus benefit from a comprehensive training program and extensive support measures.
Please submit your application, including:
- Letter of motivation
- CV and copies of relevant certificates (master’s degree; training)
- Two letters of recommendation or the contact information of two references
Application Deadline: 14 August 2023. Electronic applications only.
Interviews: 4-9 September 2023.
Reference number: 23/143/D/INSPIRES-b
Equal opportunities are an integral part of our personnel policy. The AWI aims to increase the number of employees who are women, and therefore strongly encourages qualified women to apply.
Applicants with disabilities will be given preference when equal qualifications are present.
The AWI fosters the compatibility of work and family in various ways and has received a number of awards as a result of this engagement.
Details about all open projects, the application requirements and an online application form are available at www.awi.de/en/inspires.
