PhD Research Fellow in Terrestrial Ecology

About this job

About the position A 100 % position is available at the University of Agder (UiA), Faculty of Engineering and Science as a PhD Research Fellow in Terrestrial Ecology, affiliated to the Department of Natural Sciences, for a period of three years. The position is located at Campus Kristiansand. The starting date is negotiable with the Faculty. Responsibilities The position is in evolutionary ecology and centres on a fundamental question: how do natural populations respond when humans impose strong and sustained new selection pressures? Evolution depends on the genetic variation already present in populations, yet strong selection can rapidly reshape that variation. Understanding what variation persists, how populations evolve, and why responses differ among populations is important both for explaining diversity in nature and for predicting the evolutionary consequences of human intervention. The PhD project will exploit a globally unique opportunity to observe this process unfolding across real agricultural landscapes in the context of crop protection. In parts of Brazil, living biological control agents have been deployed against agricultural pests for decades, creating landscapes in which pest populations have experienced contrasting histories of sustained selection. By combining field sampling with laboratory experiments and statistical modelling to quantify genetic variation in complex traits, the candidate will test whether these contrasting histories have driven the evolution of resistance or other life-history shifts in crop pests, and what determines the magnitude of these responses. The project therefore connects fundamental questions about genetic variation and adaptation with an urgent applied challenge: predicting the evolutionary sustainability of biological control. Extended research stays in Brazil will be central to the project, including close collaboration with academic and industry partners, alongside opportunities for research visits and collaboration in Scotland and elsewhere within a wider international network. The candidate will join a growing collaborative research environment at UiA focused on robust inference about ecological and evolutionary change in human-influenced systems. Researchers work with complex data from diverse marine and terrestrial study systems to examine how historical conditions, environmental change, human interventions, and observation processes affect ecological and evolutionary dynamics and the conclusions drawn from them. The collaboration brings together complementary expertise in observational, experimental, molecular, and quantitative approaches to ecological and evolutionary research. Required qualifications A completed Master's degree in evolutionary biology, ecology, entomology, agricultural biology, or a closely related field. Candidates in the final stages of completing their Master's degree may also apply. A strong academic background relevant to the project. Experience analysing biological data using R or a comparable programming environment. Excellent written and spoken English. English will be the primary language for supervision and day-to-day research activities. Criteria for positions as PhD Research Fellow (in Norwegian). A prerequisite for employment is that the candidate is admitted to UiA’s PhD programme in Engineering and Science at the Faculty of Engineering and Science. Desired qualifications Strong candidates will typically bring several of the qualifications below, although we recognise that relevant experience may take different forms and do not expect applicants to meet every criterion. Experience in relevant areas, such as evolutionary ecology, statistical quantitative genetics, experimental evolution, host–enemy interactions, entomology, plant–insect interactions, plant defence, or biological control Experience undertaking laboratory research on insects or other organisms Experience with advanced statistical modelling, particularly Bayesian and/or hierarchical models A track record of scientific writing, demonstrated through theses, manuscripts, reports, publications, or other research outputs. Knowledge of Portuguese, or to a lesser extent Spanish, will be an advantage for fieldwork and collaboration during extended research stays in Brazil. Knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is an advantage for participation in the wider academic and social environment at UiA. Personal qualities Ability to work independently, take initiative, and organise research effectively. Strong collaborative skills and willingness to contribute to a supportive research environment. Motivation and preparedness for extended international research stays, particularly in Brazil, and for working across different academic, cultural, and linguistic environments. Intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for combining empirical biology with quantitative approaches. Personal qualities and suitability for the position will be emphasised. We offer pro

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