The University of Turku is a world-class multidisciplinary research university which offers interesting challenges and a unique vantage point to national and international research and education.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Evolutionary Genetics of the tawny owl in Turku, Finland

Description:  We have an opening for a fixed-term post-doctoral researcher to join a research team working on evolutionary genetics of the tawny owl Strix aluco.  The project is funded by the Academy of Finland and is based at the University of Turku (Jon Brommer) with collaborators in NOVIA University of Applied Sciences (Patrik Karell), Lund University (Jan-Åke Nilsson) and Linköping University (Dominic Wright).

Tawny owls display a highly heritable plumage colour polymorphism associated with differences in a suite of traits. The colour polymorphism is due to irreversible melanin deposition in plumage feathers, is independent of age and sex, and shows high heritability (80-90%) putatively inheriting as a single Mendelian locus with brown allele dominant over grey allele. Previous work has demonstrated that the survival of the dark morph is particularly low under harsh winter condition and suggests that a dramatic increase of the dark morph in the past decades observed in Finland is a microevolutionary response to winters becoming warmer (Karell et al. 2011, Nat. Comm). This project aims to resolve the genetic basis underlying the tawny owl colour polymorphism and to link molecular genetic information to spatial and temporal changes in tawny owl morph frequencies as well as to explore a putative functional genetic basis of morph-fitness associations presumably driven by pleiotropy. We are recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to contribute to all of these aspects.

Qualifications:  Essential qualifications for all applicants will include: 1) a PhD degree obtained on work in molecular genetics; 2) evidence of research productivity, with publications in the peer-reviewed literature; and 3) good communication skills, with fluency in English.  Desired qualifications will include technical skills in one or more of the following areas: 1) bioinformatic analyses of Next Generation Sequence data; 2) genome construction; and 3) analysis of gene expression data.

Terms: Start dates are flexible but will ideally be 1.11. 2020.  Contracts will be for 3 years at a salary depending on the candidate’s documented merits (see below).  The postdoc will work in a collaborative team with the project’s partners.  Work location will be at the Department of Biology in Turku, Finland, with allocated work time at the collaborators’ institutes.  Candidates will have financial support to travel 1-2 times per year for work-related activities and to attend project meetings.

The qualification requirements of the positions are written in the University of Turku rules of procedure. A person selected for the post of postdoctoral researcher is required to have a doctoral degree and the ability to do independent scientific work as well as having the necessary teaching skills. The doctoral degree must be completed by the end of the application period.

There is a trial period of six months.

The salary for a Postdoctoral Researcher is based on the University salary system for teaching and research personnel. For a Postdoctoral Researcher, the salary is at levels 4-6 on the job demands chart, where the task specific salary component is 2563,09-3460,91 euro per month. In addition, a personal work performance component will be paid. The personal performance component is a 6% – 50% of the task-specific base salary.

Applications must be submitted by 10th of October, 2020 (23:59), using the electronic application form of the University of Turku on the following address: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/open-vacancies
The link to the application system is at the beginning of this announcement (Apply for the job). Applicants are to submit a letter of motivation explaining their qualifications and interest for this position including the names and contact details of two persons that can provide a reference, a Curriculum Vitae including a list of publications and a copy of their degree certificate with translation in English, Finnish or Swedish (if applicable).

Contact:  Professor Jon E. Brommer, jon.brommer@utu.fi