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Postdoctoral Researcher In The Ecology Of Plant-Microbe Interactions

Published date more than one year ago
Posted: more than one year ago
Company University of Helsinki
Company: University of Helsinki
End date Jan. 22, 2020
Due date: Jan. 22, 2020
Location Helsinki
Location: Helsinki

The University of Helsinki, founded in 1640, is one of the world’s leading universities for multidisciplinary research. The University of Helsinki has an international academic community of 40,000 students and staff members, and it offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. The International Staff Services (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/working-at-the-university) office assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland. The Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme is situated at the Viikki science park and belongs to the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences of University of Helsinki.

The Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme (OEB) invites applications for a

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER

in Ecology of Plant-Microbe Interactions for a fixed term of 1.5 years. There will be a trial period of six months in the beginning.

The post doc position is part of research Group of prof. Anna-Liisa Laine. The starting date is 1 March, 2020, but can be adjusted if needed.

We are seeking a post doctoral researcher to work in a consortium project aiming to understand how biological diversity could be integrated into our food production systems to develop sustainable and climate-smart farming practices. Specifically, we are addressing questions regarding how above-ground plant diversity links with below-ground microbial diversity, and how these jointly affect plant fitness, resistance and resilience to both biotic and abiotic stress using experimental approaches. The consortium joins expertise in agriculture, plant ecology, soil microbial ecology and climate science. It is an exciting interdisciplinary effort addressing cutting edge scientific questions with direct applicability. For more information about the consortium, please visit: https://carbonaction.org/twinwin-project/.

The tasks of the post doc include:
- participating in a multi-year field trial that manipulates above-ground plant diversity
- design and implementation of potential greenhouse/common garden experiments
- literature synthesis.

The successful applicant should have a doctoral degree in ecology, plant biology, microbial ecology or agricultural sciences (or similar), and previous experience working with questions and methods related to plant diversity and ecology of plant associated microbes (mycorrhizae / plant pathogens etc.). We seek candidates with excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to conceive, execute and complete research projects, and to think independently and creatively. Previous experience in analysis of microbial community sequence data is not necessary but considered an advantage.

For more information, please contact prof. Anna-Liisa Laine (anna-liisa.laine(at)helsinki.fi).

For more information on the research group of Prof. Laine, please visit our website https://lainelab.net/

The salary of the successful candidate will be based on level 5 - 6 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal performance. The starting salary will be ca. 3300 - 3800 euros/month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience.

Applications should include the following documents as a single pdf file: motivational letter (max 1 page), CV (max 2 pages), and publication list. Please also include contact information of two persons willing to provide a reference letter by separate request.

Please submit your application using the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the Apply for the position link. Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application via the SAP HR portal. The deadline for submitting the application is 22 January 2020.