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The Department of Biology in the Faculty of Sciences is looking for a full-time (100%) postdoctoral researcher in the field of Carbon sequestration in Coastal Wetlands
Position
- You will contribute to ongoing research projects on coastal wetland ecosystem functioning, within the Centre of Excellence on Global Change Ecology and the Ecosphere research group of the University of Antwerp. The key objective of your research is to advance understanding of soil organic carbon dynamics in tidal marshes and mangrove forests in response to various environmental forcing factors, in particular in response to sea level rise, which is accelerating with climate warming. Coastal wetlands are considered among the most effective ecosystems that can mitigate climate warming by carbon sequestration into their soils, but the climate warming in itself is impacting coastal wetlands through sea level rise and there is much uncertainty about the impact on soil carbon accumulation and preservation. You will advance understanding of wetland-climate feedbacks through a combination of approaches including (1) innovative analyses of global datasets, (2) contribution to field studies in wetlands showing spatial gradients in marsh submergence by sea level rise, and (3) applications of a new integrated model of carbon dynamics in marsh soils in response to future scenarios of sea level rise.
- You will work in a team, interacting among others with prof. Stijn Temmerman and other professors, field and lab technicians, PhD students and post-doc researchers working on carbon dynamics and other ecological processes in coastal, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
- You will communicate results at international conferences and you will publish your results in high-quality scientific journals.
- You will contribute to the functioning of the research group, through coordination of project proposals in the field of wetland ecology and contribution to attracting external funding.
- You will assist in the supervision of PhD and Master students and other team members working within the field of wetland ecology.
- You may contribute to a limited number of teaching activities, for instance on courses on Estuarine & Coastal Systems.
Profile
- You hold a PhD in Biology, Ecology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Marine Sciences or related disciplines (or you will have obtained it by the time you start the position).
- You have a demonstrable record of scientific achievements, including publications, conference presentations, international collaborations and/or research visits, etc.
- You have demonstrable expertise on carbon fluxes in ecosystems, in particular coastal wetlands such as marshes and/or mangroves, and essential understanding of the ecological, hydrological, and geomorphological functioning of these wetland ecosystems;
- You are not afraid of field work in often challenging conditions in swampy wetlands;
- You are enthusiastic about joining field campaigns abroad (including in Europe, USA, Southern America);
- You are fluent in English (both speaking and academic writing);
- Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
- Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
- You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
What we offer
- We offer a full-time contract as a postdoctoral researcher for a period of 2.5 years (30 months); you will start with a contract of 1 year; after positive evaluation this will be prolonged for a period of 2.5 years in total.
- Your gross monthly salary is calculated according to the pay scale for a principal research fellow in the Contract Research Staff category (Dutch: Bijzonder Academisch Personeel, BAP).
- You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, a group insurance, an income protection insurance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
- The planned start date is the 1st of January 2023 or as soon as possible after that date.
- You will do most of your work at Campus Drie Eiken in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
- Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.
Want to apply?
- You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 20 November 2022 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on 'apply', complete the online application form and don’t forget to include the following document(s): (1) a motivation letter, (2) your academic CV, and (3) contact information of max. 2 reference persons.
- The selection committee will review all of the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision has been made, we will inform you about the next steps in the selection procedure.
- If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Prof. Stijn Temmerman, e-mail: Stijn.temmerman@uantwerpen.be.
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.