3-year Fully Funded PhD Position in Ecology to Work on the Flora of Unique Quartz Islands

Open Position for a PhD Student – 3-year Fully Funded PhD Position (65%)

Tasks: In collaboration with Dr. Ute Schmiedel (University of Hamburg) and Prof. Severin Irl (Goethe-University Frankfurt), you will conduct research in the DFG-Project “Quartz Islands II – Cross-scale determinants of plant diversity and endemism in quartz island archipelagos in southern Africa.” The project aims to investigate plant diversity and endemism in unique quartz habitats (known as quartz islands) along the Western Cape of southern Africa. This will involve combining approaches from vegetation ecology, island biogeography, remote sensing, and experimental ecology.

The Quartz Island II project comprises two PhD student positions, one located at the University of Hamburg with Dr. Ute Schmiedel and the other at the Goethe-University Frankfurt with Prof. Severin Irl. The advertised position in this add will focus on the island biogeography and functional ecology of the flora of the quartz islands in southern Africa. This role offers opportunities for collecting field data (vegetation plots, species identification, functional trait measurements) and utilizing large databases for macroecological analyses.

You will have the chance to conduct self-determined research for further scientific qualification. Your responsibilities will include project work (such as fieldwork in South Africa), scientific project coordination, and other related tasks. The place of employment is Frankfurt am Main.

Qualification Goal: PhD. Main supervisor will be Severin Irl.

Your Profile: An above-average scientific university degree in Ecology, Biology, Physical Geography, or a related discipline.

Requirements:

1. Advanced knowledge of island biogeography and vegetation ecology.
2. Good skills in plant identification.
3. Good skills in botany and soil chemistry.
4. Very good skills in R and GIS for establishing databases, advanced statistical analyses, and GIS analyses.
5. Willingness to conduct several scientific field trips to the study area under expedition conditions.
6. Motivation to publish and present scientific results in international peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.
7. Fluency in English (oral and written).
8. Remote sensing skills are helpful but not required.

Applications: Submit your application, including CV, cover letter, and, if applicable, a list of publications, by October 15, 2023, as a PDF to Rita Peters, rita.peters@em.uni-frankfurt.de. Please include the following application ID in the subject line: QISL2024.

For further questions, contact Prof. Severin Irl: Telephone number: +49-69-798-40171, Email: irl@geo.uni-frankfurt.de.