PhD student in Ecology: Host plant specialisation in Tropical butterflies
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet / Högskolejobb / Uppsala
2025-03-27
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The Department of Ecology at SLU is a major centre of ecological research in Scandinavia. We combine research in basic ecology with applied research in nature conservation, wildlife management, forestry and crop protection.
The Evolving Networks Lab is part of the Insect Ecology unit
Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at
https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/Project about host plant repertoire of Tropical butterfly caterpillars
Description:
A PhD position is available in Mariana Braga's group at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala, Sweden. Research in the Evolving Networks lab centers around understanding how species interactions change over time and space, with a focus on caterpillar-plant interactions and development of phylogenetic methods. The EvonetsLab is supported by a Starting Grant from the European Research Council and a DDLS Fellowship from the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg Swedish program for data-driven life science.
The aim of this PhD position is to develop a novel phylogenetic approach to predict unknown species interactions. For that, the student will compile all available data on host use for Nymphalinae butterflies, apply recent methods to predict interactions, and test these predictions by rearing caterpillars of various butterfly species on the predicted host plants. The project will result in a pipeline for faster collection of interaction data and the generation of valuable new data on tropical species.
The PhD position is fully funded by an ERC Starting Grant (project SPECTRO: Causes and consequences of higher host specialisation in the tropics - the role of ecological and evolutionary processes, and of data bias), and the successful applicant will work in the Evonets lab (evonetslab.github.io)
The successful candidate will be based in Uppsala but expected to spend extended periods in Brazil for field and lab work over four years.
Fluency in English is essential as it is the team's common language. The candidate should be proactive, independent, solution-oriented, and adaptable in solving technical problems. Strong collaborative skills, excellent communication, goodwill, and reliability are required, as the role involves close teamwork.
Qualifications:
We are seeking a motivated candidate for research in evolutionary ecology and biodiversity, who is a team player with initiative, creativity, persistence, and independent thinking to drive a research project. The candidate should have:
• A Master's degree or equivalent in biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, or other relevant, closely related field
• Good communication skills in English, both spoken and written
• Ability to work in the field and in the lab (rearing of caterpillars)
Knowledge or experience in the following is a plus:
• Phylogenetics, bioinformatics
• Lepidoptera and plant ecology
• Statistics and programming (e.g. in R)
The application should consist of the following (all files in PDF-format):
• Curriculum vitae including publication list,
• Master [alternatively, the expected graduation date of Master degree] and Bachelor diplomas (in a single PDF file),
• Master and Bachelor grades' transcripts (in a single PDF file),
• A description of previous research experiences with a letter of motivation stating your specific interest, motivation and qualifications for the project in question (max 1 A4 page),
• The names of at least two reference persons (provide names and contact details) who can provide information on your research experience.
Place of work:
Uppsala.
Forms for funding or employment:
Employment 4 years.
Starting date:
According to agreement.
Application:
Click the "Apply" button to submit your application. The deadline is 2025-04-30.
To qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master's) qualification. Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level.
Applicants will be selected based on their written application and CV, degree project, copies of their degree certificate and transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution, two personal references, and knowledge of English. More information about the English language requirements can be found here:
https://www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/application-admission-doctoral-studies/Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, or equivalent, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution. Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport's information page containing their photograph and personal details.
Read about the PhD education at SLU at
www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/Academic union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden.
SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Ersättning Fast lön.
Så ansöker du Sista dag att ansöka är 2025-04-30
Klicka på denna länk för att göra din ansökan Omfattning Detta är ett heltidsjobb.
Arbetsgivare Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (org.nr 202100-2817),
http://www.slu.se Arbetsplats Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Kontakt Mariana Pires Braga
firstname.surname@slu.se Jobbnummer 9250324