Postdoctoral Researcher in Migration Biology at Lund University

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked among the world's leading universities. It has around 47,000 students and more than 8,800 employees in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain, and improve our world and the conditions of people.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Gender equality, equal opportunities, and diversity are fundamental principles for all parts of our operations.

Specific Subject Description

Many insects migrate over large distances, often to specific destinations they have never visited before. To reach these destinations, these insects rely on a range of sensory signals at different stages of their journey, such as global compass signals (e.g., the sun, stars, or Earth's magnetic field) and local signals along the way (e.g., scents or visual landmarks). How these signals are perceived and integrated is not fully understood, especially in nocturnal migrating insects.

Job Responsibilities

The main responsibility of the postdoctoral researcher is to conduct research. Teaching may be included in the job responsibilities, but no more than one-fifth of the working time. Within the framework of the employment, there will be an opportunity for three weeks of higher education pedagogical training.

Job responsibilities include, for example:

• The postdoctoral researcher will use behavioral and electrophysiological methods to investigate how information from the stars and Earth's magnetic field is perceived and processed by the Australian bogong moth Agrotis infusa, a model organism for studies of long-distance navigation at night. The work will be conducted in our specialized laboratories in both Australia and Sweden.
• The postdoctoral researcher will be encouraged to actively seek external research funding to support their research.

Eligibility

Eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher is someone who has obtained a doctoral degree, or a foreign degree assessed to be equivalent to a doctoral degree, in the subject area of the employment and who has obtained it no more than three years before the date of the employment decision. If there are special reasons, the doctoral degree may have been obtained earlier.

Other requirements:

• Doctoral degree in migration biology, sensory biology, or a related field relevant to the position
• Excellent command of English, both spoken and written.
• Solid research experience in the field of insect navigation and/or insect migration.
• Documented competence in behavioral and/or electrophysiological investigations of insect sensory systems.

Assessment Criteria

This is a merit-based position primarily focused on research. The employment is intended as an initial step in the career, and the assessment of applicants will primarily be based on their scientific merits and potential as researchers.

Particular emphasis will be placed on scientific ability within the subject area.

When hiring a postdoctoral researcher, the following will serve as the basis for assessment:

• Good ability to develop and conduct high-quality research.
• Pedagogical ability.

Other merits:

• Documented experience using magnetic and visual stimulation systems to study insect navigation.
• Ability to work independently and solve problems in the field.

Consideration will also be given to good collaboration skills, drive, and independence, as well as how the applicant, through their experience and competence, is assessed to complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department and contribute to its future development.

Conditions

The employment is time-limited to a maximum of 3 years and is full-time. The employment is limited according to the agreement, “Agreement on Fixed-Term Employment as a Postdoctoral Researcher,” between the labor market parties dated 2022-02-01 (The Swedish Agency for Government Employers, OFR, and Saco-S).

Contact person: Professor Eric Warrant ([email protected])

Application Instructions

The application should be written in English and compiled into a PDF file that includes:

• Curriculum vitae including a publication list.
• A general description of previous research work and future research interests (max three pages) including why this particular position is of specific interest to you.
• Contact information for at least two references.
• A copy of the doctoral degree certificate and any other certificates/grades you wish to refer to.

At the Faculty of Science, research and education are conducted in biology, astronomy, physics, geoscience, chemistry, mathematics, and environmental science. The activities are conducted within the northern university area. The faculty has about 1,900 students, 330 doctoral students, and 730 employees.

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