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University of Gothenburg meets society's challenges with diverse knowledge. With 58,000 students and 6,800 employees, the university is a large and inspiring workplace. Strong research and attractive education attract researchers and students from all over the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University of Gothenburg contributes to a better future.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Tropical Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Trait-Based Tree Species Selection

The Department of Biology and Environmental Science (BioEnv) offers education and research activities ranging from mountain ecosystems, through forests, soil, and watercourses, all the way out to the sea. In these environments, we work with different levels of biological organization, from genes, via individuals and populations, to communities and ecosystems. We work within ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics, and combinations of these subject areas to understand the significance of natural and human-made environmental changes.

The department's activities are carried out at two different locations: the university's premises at Natrium on Medicinaregatan 7B in Gothenburg, and at the Kristineberg Marine Research Station, which is operated by the Marine Infrastructure at the University of Gothenburg. The current position is based at Natrium.

We offer

The University of Gothenburg is a government agency, which implies special benefits, more vacation days, and a good pension. You can read more about our employment benefits at the University of Gothenburg's website (https://www.gu.se/jobba-hos-oss/formaner-och-forsakringar-vid-goteborgs-universitet).

Subject

Tropical socio-ecology for forest ecosystems

Subject Description

The research focuses on developing assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services to support the selection of native tree species for climate-adapted forest restoration and agroforestry within the Albertine Rift system in Africa. The postdoctoral researcher will integrate ecological, climatological, and social factors to evaluate species' adaptive capacity, environmental benefits, and their contribution to ecosystem services. Central to the work will be collaboration with various types of actors to understand needs in forest restoration and agroforestry and to ensure socially anchored recommendations for tree species. The role combines ecological research with participatory methods to develop evidence-based and purpose-driven frameworks for the selection of native tree species that strengthen landscape resilience, human well-being, and long-term forest restoration.

Responsibilities

The purpose of the employment is to strengthen the scientific and practical foundations for selecting climate-adapted native tree species that improve biodiversity, ecosystem services, and local community well-being within the Albertine Rift system. The postdoctoral researcher will lead several central parts of the project "Optimization of tree species selection for improved ecosystem services in tropical forest restoration and agroforestry," funded by the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas). The work includes field studies and synthesis of data on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and tree climate sensitivity to support climate-adapted species recommendations.

The responsibilities include conducting a systematic literature review and collecting data from various types of forest restorations, tree plantations, and agroforestry systems to provide a basis for selecting tree species that promote various ecosystem services, as well as field data to validate and improve remote sensing-based assessments of the success of restoration and planning efforts. Additionally, the researcher will analyze ecological, trait-based, and environmental data to identify relationships between species and the environment, and assess tree species' sensitivity to climate-related stress factors using both global databases and experimental data from various locations, including within the Rwanda TREE project (rwandatree.com (https://www.rwandatree.com)).

The postdoctoral researcher will work closely with partners in the complementary project OpTIBES (biodiversa.eu (https://www.biodiversa.eu/2026/04/03/optibes/)) and its partners in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, as well as universities, government agencies, and organizations in Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The role also involves contributing to scientific publications, reporting, and communication activities, and developing research-based practical recommendations for restoration and agroforestry.

The position is integrated into an interdisciplinary and international research environment spanning ecology, remote sensing, socio-ecological systems, and climate adaptation. The postdoctoral researcher will work in a dynamic team focused on interdisciplinary collaboration, with opportunities for close dialogue with African partner institutions, restoration practitioners, and local communities. The work environment encourages independent initiative, interdisciplinary integration, and the translation of scientific insights into practically useful guidelines for sustainable forest landscape restoration.

The appointed person will have the opportunity to serve as a co-supervisor for master's and bachelor's students. A teaching agreement with the department can be negotiated depending on teaching needs and suitability, up to 20% of a full-time position, which may extend the employment period.

Application

You apply for the position via the University of Gothenburg's recruitment portal by clicking the "Apply" button. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and that it is submitted to the university no later than the final application date.

Read more and apply via: Application Link (https://web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/1035/job?site=6&lang=SE&validator=3038fcf1516ea1184a6da70a891f87da&job_id=40811)

Application deadline: 2026-07-02

The University actively works for a working environment with equal conditions and values the qualities that diversity brings to the operations. The University applies individual salary setting. According to the National Archives' regulations, the University is required to keep application documents for two years after the appointment decision. If you as an applicant specifically request your documents back, they will be returned when the two years have passed; otherwise, they will be destroyed. To staffing and recruitment agencies and to you who are salespeople: The University of Gothenburg uses a procured advertising agency in connection with the recruitment of staff. We kindly but firmly decline direct contact with staffing and recruitment agencies as well as sellers of job advertisements.