Vacant job

Umeå Marine Research Centre and the Department of Ecology, Environment and Geosciences are seeking a motivated and curious PhD student for an interdisciplinary research consortium focused on the future of marine and coastal observation systems. The position starts in October 2026 or by agreement. The application deadline is August 16, 2026.

Description

The PhD project will investigate how marine observation systems can become more resilient, scalable, and adaptable amidst accelerating environmental and climate changes. The research will explore how environmental variables and emerging observation technologies can be combined to improve the long-term reliability, responsiveness, and utility of monitoring marine ecosystems across spatial and temporal scales.

The project will involve work with remote sensing, autonomous sensors, environmental monitoring technologies, data integration, and system-level analyses of monitoring performance under changing environmental conditions. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding how observation systems respond to environmental stress, uncertainty, and increasing data complexity, as well as how monitoring methods can be designed to remain effective in various marine contexts and scales. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of next-generation methods for marine environmental assessment and sustainability, working at the interface of environmental systems science, marine technology, and data-driven research within an international and collaborative research environment.

The PhD student will participate in the consortium "Measuring What Matters" – a new Formas-funded research program of 30 million SEK aimed at developing and operationalizing a coordinated, adaptive, and science-based foundation for marine and coastal observations. The program is led by Uppsala University – Campus Gotland, with additional consortium partners including the University of Gothenburg and the County Administrative Board of Gotland.

Qualifications

To be admitted to PhD studies, the applicant must have completed an advanced level degree, or completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, including at least 60 higher education credits at an advanced level, or have equivalent foreign education, or equivalent qualifications.

The candidate must have completed courses (at least 120 higher education credits) in a subject at the first-cycle level relevant to environmental science, such as marine science, environmental engineering, geosystem science, geoinformatics, oceanography, or a related field. At least one advanced-level course in a subject central to the PhD student's planned specialization must be completed, along with an independent project (master's thesis) with relevant specialization of at least 15 higher education credits.

Additional requirements are:

Relevant background in environmental science, marine science, environmental engineering, earth system science, geoinformatics, oceanography, or a related field, as well as good skills in written and spoken English.

Merits include:

• Experience in environmental data analysis and quantitative methods, with programming experience in one or more languages such as Python, R, or MATLAB
• Experience working with marine/environmental observation systems, sensor data, and/or remote sensing
• Experience handling large or heterogeneous environmental datasets
• Familiarity with spatial analysis, GIS, or geospatial data workflows
• Experience in machine learning, modeling, or system analysis methods
• Interest in resilience, sustainability, and environmental systems thinking
• Experience collaborating across different disciplines and/or with non-academic actors.

The candidate should be creative and have the ability to take initiative. The candidate is independent, has social competence, and teamwork skills. It is expected that the candidate develops independence and builds professional networks during the studies.

Application

Applications must be submitted via our e-recruitment system Varbi no later than Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 23:59. All documents must be in PDF format. The application should be written in English (preferred) or Swedish. If attached documents are written in another language, a translation into English or Swedish must be attached.

The application should include:

• Cover letter: a summary of your qualifications, research interests, and motivation for applying (max 2 pages).
• A curriculum vitae (CV) with academic merits
• Electronic copy of your master's thesis and any other publications. If the master's thesis is not completed before the application deadline, a summary of the master's thesis project and current progress must be attached. The summary may be no more than five pages long, including figures and references.
• Degree certificates, transcripts, and other documentation proving the applicant's eligibility for the position
• Contact details for 2-3 reference persons

Evaluation will be based on the applicant's letter, references, interview, as well as the quality of the master's thesis and any other publications. Requirements (such as a completed advanced level degree) must be met at the time of approval of the PhD appointment and do not need to be met at the time of application.

Information

Dr. Heidi Burdett, Umeå University, will be the main supervisor, with co-supervision from PhDs Léon Serre-Fredj (Umeå University) and Lina Mtwana Nordlund (Uppsala University – Campus Gotland), with additional collaborative support from the entire Measuring What Matters consortium. For more information, contact Heidi Burdett ([email protected]).

About the Position

The position is intended to result in a doctoral degree. The PhD student's main task is to pursue their PhD studies, including participation in research and PhD courses. Duties may include teaching and other departmental work (up to 20%). The appointment is fixed-term for the equivalent of four years full-time (48 months) or up to five years for part-time teaching. The salary is set according to established salary levels for PhD positions. The appointment starts on October 1, 2026, or by agreement.