The Global Change Research Institute and the University of Bayreuth (Germany) set the ambitious goal of temporally and spatially extending an existing long-term fungal European distribution dataset to address pressing global and climate change-relevant research questions. For this purpose, we seek a postdoctoral specialist with experience in data management and ecological data analysis, ideally from a fungal ecology background. The candidate should further have good English communication skills. This position is part of the CLIMFUN 2.0 project, which, in addition to extending and analyzing fungal big data, aims to project fungal diversity under future scenarios to maximize the potential for biodiversity conservation and climate change-mediated threat mitigation. In the same time it is funded via AdAgriF OPJAK project focused at mitigation of climate change via improved carbon sequestration in agricutlure and forestry systems. The position will be embedded within an interdisciplinary research team that is conducting experimental, observational, and modeling studies focussing on fungal ecology at individual, through community and ecosystems to regional scale.
The main work tasks can be summarised as follows:
- Communicate with national mycological societies to establish and maintain contact throughout the project
- Accompany and manage data transfer contracts and the flow of data from the mycological societies to the core team
- Combine retrieved datasets, curate, clean, and standardize the dataset, and harmonize and connect the new dataset with the previous datasets for an integrated and useable novel matrix
- Exploit multidisciplinary data gridded sources to be integrated into spatial and temporal datasets
- Perform biostatistical analyses and modeling of the dataset in terms of effects of climate, soil, or anthropogenic influences
- Publish findings in international and peer-reviewed journals
The ideal candidate should meet the following requirements:
- Higher education degree (PhD) in natural sciences (e.g., biology, forest science, geography, ecology but other fields as applied mathematics are also possible)
- Experience in data and project management
- Solid experience in scientific programming (R, and/or Python) is essential
- Willingness to communicate with mycological societies, plan and hold meetings and coordinate data exchange, including administrative parts such as bilateral contracts for data sharing
- At least basic knowledge of fungal taxonomy and ecology
- Solid publication record and „scientific writing drive“
- We seek a flexible and proactive person who is able to work independently and in a larger team
- Very good written and spoken English is essential
- Willingness for planned short-term research visits in Germany (University of Bayreuth) but also at UK (Univ. Cambridge) and with the team of Institute of Microbiology CAS (Prague);
Terms of employment:
This is a full-time post-doctoral position to be filled from April 2024 (or sooner) with current funding guaranteed at least for 18 months with a 6-18 month extension option.
We offer a collaborative work environment with a friendly and supportive team that fosters growth and creativity. Our office is located in Brno, known for its rich activities, exquisite coffee, fine dining, and beautiful architecture. Beyond our institute, we offer to engage and collaborate with international scientists who are recognized experts in their field, offering a unique opportunity for mentorship and growth. We offer a flexible work arrangement, including the freedom of adjustable work hours and the option to work partly remotely. For questions, please contact Dr. Franz Krah, krah.f@czechglobe.cz (University of Bayreuth, Member of Czech Globe) and prof. Miroslav Trnka (trnka.m@czechglobe.cz) principal investigator of the AdAgriF project.
To submit your application, send the following documents to jobs@czechglobe.cz by 10th March 2024.