PhD scholarship within Macroecology and Global Change Ecology

About the position

Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA) at Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has a vacant 3-year PhD–position in ecology.

This PhD position is connected to the newly established Centre for Mountains in Transitions (https://cmt.w.uib.no), a research centre dedicated to understanding and addressing the impacts of climate and environmental change in mountain regions.

The overarching aim of this PhD project is to evaluate whether climate variability is a key driver of species’ range dynamics and a general predictor of sensitivity to climate change with a focus on mountain areas globally. More specifically, the project will investigate how short-term climate variability (daily to seasonal) influence species’ geographic range sizes, and how this, in turn, affects their vulnerability to ongoing climate change.

The PhD candidate will investigate (1) whether short-term climate variability constrains species’ elevational range sizes across taxonomic groups, such as plants, birds, mammals, and reptiles, in mountains worldwide, (2) how elevational range sizes of the same species vary across mountain regions with different levels of climate variability, and (3) whether recent changes in climate variability can explain observed shifts in species’ distributions over time.

The project will primarily use existing datasets in close collaboration with the project Past, Present, Future for the Alpine (PPF-Alpine, https://mountainsinmotion.w.uib.no/), but there is also flexibility for the candidate to incorporate additional field data.

This PhD project offers a great opportunity to work with large-scale biodiversity and climate datasets, develop strong analytical skills, and collaborate with international researchers in macroecology and climate change biology. The candidate will also contribute to a growing field at the intersection of biogeography, ecology, and global change research.

The applicant is made aware that an application for a PhD position at NMBU is at the same time an application for admission to a PhD programme at the institution. The documentation that is necessary to ensure that the admission requirements are met must be uploaded as an attachment.

Main tasks

• Collect, compile, and analyze data on species elevational ranges and range shifts from mountains worldwide
• Participate in the development and adaptation of statistical models for analyzing the relationship between species distributions and climate
• Collaborate closely with other researchers, including other PhD students in connected projects, and contribute to interdisciplinary discussions and dissemination of results
• Present research findings at conferences and in scientific publications, and complete a dissertation within the project period

During the first months of the appointment, the successful candidate is expected to prepare a plan for the progress of the work towards a PhD degree, with a view to completing a doctorate within the PhD scholarship period.

Competence

The successful applicant must meet the conditions defined for admission to a PhD programme at NMBU. The applicant must have an academically relevant education corresponding to a five-year master’s degree with a learning outcome corresponding to the descriptions in the Norwegian Qualification Framework, second cycle. The applicant must have a documented strong academic background relevant to the position and be able to document proficiency in both written and oral English. For more detailed information on the admission criteria please see the PhD Regulations and the relevant PhD programme description.

The applicant must document expertise and interest in the research subject.

• Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent in ecology or a related field
• Familiarity with concepts in species distribution, macroecology, climate change ecology, or biogeography
• Experience with statistical analysis and ecological data, preferably using R or related tools
• Good written and oral communication skills in English, and knowledge of a Scandinavian language will be an advantage

• Experience working with large datasets, including biodiversity or species occurrence data (e.g., GBIF), and range maps
• Understanding of species distribution modelling
• Experience with spatial analysis and mapping tools (e.g., QGIS, ArcGIS, or spatial packages in R/Python)
• Interest or experience in applying AI or machine learning methods to ecological questions

• Strong motivation for ecological research and addressing global change challenges
• Curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm for learning new skills
• Openness to working with both field-based and computational approaches
• Strong collaborative skills and willingness to work as part of an international research team
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and adapt to new challenges

Remuneration and further information

The position is placed in government pay scale position code 1017 PhD Fellow. PhD Fellows will normally have a starting salary of NOK 550 800. The position follows ordinary meriting regulations.

Employment is conducted according to national guidelines for University and Technical College PhD scholars.

For further information, please contact Professor John-Arvid Grytnes, E-mail: john-arvid.grytnes@nmbu.no; phone +47 4116 0708

Information for PhD applicants and Information to applicants

Application

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply for this job' button above. This will route you to the University's Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Your CV must be entered in JobbNorge's CV form and not just included as an attachment. This is to be able to comply with the regulations of §15 of the Public Administration Act.

In the application, the candidate must confirm that information and documentation (in the form of attachments) submitted via the job application can also be used by NMBU in a possible admission process.

Applicants invited for an interview are expected to present original diplomas and certificates.

The following documents must be attached to the application:

• Motivation letter (maximum 1 page)
• Complete CV
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and certificates. (i.e. Diploma, transcript. Diploma supplement for both bachelor and master). Diplomas, transcripts and diploma supplements that are not in Norwegian or English must be uploaded in the original language. An English translation of these documents must also be attached.
• Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement, or a similar document, which describes in detail the study program and grading system.
• Documentation of proficiency in written and oral English in accordance with NMBU PhD regulation section 5-2 (3).
• Names and contact details for two references
• Additional relevant documentation of professional knowledge (for example, list of scientific works). If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution for publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

About The Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management

The Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA) works with nature and the environment, sustainable use of natural resources, biological and geological processes.

MINA’s employees undertake teaching, research and dissemination within the fields of geology, hydrology and limnology, soil science, environmental chemistry, forestry, ecology, natural resource management, renewable energy, and nature-based tourism.

Our vision is to be a key actor in knowledge production and dissemination, and our goal is to deliver research of high, international quality, and varied and excellent teaching. The faculty’s employees are significant participants within their respective fields of expertise, both nationally and internationally. The faculty is dominated by a vital research culture and high levels of scientific production.

The faculty has about 200 employees, 90 PhD students and 650 students.

Read more about MINA here.