Fully Funded PhD Position in behavioural ecology using experimental evolution
Application Deadline: 15 March 2024
Country: Switzerland
Dr. Tom Ratz from the Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies of the University of Zurich is offering a fully funded 4-year PhD position to join his group. The project will aim to investigate how competitive interactions can change evolutionary trajectories.
Using the remarkably sexually dimorphic fruit fly Drosophila prolongata, the objective will be to test evolution in action and set up an experimental evolution experiment to examine how the social environment – and specifically the intensity of competition for limited sexual partners and/or food resources – shape the evolution of aggressiveness and the associated behavioural plasticity.
Experimental evolution is a powerful approach to study how organisms respond and adapt to environmental conditions imposed by the experimenter. Drosophila flies have long been model organisms in experimental evolution studies, given that these species have a short life cycle and are amenable to experiments manipulating environmental conditions at the population level.
Your responsibilities
The PhD student will be in charge of establishing the experimental populations of flies, monitor a wide diversity of phenotypic traits (e.g. behaviours, morphologies, life-histories, and gene expression) to track evolutionary change across populations. They will be encouraged to participate in and contribute to lab activities, such as lab meetings, journal clubs, and diverse social events.
Responsibilities:
Develop and maintain large experimental populations of Drosophila flies
Design and conduct behavioural experiments
Analyse data and write manuscripts for publication in high-quality peer-reviewed journals
Your profile
Qualifications:
MSc degree in evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, or a related field.
Experience with behavioural experiments
Experience with data analysis and statistical software
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a diverse team
Excellent communication and writing skills in English
What we offer
We offer varied and interesting work in an inspiring and socially relevant environment. Diversity and inclusion are important to us. A salary based on rates regulated by UZH.
The PhD student will have access to a large outbred stock of D. prolongata and excellent lab facilities that include controlled-climate rooms and a well-designed entomology lab which is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment.
The Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies at UZH provides a particularly stimulating and supportive working environment to students and early-career researchers. The Department is committed to promoting interactions and collaborations across research groups and maintaining a friendly atmosphere among the highly international and diverse students and staff members.
Place of work
Winterthurerstrasse, Zürich, Switzerland
Start of employment
Employment start date to be mutually agreed. Please submit your application by 15.03.2024.
Please send the following documents in a single pdf file:
Cover letter including a brief description of past research experience and motivation for this project
Detailed CV, including publications
Contact information of two references
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