POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY (ref. 24-010-47865)

CREAF is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work on the project EVOL_RACE ‘An evolutionary arms race: unravelling rapid evolution in the context of biological invasions’ with ref. CNS2023-145335 and funded by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. The work contract will be part of the action financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union "Next Generation EU"/PRTR", ref. CNS2023-145335; and PRTR (the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan).

The candidate will join Oriol Lapiedra’s lab in the Biodiversity department at CREAF. The primary goal of our research is to shed light on how organisms adapt to rapid environmental changes with a specific focus on the role of animal behavior in this process. Our research combines approaches from behavioral ecology, evolutionary ecology, and global change biology. Ongoing research includes work on study systems established in the Caribbean and the Balearic Islands where we are investigating the ecological and evolutionary consequences of the arrival of new predators for populations of native lizards as well as for the functioning of the ecosystems they live in.

The successful candidate will have experience in evolutionary ecology and/or ecological genomics. He/she will lead their own research program using already collected as well as newly collected genetic data and will participate in fieldwork campaigns in the Balearic Islands, lead lab meetings, and co-supervise Msc students.

A full-time contract is offered in a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible hours and extensive training opportunities. The salary offered is 31.847,46€ gross per year. The starting date* is flexible but is expected around spring of 2024, and with an expected duration of 2 years, according to final project resolution.

*The start of the contract is subject to the date of the final official starting date of the project.

TASKS:

• Conduct cutting-edge research on the genomic basis of ecologically-relevant phenotypic variation in behavior and morphology.
• Work to publish results in high-profile scientific journals and disseminate them at international conferences.
• Assume responsibilities during yearly fieldwork in the Balearic Islands (during several weeks in spring).
• Mentor MsC students.
• Collaborate with international research groups in Europe and the USA.

REQUIREMENTS:

• PhD in Molecular Ecology, Ecological Genomics or related fields.
• Strong publication record.
• Experience with Next Generation Sequencing data analysis including Whole Genome Sequencing.
• Fieldwork experience working with animals (experience working with lizards will be considered a bonus).
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English.
• Capacity to contribute to research projects with novel research ideas and analysis.
• Capacity to work as a team in a highly collaborative and diverse environment.
• Programming skills.

ASSESSABLE CONDITIONS:

• Candidates who have a recognized disability and accredited equal to or greater than 33% will be prioritized, as long as the disability is compatible with the proper performance of the job.

SELECTION PROCES AND CRITERIA:

1. Admission of candidates: applicants must submit a CV, a brief cover letter with a statement of interest, two references who could be contacted for recommendations letters until 15 April 2024. Applications referred to another portal, other than CREAF job openings section and the instructions included in this, will not be accepted.

2. Pre-selection: determination of compliance with the minimum requirements of the offer.

3. Selection: assessment of the preselected candidates by scoring based on objective criteria and by interview of shortlisted candidates.

4. Final decision: in case of finding the suitable candidate, the election will be formally communicated to this person, and the identification of the chosen person will be published on CREAF job openings section and with personalized notification (by mail) when the process progresses.