Postdoctoral Researcher on Drivers of Biodiversity Change Across Time at the Section for Biodiversity, Globe Institute

Postdoctoral Researcher on Drivers of Biodiversity Change Across Time at the Section for Biodiversity, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen

We are seeking a motivated and dynamic postdoctoral researcher to join our team for a 2-year position starting March 1st, 2025 (or as soon as possible thereafter). This exciting opportunity involves groundbreaking research at the intersection of biodiversity science, climate change, and land use dynamics. The position will be based at the Section for Biodiversity at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen. Information on the section and department can be found at https://globe.ku.dk/research/biodiversity/ and https://globe.ku.dk.

The position is offered as part of the project ATEMPO (“Anthropogenic impacts on TEMPOral biodiversity change”), led by Associate Professor Naia Morueta-Holme and funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark’s Sapere Aude program. You can read more about the lab at https://naiamoruetaholme.org/.

Our research

Humans are altering biodiversity across the globe, and ongoing global warming and land use change are expected to result in drastic shifts in species distributions and ecosystems. Yet, despite increasing amounts of data, we still have a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying biodiversity change in the Anthropocene. Being able to disentangle the factors that mediate responses to climate and land use change across spatial and temporal scales is essential to inform conservation actions. To address this challenge, ATEMPO seeks to quantify and attribute the impacts of human-driven climate and land use change on plant and bird species assemblages over the past 100 years, with Greenland and Denmark as the main study regions. Our team applies a macroecological approach to historical resurveys, integrating legacy data, field resurveys, spatial modelling, and remote sensing, and has gathered extensive vegetation resurvey data during two completed field expeditions in Greenland.

Your job and your collaborators

The main focus of this postdoc position is to assess the role of land use change in mediating responses of biodiversity to climate change, and how temporal scale, time lags, and spatial scale affect our ability to attribute biodiversity change to drivers. You will reconstruct and quantify fine-scale changes in 3D vegetation structure at landscape scales for timespans predating Landsat imagery, which can be analysed with e.g., resurvey data. To achieve this, you will apply structure-from-motion and texture analysis of repeat aerial photographs and other remote sensing to estimate changes in vegetation structure and functional composition. Additional approaches and data sources may also be integrated, including spatial analysis, causal inference methods, meta-analysis, field data collected through ATEMPO, other biodiversity datasets, historical land cover maps, and climate data.

We are looking for a proactive and creative researcher who is excited to contribute their own ideas to shaping research questions and designs within the scope of the overall project. Key research themes may include exploring the optimal spatial and temporal scales for causal attribution or prediction of plant and bird community changes, and investigating the role of land use change in mediating biodiversity responses to climate change. You will have the opportunity to lead at least three high-quality publications in top-tier international journals, with support from a collaborative and multidisciplinary team. Additionally, you will be encouraged to participate in outreach and education initiatives and have the chance to co-supervise MSc students, fostering the next generation of researchers.

Associate Professor Naia Morueta-Holme is the PI for ATEMPO. Core collaborators include Professor Hans Henrik Bruun (Biology), Professor David Nogués-Bravo (Globe), and Professor Signe Normand (Aarhus University). We encourage teamwork and collaborations both within the University of Copenhagen and across our extensive national and international network of collaborators. By joining our team, you will have the opportunity to engage with diverse experts, build global connections, develop your skills, and contribute to cutting-edge research in a supportive and dynamic setting.

 

Your profile

We encourage applications from skilled and enthusiastic candidates who meet many, though not necessarily all, of the following criteria:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have, or will soon have, a PhD in ecology, computer science, statistics or related field and a maximum of 4 years post-PhD experience (can be extended for leave of absence)
• Expertise in quantitative spatial modelling and remote sensing
• Experience in writing computer code
• Experience in working with computational data analysis for large spatial datasets
• Proficient communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work independently and in teams
• Excellent English language skills

Desirable experience and skills:

• Experience with computer vision applications
• Experience with causal inference approaches
• Strong knowledge base and research experience in ecology and biodiversity
• Good understanding of ecosystem dynamics in temperate and Arctic regions
• An excellent publication track-record, including first-author papers in international peer-reviewed journals

 

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Section for Biodiversity at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and supportive research group that actively strives to foster a creative, friendly and engaging research environment.
 

With over 200 early-career researchers at the Globe Institute, we have a large vibrant and international community with many work-related and social activities.  The Globe Institute is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment where employees and students can belong and thrive. See our website for more information. All qualified applicants will receive full consideration. Candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, contribute to the diversity and competencies of our Institute are encouraged to apply. The University of Copenhagen strives to offer a family friendly and flexible working environment with a sustainable balance between work- and private life, including parental leave schemes (up to 47 weeks for both parents) and up to six weeks of paid holidays per year. The university offers a variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families.

University of Copenhagen is the seventh best university in the European Union according to ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024) and number 32 in the world. The city of Copenhagen is consistently rated among the most livable cities in the world; it is easy to navigate on a bike, yet international and diverse.

 

Terms of employment

The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week. The position is fixed-termed for a period of 2 years. Starting date is 1st of March 2025 or as soon as possible afterwards.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 38,000 DKK/approx. 5,000 EUR (April 2024 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

 

Questions

For further information please contact Naia Morueta-Holme (morueta-holme@sund.ku.dk). Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

 

Application procedure

Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

1. Motivation letter for this position, including a research plan outlining how the project could be carried out (max. two pages). The research plan is used only for evaluating the applicant.
2. CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
3. A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor will do.
4. List of publications
5. Reference letters or full contact details (name, address, telephone & email) of two professional references (these will only be contacted if you are shortlisted).

 

Deadline for applications: January 5th 2025, 23.59pm CET

 

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

 

The further process

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on their assessment.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/. The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held between 20-24 January 2024 either in-person or online.

 

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.