Postdoc in Marine Ecology and Biogeochemistry

at  Roskilde universitet

The Department of Science and Environment (DSE), Roskilde University, invites applications for a position as a postdoc in marine ecology and biogeochemistry from April 1st, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter. The position as a postdoc is for a period of 24 months, and the ideal candidate is a molecular ecologist (with gas exchange and/or microsensor experience).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The postdoc’s work will include research within greenhouse gas dynamics in seagrass meadows. You will help determining how leaf epiphytes (microalgae and bacteria) affect the seagrass ecosystem function as greenhouse gas sink and the greenhouse gas production under environmental stress. Such knowledge is important to optimize the beneficial role of seagrass habitats. You will be using cutting-edge microsensor and chemical imaging techniques to unravel how eutrophication-induced leaf epiphytes affects: (i) the seagrass ecosystem function as an overall greenhouse gas sink, via descriptions of effects on optical properties and photosynthetic capacity, (ii) the leaf phyllosphere metabolic activity and greenhouse gas production under environmental stress conditions including hypoxia and high temperatures, (iii) the potential night-time production/emission of the potent greenhouse gas N2O from anoxic epiphytic biofilms, and (iv) key decomposition processes and microbial populations affecting carbon accumulation and greenhouse gas production in seagrass sediment during fresh litter decomposition.
The planned research is highly interdisciplinary, involving environmental biologists, molecular biologists, and chemists (on this project, funded by the Villum foundation, there will be hired 1 PhD student and 2 postdocs over a 5-year period). The postdoc will have opportunities to influence the direction of the project.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent with focus on sediment biogeochemistry, greenhouse gas dynamics, and/or molecular ecology within seagrass ecosystems. Excellent command of the English language in speaking and writing must be demonstrated. Prior publications within molecular ecology and/or greenhouse gas fluxes of seagrass meadows are a prerequisite.

Qualifications within some of the following scientific areas are required:

• Key knowledge of marine ecology, plant physiology and sediment biogeochemistry.
• Experience with using electrochemical microsensors, greenhouse gas analyser (e.g., UGGA), chemical imaging (e.g., planar optodes and optical sensor nanoparticles), and/or DNA extraction and sequencing (e.g., 16S rRNA amplicon gene sequencing).

We also expect applicants to have:

• Excellent written and oral English language communication skills.
• Highly organized work-practice with strong attention to details and a focus on quality results.
• Strong record of peer-reviewed publications.

The ideal candidate shall be enterprising and possess good communication skills, be visible and involved in the department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the department.

The candidate is expected to:

• Lead part of the project in the research group as a team member.
• Unravel key biogeochemical processes and chemical conditions in anoxic epiphytic biofilms, and link this to potential production and release of greenhouse gas and how this is affected by Anthropogenic environmental stressors.

• Investigate the fate of fixed carbon in seagrass meadows: incl. decomposition processes, leaf decay rates and greenhouse gas emissions.Mentor PhD students within the focus of the research project.