Post-doc position in the Polish National Science Centre project

Outline

Requirements:

- PhD in biology with specialization in molecular ecology / microbiology / environmental genomics / paleogenomics. Thedegree must be obtained before starting the employment and no longer than 7 before the application

- Strong experience in high-throughput sequencing data generation and analysis (metabarcoding and/ormetagenomics)

- Excellent knowledge of statistical tools applied to microbial ecology

- Proficiency in bioinformatics and biostatistics (R, Python or MATLAB)

- High motivation for scientific work

- Very good English written and verbal communication skills

- Authorship/co-authorship of scientific papers and conference presentations

Tasks description:

1. Analysis of recent and paleo-metabarcoding data generated during the project using standard tools for analysis ofhigh-throughput sequencing data;

2. Adapting algorithms and statistical methods for the processing of metabarcoding data of particular taxonomicgroups (e.g. foraminifera);

3. Curating barcoding and metabarcoding databases of selected taxa targeted by the project;

4. Teaching and assistance in using bioinformatic tools applied to environmental genomics and paleogenomics;

5. Maintenance and updating of bioinformatics tools routinely used in the lab.;

6. Writing scientific publications;

7. Presentation of the results at international scientific conferences.

Project’s description:

The project aims at investigating the impact of environmental changes on past and present biodiversity in NordicSeas using sedimentary ancient DNA. It is well known that the modern Artic marine ecosystems are radicallychanging due to global warming. However, much less is known about the evolution of Arctic biodiversity inpostglacial period, especially regarding the impact of past climate change on the diversity of microbial eukaryotesand meiofauna (animals < 1mm), which play a crucial ecological role at the base of Arctic food webs.

In this project we will use environmental DNA metabarcoding applied to modern and fossil marine sedimentscollected at Svalbard, Greenland and Jan Mayen shelfs to reconstruct the history of marine life in Nordic Seas duringthe last 20’000 years. We will analyze water and surface sediment samples to check how well the extant marinediversity is preserved in sedimentary DNA archives. Then, we will analyze sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA)preserved in selected sediment cores in order to explore biodiversity changes in Nordic Seas over time. By using multiple genetic markers, we will follow changes in composition of different groups of organisms, from microalgae toother single-cell eukaryotes and animals. We will integrate these historical biodiversity data with the informationabout environmental change provided by classical palaeoceanographic proxies. The results of our study will helpunderstanding how the marine organisms responded to climate change in the past and whether this response issimilar to what we observe today. In particular, we will analyze the impact of climate change on biodiversity duringthe mid-Holocene Thermal Maximum, about 5’000-9’000 years ago and compare it to the current global warming.

The main scientific objective of the project will be to test the hypothesis that the past increase of sea surfacetemperature in Nordic Seas was associated with the increase of biodiversity, lower productivity and reduced carbonburial. The main challenges are (1) to assess the capacity of DNA preserved in marine sediments to archive thebiodiversity changes at the surface and in the water column; (2) to identify the potential bioindicators ofpaleoenvironmental changes in metabarcoding data; and (3) to integrate multitaxon paleometabarcoding data withthe available paleoceanographic proxies from sedimentary, microfossil and geochemical record in order toreconstruct changes in eukaryotic biodiversity and correlate them to global warming and carbon burial.

The Post-doc position is available at within the cross-disciplinary research project “Sedimentary ancient DNA - a newproxy to investigate the impact of environmental change on past and present biodiversity in Nordic Seas (NEEDED)”,funded through the Norway and EEA Grants 2014–2021 under the Basic Research Programme (in the frame ofGRIEG programme) operated by the National Science Centre.

What is funded

Candidate will be hired at Institute of Oceanology PAN (post-doc) with salary of 10,000 PLN (gross) per month throughout the 27 months (with the possibility of extension to 36 months)

Start date: June 2021

Duration

27 months (with the possibility of extension to 36 months)

Eligibility

Application deadline: 17th May 2021

Applying form: email to janpawlowski@iopan.pl and pawlowska@iopan.pl with copy to: rekrutacja@iopan.pl

Additional questions can be sent to project PI: janpawlowski@iopan.pl / pawlowska@iopan.pl

The candidates may be requested additional information or invited to an interview with representatives of therecruitment commission.

Required documents:

1. Motivation letter;

2. Detailed CV (including a brief description of research interests, previous employments and publication list);

3. Copy of the Ph.D. diploma;

4. Contact details of at least two references (letters of recommendation are optional);

5. Consent clause*

*Please attach a signed document with the following consent clause:

I hereby consent to have my personal data processed by the Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciencepursuant to Article 6 paragraph 1 letter a of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),for the purpose ofcarrying out a recruitment process for the Post-doc position I also declare that I have read the information on the processing of personal data provided by the Institute in accordance with Article 13 GDPR.

......................... ..........................................

(place and date) (signature of the declarant)

INFORMATION ON THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA:

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