Postdoc position: “Isochrysidales bloom dynamics in Swiss lakes’

The MMB department is looking for a highly motivated and independent postdoc with a PhD degree in Geosciences, Environmental Sciences, Chemistry or Biology. This postdoctoral researcher position is part of the IsoTalk project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Dutch Science Foundation under the International Co-Investigator scheme.

ROYAL NIOZ
NWO-NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is the Dutch national oceanographic institute and principally performs academically excellent multidisciplinary, fundamental, and frontier applied research addressing important scientific and societal questions pertinent to global biodiversity and climate change.

THE DEPARTMENT
The research of the Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry (MMB) has a long history of studying all domains of microbial life (bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic), their interactions, and their role in biogeochemical cycling in a variety of environments, varying from coastal environments, inland seas and lakes to the deep ocean and sediments. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, bioinformatics resources and analytical equipment, and has an excellent level of technical support.

THE VACANCY

Project summary: Alkenones are lipid molecules produced exclusively by haptophyte algae of the order Isochrysidales, that have been used for decades in the marine realm to reconstruct sea surface temperatures. The IsoTalk project will combine intensive field monitoring, culture experiments, lipid biomarker analysis and molecular profiling to determine what controls the dynamics of Isochrysidales blooms in mid-latitude freshwater systems. The postdoctoral researcher will be employed at NIOZ in the Netherlands and will participate in the field work and be responsible for the molecular (DNA) analyses and culture experiments to track the Isochrysidales bloom in lakes. They will collaborate with a PhD student employed at Eawag in Switzerland, who will track the alkenone production and establish alkenone-temperature calibrations.

THE CANDIDATE

Key responsibilities: 

• Performing molecular biology data analysis to determine the Isochrysidales community composition during the spring bloom and subsequent productive season
• Carrying out mesocosm experiments to stimulate Isochrysidales blooms in Lake St. Moritz and Lake Greifensee
• Documenting the Isochrysidales diversity in the past and present across Swiss lakes using long-read sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization techniques
• Organizing and submitting sequencing data and metadata to public repositories
• Sharing results at (inter)national conferences and preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals

We expect:

• A positive attitude, open mind, and willingness to learn and take on new challenges
• A highly organized, strong work ethic, excellent documentation skills, and attention to detail
• Experience or capacity to learn flow cytometry and molecular sequencing methods and data analysis
• Experience with sterile technique, cell culturing including media preparation,
• Ability to travel, hike, and join cold weather field work campaigns
• Competence in data analysis using R or python, proficient unix/linux skills
• Flexibility in adapting to the needs of the project and other team members
• Efficiency and accuracy working independently and as part of the IsoTalk team

We offer:

• Interactions with researchers with backgrounds from a broad range of environmental microbiological topics
• Excellent access to state-of-the-art molecular biology, culturing, biogeochemistry and microscope facilities
• Opportunities to assist mentoring PhD and master students

NIOZ wants to be a transparent institute with a healthy working climate and an inclusive culture, where people from diverse backgrounds and gender bring their talents and further develop these talents. We aim for inclusive decision-making processes and expect our leadership to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.

CONDITIONS

• Employment of this full-time position at Royal NIOZ is by NWO-I for a duration of 3 years.
• Salary compliant with CAO-WVOI  (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes) scale 10 or 11 depending on relevant experience.
• The freedom to fulfill your role and space and opportunities for your personal (talent) development with the help of the NIOZ Academy.
• 338 annualized holiday hours for a full-time 40-hour work week.
• Pension scheme via ABP, 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.33%.
• 2nd class public transportation travel is reimbursed 100%.
• Employment benefits plan to exchange a portion of your salary for days off or vice versa, or can be used to purchase a bicycle with tax benefits.
• We offer relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation.

MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. dr. Linda Amaral-Zettler. For additional information about the procedure, please send an e-mail to working@nioz.nl

Closing date for this vacancy is 22 November 2024