PhD offer to study the microbial metabolism in Oxygen Minimum Zones and low oxygen environments, being focused on the impact of decreasing oxygen conditions on the respiration rates of model microorganisms and microbial communities of Oxygen Minimum Zones.

 What?

We are looking for a motivated candidate to pursue a doctoral thesis in microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of oceanic ecosystems. The project will be supported by the MAMBO project (MicrobiAl Metabolism in the Boundary of Oxic-anoxic conditions), which aims to study the response of marine microbial communities to decreasing oxygen levels, providing useful information to understand the impacts of the ocean deoxygenation in coastal zones impacted by hypoxic/anoxic events and in the vast Oxygen Minimum Zones.

The candidate will use a combination of laboratory experiments and field measurements during oceanographic cruises to study the kinetics of aerobic respiration and gene expression of model microbes and of microbial community from oceanic regions affected or not by low oxygen conditions.

When?

The PhD will start in April-May 2022 and will last 3 years, with the possibility of a 1-year extension.

Where?

The PhD will be developed in the Microbial Ecology and Biogeochemistry Group of the Department of Biology of the University of Cadiz, under the supervision of Emilio Garcia Robledo.

Requirements

• The candidate must have obtained a bachelor’s degree on Marine or Environmental Sciences, Biology, Biotechnology or similar and a Master’s degree preferably also in the same topics.
• The candidates must be pre-registered in a Doctoral Program in Marine Science and Technology at the University of Cadiz (https://posgrado.uca.es/doctor/)
• The candidate must not be a doctor or have had a PhD grant of more than 12 months.
• Be highly motivated and committed to develop a scientific career.
• Have some experience on aquatic ecology, microbiology, biogeochemistry, molecular biology or similar.
• Have experience on scientific reading and writing
• Have a high level of written and spoken English

How to apply?

The University of Cadiz has opened the call for applications from October 29 to November 25, 2021 on the website planpropioinvestigacion.uca.es/contratos-predoctorales-asociados-a-proyectos-y-rc-pif-2021/

Call: BOUCA341

Please send an email with your CV to emilio.garcia@uca.es before applying for the position.

Applications

• Send the application electronically through the following application: planpropioinvestigacion.uca.es/contratos-predoctorales-asociados-a-proyectos-y-rc-pif-2021/
• Project Reference: Microbial Metabolism at the Oxic-Anoxic Border – MAMBO: PID2020-117340RA-00               
• Only a single application is allowed
• Documentation to be attached:
  • documentation accrediting pre-admission to the PhD Program 2022/23: application page.
    • In case of doubts: contact doctoral school
  • Curriculum vitae according to the format included in the Annex IV of the call for applications: template
  • Academic certificate issued by the University where the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree was obtained: the grades obtained and the date of obtaining must appear. In the case of certificates issued by foreign centers, the maximum and minimum grades within the corresponding evaluation system and the minimum passing grade must also be stated. If the academic certification is issued in a language other than Spanish or English, it must be accompanied by the corresponding official translation into one of these two languages.
  • Responsible declaration of not being in possession of a Doctor’s degree: template
  • Statement that the applicant has not previously held a pre-doctoral contract for a period of more than 12 months: template.
  • Copy of valid passport in case of foreign citizens.