Stellenangebot / Job offer
PhD position Marine/Aquatic Biogeochemistry or Biology
At Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Carbon Cycles, the Department Aquatic Nutrient Cycles invites applications for a PhD position on ‘Ecosystem service capacity and state of seafloor habitats in the western Black Sea’. This position is funded for a fixed-term period of 3 years through the HORIZON2020 Project DOORS – Developing Optimal and Open Research Support for the Black Sea.
Study site is the western Black Sea shelf. The overall aim of this PhD study is to assess the state of selected key seafloor habitats on the western Black Sea shelf with regard to recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and ‑service capacity in regulating eutrophication and climate change pressures. The successful candidate is expected to work in a large team of a European research project.
Your tasks:
- assessment of seafloor nutrient cycling capacity through measurements of sediment-water fluxes of nutrients and oxygen using benthic flux chambers and sediment core incubation experiments
- assessment of pelagic turnover rates of organic matter through incubation experiments
- measurement of nutrients and oxygen
- study of benthic macrofauna through sediment core fauna analysis and benthic habitat mapping by underwater video imaging and analysis
- analysis (including statistical) and interpretation of data
- assessment of influence of faunal activity on benthic turnover rates of nutrients and oxygen
- contribution to harmonization of methods in Black Sea research
- contribution to project reporting obligations
- presentations of results at project meetings and international conferences
- writing of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals for the PhD thesis
Your profile:
- master’s degree in Marine/Aquatic Biology or Biogeochemistry
- expertise in benthic macrofauna or habitat studies and sediment-water nutrient fluxes is essential
- excellent fieldwork and laboratory skills: experience in application of in situ instrumentation, underwater imaging systems as well as analytical background, knowledge in nutrient measurements and benthic macrofauna analyses is desirable
- solid skills in statistics and a scientific programming language (e.g. R, Matlab, Python)
- very good knowledge of English is essential, German is desirable (working languages are English and German)
- learning and knowledge sharing by actively seeking opportunities to learn from others and sharing best practice
- analytical thinking, scientific creativity and scientific credibility
- very good communication and scientific writing skills
- teamwork in an international and interdisciplinary setting
- willingness and proven physical ability to participate in seagoing research campaigns
