项目介绍

2025年3月26日

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

At the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BioEnv) we have teaching and research activities that stretch from the alpine ecosystem, through forests, cultivated land and streams, all the way into the marine environment. In these environments we study different levels of biological organisation from genes, individuals and populations, to communities and ecosystems. We work within ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics and combinations of these fields in order to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The department is placed at two different localities: in Natrium at Medicinaregatan 7B in Gothenburg and at the Kristineberg marine research station operated by the Marine Infrastructure at the University of Gothenburg. The current position is placed at Natrium.

We offer

The University of Gothenburg is a state authority, which means special benefits, more holidays and a great pension. You can read more about our employment benefits here.

Subject area 

Tropical tree ecology/ecophysiology

Subject area description 

There is high uncertainty about how tropical forests respond to ongoing changes in climate and disturbance regimes. One of the main sources of this uncertainty is a limited understanding of the mechanisms driving variability in tree mortality across space and time. This postdoctoral position is part of a larger project aimed at investigating how environmental changes affect forest functioning and biodiversity by influencing tree mortality in tropical ecosystems. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with leading experts at the intersection of tropical forest ecology and ecophysiology.

Duties 

The overall aim of this position is to advance our understanding of the links between environmental drivers (e.g., VPD, drought, storms), individual tree conditions (e.g., tree damage, light limitation), and the physiological processes leading to tree death. Research may include both experimental and observational studies, as well as fieldwork campaigns in the tropics (e.g., mortality surveys, physiological measurements, isotope marking, etc.). While data collection will primarily take place in the tropics, additional experiments can be conducted in the lab in Gothenburg or in surrounding forests. Specific research questions and focal areas will be developed by the postdoctoral researcher in collaboration with their supervisors.

The project is primarily based on ongoing research efforts led by the main supervisors. As such, the position is intended to build on collaborations with international researchers from the Smithsonian’s Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO, https://forestgeo.si.edu/), the Tropical Forest Mortality Working Group (ATFS-MWG, https://www.alliancetropicalforestscience.net/working-groups.html), the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments – Tropics (NGEE-Tropics, https://ngee-tropics.lbl.gov/), and/or the Rwanda-TREE project (https://www.rwandatree.com/). The incumbent will also participate in international meetings and analytical workshops.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to co-supervise PhD, MSc, and BSc students. A teaching agreement with the department may be negotiated based on teaching needs and suitability, for up to 20% of a full-time position, which could extend the duration of employment.

The postdoctoral researcher will be hosted at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences under the main supervision of Dr. Daniel Zuleta, with co-supervision by Prof. Johan Uddling. The project is associated with the strategic research area BECC (Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate; http://www.becc.lu.se/) and the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Center (GGBC) (https://www.gu.se/en/ggbc-global-biodiversity).

Eligibility 

The eligibility criteria for employing teaching staff are set out in Chapter 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance and in the Appointment Procedure for Teaching Posts at the University of Gothenburg. 

To be eligible for appointment as a postdoc, the applicant is required to have a doctoral degree, a doctoral degree in art or a foreign degree that is deemed to be equivalent to a doctoral degree. This eligibility requirement must be met before the employment decision is made. 

In the first instance, those who have completed their degree no more than three years prior to the end of the application period shall be considered. Those who have completed their degree more than three years prior to the end of the application period may also be considered in the first instance if special grounds exist. Special grounds relate to leave of absence due to illness, parental leave, commissions of trust within union organisations, service within the defence services or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical service or service/assignment relevant to the subject area.  

Assessment criteria 

Required qualifications for the employment:  

• To be eligible for appointment as a postdoc, the applicant is required to have a doctoral degree in Biology, Plant Ecology, Plan Ecophysiology, Tropical Ecology or another relevant subject
• Excellent communication skills, written and spoken, in English are necessary since we work in an international environment.
• Analytical skills in producing or handling biological data
• Knowledge in plant physiology
• Knowledge in tropical forest ecology
• Willingness to conduct field work in tropical countries

Desirable qualifications for the employment:

• A strong track record of scientific publications related to Tropical Forest Ecology, Tropical Tree Ecophysiology, and/or Tropical Tree mortality
• Fieldwork experience in the tropics
• Experience conducting field work under remote/challenging conditions
• Experience with quantitative data analysis and/or programming in R
• Experience in teaching and mentoring students

The application should be written in English and must include:

• A cover letter with the applicant’s justification for the application, i.e., that describes how the applicant meets the selection criteria (no more than one page)
• A list of qualifications (CV)
• Certificate of PhD exam
• Complete list of publications, including submitted and accepted manuscripts

The most qualified candidates, in relation to the assessment criteria in the advertisement, are invited for an interview.

Employment 

The employment is a temporary employment for two years*, 100 % of full time, placed at the Department of Biological and Environmental Science. Starting date June 1, 2025, or upon agreement.

*Employment may be extended if necessary to achieve the purpose of the employment, but the total period of employment may not exceed three years.

Contact information 

If you have any questions about the position, please contact:

Daniel Zuleta, Associate Senior Lecturer

Phone: +46 (0)73-499 8092

Email: daniel.zuleta@bioenv.gu.se
Webpage: https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/danielzuleta

Åsa Arrhenius, Head of Department

tel. +46 31 786 26 25

Email: asa.arrhenius@bioenv.gu.se

If you have any questions about the employment process, please contact HR at the Department of Biological and Environmental Science, personaladmin.natfak@gu.se

Unions 

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here: https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande 

Application 

Application

Submit your application via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal by clicking the “Apply” button. It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per the vacancy notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.  

Publications that cannot be attached to the application in digital format should be mailed in single copy to:

Department of Biological and Environmental Science

Att: Daniel Zuleta

University of Gothenburg

Box 461 or 463

S-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden

Label the envelope “Postdoctoral Position in Tropical tree ecology/ecophysiology, PAR 2025/245. The publications must be received no later than the application deadline.

Applications must be received by: April 27th, 2025

Information for International Applicants 

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: 

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services 
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/