Post-Doc - Island biogeography - Univ Azores

Post-Doc Application

Under law No. 40/2004 of 18 August and the Rules of Research and Management from Foundation Gaspar Frutuoso (applicant organization), is open to award a Postdoctoral Fellowship (BPD), in the research areas of Biodiversity – Ecological Modelling / Molecular Biology to work in the Project ref. FCT- PTDC/BIA-BIC/119255/2010, “Biodiversity on oceanic islands: towards a unified theory”, financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) under the following conditions:

1 - Duration and scope of activity: Contract for a period of 12 months, renewable up to a maximum of 3 years with effect from 01 September 2012, on an exclusive basis, in accordance with regulations of advanced training of human resources FCT http:/ / www.fct.mctes.pt / en / support / training / ambitoprojectos) and regulation of scholarships the Foundation Gaspar Frutuoso

2. Aims of activity: The scholarship will aim to obtain data on the abundance, distribution and filogeography of arthropods endemic of the Azores Natural Forests. The Fellow will have the opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team of scientists of the Azorean Biodiversity Group (http://cita.angra.uac.pt/biodiversidade/), that include specialists in ecological modeling. Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in a pertinent field. Previous post-doctoral experience is not mandatory but will be considered a plus. The ideal candidate would have experience of combining molecular and ecological data and skills in handling large data.

Objectives of the work to the fellow include:
1- Modelling of ecological data (abundance / distribution) in a macroecological perspective.
2- Modelling data on the genetic diversity of island biota.
3- Combine molecular and ecological data to produce models that could explain island biodiversity.

3. Host institution: Universidade dos Açores – Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agrárias dos Açores (CITAA) (http://cita.angra.uac.pt/biodiversidade/) Azorean Biodiversity Group - Departamento de Ciências Agrárias (Terceira, Açores).

4. Scientific supervision: Prof. Doutor Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges (http://www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt/files/contactos_pborges_cv_short2010.pdf), Kostas Triantis (http://cita.angra.uac.pt/biodiversidade/equipa/ver.php?id=12), Aris Parmakelis (http://uaeco.biol.uoa.gr/uameco/DOCUMENTS/CV_Parmakelis_January_2009.pdf) and Robert Whittaker (http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/staff/rwhittaker.html).

5. Academic and experience required:
a) holders of PhD in Biodiversity and Conservation, Ecology of Insects, Animal Ecology, Molecular Ecology or related areas;
b) Preferably, candidates with a list of publications of recognized quality and experience in: environmental modelling, basic knowledge of Molecular Biology and Management of Databases.

6. Salary: Monthly allowance of € 1,495 (one thousand four hundred five euros).

7 – Documents to deliver: the application should have the following documents:
a) Letter to the President of Jury with the indication of the Project and application details (see first paragraph of this document above);
b) Proof that the applicant meets the requirements for the respective grant - Original or certified copy of the Certificate of PhD;
c) Curriculum vitae, dated and signed;
d) Summary of the work program to develop (see more details in 8b below and also http://cita.angra.uac.pt/biodiversidade/projectos/ver.php?id=42) ;
e) Motivation Letter;
f) Other documents that the applicant considers relevant to assessing the curriculum, including letters of recommendation.
g) Photocopy of Identity Card or Passport.

8. Evaluation Criteria: We will have into account:
a) The quality of the curriculum vitae;
b) the proposed work plan, including clarity of objectives, the adequacy of the phases and tasks to be performed, the scheduling of work and the reasonability of progress. For that we inform that the project will have the following Tasks – 1) Collection of biogeographic data; 2) Collection of publically available genetic data; 3) Mathematical modeling of the GDM; 4) Testing biogeographic predictions; 5) Testing evolutionary predictions.
c) the suitability of the candidate's profile to the purposes for which the scholarship is intended.

9 – Evaluation Jury: Prof. Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges; Prof. Konstantinos Triantis and Prof. Rob Whittaker.

10. Results of the evaluation: The evaluation results are released until 20 days after the deadline for submission of applications by written notice to applicants by e-mail.
The decision referred to in the preceding paragraph may be appealed to the Board of Directors of the Foundation Gaspar Frutuoso, within 8 working days of receipt of notification from.

11. Date of commencement and completion of the period of the Contest: The period for submission of applications is between 04 and 30 June 2012. They must be formalized through a request addressed to Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges, and sent, along with other documentation, by mail or delivered at the University of the Azores, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Azorean Biodiversity Group, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Açores. Alternatively; they may do so via e-mail to the following address: pborges@uac.pt

12 – Any additional information can be requested via fax 295 402 209, addressed to Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges, or by email to: pborges@uac.pt