Positions

Open position for a PhD student - 3-year fully funded PhD position (65%)

Tasks: You will conduct research in the DFG-Project “Quartz Islands II - Cross-scale determinants of plant diversity and endemism in quartz island archipelagos in southern Africa“ in collaboration with Dr. Ute Schmiedel (University of Hamburg) and Prof. Severin Irl (Goethe-University Frankfurt). The project investigates plant diversity and endemism in unique quartz habitats (so-called quartz islands) along the Western Cape of southern Africa by combining approaches from vegetation ecology, island biogeography and remote sensing as well as experimental ecology. The Quartz Island II project consists of two PhD-student positions, of which one is located at the University of Hamburg with Dr. Ute Schmiedel and the other with Prof, Severin Irl at the Goethe-University Frankfurt. The position advertised in this add will focus on the island biogeography and functional ecology of the flora of the quartz islands in southern Africa and offers chances for collecting data in the field (vegetation plots, species identification, functional trait measurements) as well as using large databases for macroecological analyses. You will also have the possibility to conduct selfdetermined research for further scientific qualification. Your tasks encompass project work (e.g., several weeks of field work in South Africa), scientific project coordination and other scientific services as well as contributing to academic self-administration. Place of employment is Frankfurt am Main. Qualification goal is a PhD. Main supervisor will be Severin Irl.

Your profile: An above-average scientific university degree in Ecology, Biology, Physical Geography or another related discipline. Requirements: i) Advanced knowledge of island biogeography and vegetation ecology, ii) good skills in plant identification, iii) good skills in botany and soil chemistry, iv) very good skills in R and GIS for establishing databases, advanced statistical analyses and GIS analyses, v) willingness to conduct several scientific field trips to the study area under expedition conditions, vi) motivation to publish and present scientific results in international peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. A further requirement is fluency in English (oral and written). Remote sensing skills are helpful but not required.

Applications: Please send your application including CV, cover letter and, if applicable, list of publications until 15.10.2023 as pdf to Rita Peters, rita.peters@em.uni-frankfurt.de. Please put the following application ID in the subject line: QISL2024. For further questions please contact Prof. Severin Irl: telephone number: +49-69-798-40171, e-mail: irl@geo.uni-frankfurt.de.