Missions

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for carrying out actions 1-Analysis of the biodiversity of phytoplankton communities in high-altitude lakes in relation to the effects of climate change and 4-Assessing the links between trophic network structure and pollutant transfer pathways of the BioAlpine project in collaboration with other project members. He will actively participate in Action 2—Structuring food webs and mechanisms for the transfer of organic matter. Together with the project leader, he or she will be responsible for the overall coordination of the project and communication and exchanges with the managers involved in the project.
He or she will be responsible for disseminating the results to a variety of audiences, including the scientific community, protected area managers, and the general public, both locally and globally.
In partnership with the project manager, he will be required to propose biodiversity protection tools and measures adapted to ecosystems.

Activities

The successful candidate will be involved in organizing and conducting field sampling and measurement campaigns. They will be responsible for acquiring data, processing results, and promoting the knowledge gained.

Their mission will be to characterize the phytoplankton, algae, bacteria, and zooplankton communities in the lakes studied (at least eight lakes will be studied). To do this, the postdoctoral researcher will use techniques such as microscopy and flow cytometry. They will carry out part of the activities of Action 2 (“link between phytoplankton biodiversity and food web structure”) and synthesize the results of the various partners involved in this action. He or she will ensure the proper completion of the analyses for Action 3 (“characterization of pollutants (N, P, PAHs, PCBs, etc.) present in lakes and link between lake characteristics and contaminant concentrations”).

The successful candidate will be required to collect data and process it using statistical analyses appropriate to the dataset. They will be required to write scientific articles based on the results obtained and present these results at national and international conferences. They must be able to communicate the data obtained in a way that is accessible to all stakeholders and managers in the Alpine region involved in the project.

Skills

- Theoretical/methodological foundations in community ecology (particularly planktonic).
- Theoretical foundations on the functioning of high-altitude lakes
- Good knowledge of mathematical and statistical modeling methods in ecology
- Proficiency in optical microscopy and flow cytometry tools
- Very good knowledge of algal community identification
- Good knowledge of statistical methods for molecular data analysis
- Writing skills enabling the drafting of scientific articles in A-level journals.
- Fluency in English
- Very good skills in statistics and data analysis
- Mastery of molecular biology techniques for the analysis and identification of algae and bacteria
- Good physical condition and solid field experience to be able to participate in sampling campaigns on lakes in summer and winter conditions.

Work Context

The successful candidate will join the Populations, Landscapes, Communities & Conservation (POPCO) team at UMR 7263, IMBE, Mediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology. They will contribute to the life and dynamics of the team.

She/he must be available to participate in field campaigns.

Constraints and risks

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate excellent integration skills in order to be able to communicate and collaborate with all members of the various research teams involved in the BioAlpine project.

She must be able to organize, prepare, and participate in sampling and measurement campaigns, which will be numerous during the term of the contract.