There are always opportunities for enthusiastic and motivated postgraduate students and postdoctoral research fellows and many opportunities exist to obtain stipends and fellowships. Contact Sophie von der Heyden at svdh(at)sun.ac.za for more details.
Note that the major funding opportunities usually have deadlines towards the end of August each year (students) and April/May (postdocs), so be sure to make contact well before these dates. ------------
Postdoctoral Fellowship: conservation genomics, climate resilience and restoration of southern African seagrasses
The von der Heyden lab at Stellenbosch University is recruiting a postdoctoral fellow, for a fully funded NRF postdoctoral fellowship. The successful applicant will take a leading role in the newly funded “Project SeaStore: integrated research to support seagrass restoration and to build estuarine resilience in South Africa”, that combines transcriptomic and functional diversity in natural and experimental populations of the seagrass, Zostera capensis, throughout its range. The project is a collaboration involving Stellenbosch University (Profs Sophie von der Heyden, Guy Midgley), Nelson Mandela University (Prof Janine Adams), University of Cape Town (Dr Deena Pillay) and the Knysna Basin Project (Dr Louw Claassens).
The successful applicant will be based at the von der Heyden Lab at Stellenbosch University, one of Africa’s leading marine research groups specializing in the use of molecular tools to understand patterns and processes driving southern Africa’s rich marine biodiversity. We are a dynamic lab, with a strong emphasis on research excellence as well as student training and support. Our work spans population genetics and phylogeography, fisheries management/stock identification, historical biogeography and the impacts of historical and contemporary climate change on species distributions. To do this, we utilise a wide range of tools including genomics and environmental DNA, with our overarching goal of promoting the integration of molecular tools into conservation and sustainable utilization of southern African marine species and resources. You can find out more about the von der Heyden lab and marine research at Stellenbosch University here: www.vonderheydenlab.comor via FB www.facebook.com/vonderheydenlabor on Twitter: @vonderheydenlab or @ProjectSeaStore.
Applicants for the position will be hard-working, enthusiastic, independently motivated and willing to lead a significant part of Project SeaStore. A background in ecological genomics is essential, as is a passion for marine ecology and conservation. Ideally, the successful applicant would have some experience of transcriptomics and have worked with natural and laboratory populations of seagrass (although this is not essential). A background in bioinformatics (use of pipelines, ability to work and write R scripts) is required. The project includes a significant fieldwork component, so a valid drivers license is required, as well as an ability to work in aquatic environments.
Please direct all enquiries to Prof Sophie von der Heyden, svdh@sun.ac.za. For applications to be considered include a detailed CV noting experience, as well as publications and conference attendance and provide three contactable referees. The fellowship carries a value of R220,000 per annum and is available for two years (2020-2021). The successful applicant would ideally start early in 2020. Closing date for applications is 30th September 2019.
Stellenbosch University is one of Africa’s leading research intensive universities and is set in the beautiful Western Cape, close to Cape Town. For more information on Stellenbosch and Stellenbosch University: www.sun.ac.za. Stellenbosch offers ample opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and is a culturally diverse, vibrant and welcoming environment.