[Taxacom] Postdoc position: Evolution/Diversification Rates (Qinghai-Tibet, China)

[Alexandra Muellner]

Postdoc
position

“Changes
in organismic diversification rates with regard to the uplift of the
Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and associated climate and vegetation changes”
A
three-year Postdoc position, funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG), is
available at the Department of Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Plants,
Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Germany, starting end of 2012/early
2013. 

The
project is part of a research cluster involving several German working groups (Leipzig,
Dresden, Frankfurt) studying the origin and evolution of Tibetan-Himalayan
biotas. The research cluster is designed to study the relationships between
geophysical changes (the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau), associated
climate and ecological changes (establishment of the monsoon system), and the
diversification of different taxonomic groups (sub-/alpine plants, birds,
stream insects). The successful applicant will have the opportunity
to collaborate with a research group of biologists, palaeontologists and
(palaeo)climatologists working on the relation of long-term evolution of
climate and ecosystems to plant and animal evolution on the Qinghai-Tibetan
Plateau and adjacent regions.
The
Tibetan-Himalayan region hosts several hotspots of biodiversity. The uplift of
the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau had a profound impact on the environmental
evolution at regional and global scales, and might have caused the increase of
evolutionary diversification rates for many organismic groups of this region.
By combining dated phylogenies produced by the members of the research cluster
with previously published data, the successful applicant will compare temporal
shifts in diversification rates across various organismic groups with regard to
major geological, climatic and palaeo-vegetation changes, and compare the rates
to other high elevation areas of the world.
We seek a highly motivated Postdoc
candidate holding a PhD degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Botany, Evolution, Ecology,
Zoology) with a sound background in phylogenetics, molecular clock dating,
biogeography, and DNA lab work. Knowledge on methods dealing with the
estimation of diversification rates and/or on the evolution of organisms on the
Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau will be of advantage. Excellent communication skills, a
good working knowledge of English and the ability to work independently are
essential.
Please send your application as a
single pdf document to muellner-riehl at uni-leipzig.de, including:
•  a cover
letter outlining relevant background, work experience and motivation
•  your CV, including a list of publications 
•  copies of educational certificates 
•  names and addresses of two referees.
 
Deadline for applications is October
31st, 2012, or until a suitable candidate is found. For further
information on our working group, please visit http://www.biphaps.uni-leipzig.de/de/sysbot/startseite.html. Informal enquiries can be addressed to Prof.
Alexandra Muellner-Riehl (muellner-riehl at uni-leipzig.de), or to Dr. Adrien Favre (adrien.favre at uni-leipzig.de).
                                                                                                                                                                                                
Description
of the working place
Leipzig
is located in the federal state of Saxony, about 200 km south of Germany´s
capital, Berlin. The charming city provides all sorts of entertainment and a
high quality of life. For example, various classical and modern music festivals
take place in Leipzig every year. The housing situation is excellent with a
wide range of accommodations available throughout the city and at very reasonable
rental rates. For further information about Leipzig city, please see http://www.leipzig.de/.
The University of Leipzig was founded in 1409, making it one
of the oldest universities in Germany. In the course of its long history, it
grew to encompass a wide selection of disciplines comprising almost all areas
of research. World-renowned scientists have taught or studied in Leipzig, and
important impulses for the development of thought originated here. Nowadays,
the University of Leipzig is an interdisciplinary and international university.
Crossing boundaries of traditional academic disciplines, international
collaboration, and networking with non-university research institutions (e.g.
UFZ, MPI) are not just traditions of the University but are also the basis of
its academic excellence.For further
information about Leipzig University, seehttp://www.zv.uni-leipzig.de/en/.
Last but not least, Leipzig is the base of iDiv, the newly
founded German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, a hub for
international biodiversity science with its central mission to promote
theory-driven synthesis and data-driven theory. iDiv is jointly hosted by the
University of Leipzig (UL), the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
(MLU), and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU), all of which have a
strong tradition in biodiversity sciences. For further information about iDiv,
please see http://www.idiv-biodiversity.de/.