The Mediterranean Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE, Aix-Marseille University, Aix-en-Provence, France), in its Research Group “Conservation Ecology and Biotic Interactions” has a 22-month post-doc position open for applications. The position is funded through a European Neigborhood Partnership (ENPI) project on vulnerability of coastal ecosystems, involving research groups from Rome and Cagliari (Italy), Alexandria (Egypt), Beirut (Lebanon) and Sfax (Tunisia).
At IMBE, the project is directed by Arne Saatkamp, Agathe Leriche, and Cécile Albert, in Marseille, France – a region noted for its access to outdoor activities. The project aims to model the impacts of fragmentation (spatial organization), habitat degradation (land use change) on plant biodiversity of coastal ecosystems around the Mediterranean. We aim to fit to observations and output from plant distribution models (accounting for spatial explicit migration, neutral (stochastic) processes and community assembly rules) in order to assess the impact of spatial configuration on plant diversity. We then aim to simulate potential future changes in spatial configuration of these habitats. This project will benefit from a large data base of plant distributions and co-occurrences as well as extensive environmental and phylogenetic data gathered in previous projects and will be in contact with other regional to large scale model project in our institute.
The post-doc should start as soon as possible, dealing with existing GIS and floristic databases, interacting with researchers in our lab working on a broad range of projects in climate/global change impacts, macroecological patterns, phylogeography, functional ecology, landscape ecology and conservation biology. We look for a person with a Ph.D. in landscape ecology, plant ecology, biogeography, global change ecology/geography and with strong mathematical/modeling skills willing to work with spatial explicit biodiversity data. A background in distribution (niche) modeling, neutral theory of biodiversity & biogeography and modeling of dispersal processes at the landscape level will be particularly helpful. We look for a candidate with excellent English language and especially writing skills (publication record), willingness to work in a team and strong experience in modeling techniques in one of the above fields, knowledge of using R. Knowledge of French language or willingness to learn basics is a plus, but not required. Salary will correspond to French post-doc researcher positions which include social assurance coverage.
For more information regarding the position contact Dr. Arne Saatkamp (arne.saatkamp@imbe.fr). For application, please supply a single PDF document including: (i) a one page statement of interest and prospectives concerning the project, (ii) a 2 page curriculum vitae including publication record and (iii) two reference contacts that are willing to give information on your previous work (mail & phone), applications as early as possible, the position will be assigned at latest 31. January 2014.
