"PhD Using Ecological Genomics to study the Effects of Climate Change and Invasive Species on Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) in the Wadden Sea"

Job description

The candidate will be based in the group of Dr Tom Oosting (Ecological Genomics Lab - https://www.rug.nl/staff/t.oosting/research).

What are you going to do?

This PhD project at GELIFES, University of Groningen, aims to understand how anthropogenically driven environmental pressures are affecting blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mussels are ecosystem engineers and vital to the overall functioning of the intertidal ecosystem, providing substrate and protection for benthic organisms, and are a critical resource for coastal and migratory birds like knots and oystercatchers. The introduction of the invasive Pacific Oyster in the late 1970s has led to a proportional decline in pure mussel beds and an increase in Oyster reefs and mixed beds in the Wadden Sea. Approximately half of all reef-forming structures in the Dutch Wadden Sea are blue mussels, while the Lower Saxon region has seen a complete dominance of mixed beds, with 80% of the wet biomass consisting of Pacific Oyster. While these two species can coexist, the impact of Pacific oysters on the blue mussel population remains unknown. Increased competition for resources and changes in environmental conditions are likely to influence individual fitness; however, the extent to which this affects genetic diversity remains unexplored. In addition, climate change is disproportionately warming shallow intertidal ecosystems. Some areas of the Wadden Sea have experienced an increase of almost 2 degrees in surface water temperature over the last 60 years, which is nearly double the global mean increase. 

As environmental conditions change, a critical question is whether blue mussels can cope with future environmental conditions. Unresolved questions include how blue mussels respond to their environment at the molecular level and how resilient they are in coping with unprecedented environmental changes.

The successful candidate will get the opportunity to work with cutting-edge sequencing approaches and develop state-of-the-art computational resources to develop analytical workflows. A primary task is to generate a genomic dataset that allows us to test for genetic differences between environmental conditions. Genotype-by-environment (or similar) analysis combined with environmental models will be utilised to assess the vulnerability of blue mussels under different PICC climate change projections. The students will be required to design and conduct fieldwork, lab work, and bioinformatic analysis. The results will be used to assess the impact of anthropogenically driven environmental changes on blue mussels. Insights will contribute to the development of informed management strategies that consider the long-term impact of unprecedented ecological change and help maintain a resilient Wadden Sea ecosystem. The position is placed at the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life-Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen.

Requirements

The candidate is expected to make an active contribution to the Ecological Genomics Lab. Group and the Marine Biology cluster in Groningen.

The successful candidate should have:

• A Master's degree (or equivalent) in ecology/genetics or a related field.
• Experience in population genetics or highly motivated to learn.
• Experience in R/python/linux or highly motivated to learn
• High motivation in pursuing academic research.
• High and demonstrated English proficiency.
• Effective communication (both written and spoken in English) and collaboration abilities.
• Demonstrable time management skills.

Conditions of employment

What can you expect from us?

• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.

Employer

University of Groningen

At the University of Groningen (RUG), researchers across all branches of science and technology work on scientific challenges and societal issues. Lecturers train their students for meaningful careers in science or beyond. Interdisciplinary research and education, knowledge sharing, and collaboration with companies, government institutions, and societal organizations are highly valued at this top 100 university. RUG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working environment that invites you to contribute your value.

Department

Faculty of Science and Engineering

The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) provides teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy. In close collaboration with partners from industry, healthcare, and society, we contribute to the urgent challenges of our time, such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology. Our community is open and informal, with more than 7,000 students, 1,000 PhD students, and 1,400 staff members from all over the world. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Science and Engineering, visit rug.nl/fse.

Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 33,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.

Additional information

Do you have any questions or need more information?

Questions about the content of the job? Tom Oosting (Assistant Professor): t.oosting@rug.nl

Questions about your application process? Tom Oosting (Assistant Professor): t.oosting@rug.nl