{"data":{"id":226639,"slug":"phd-student-in-arctic-freshwater-ecology","type":"job","title":"PhD Student in Arctic Freshwater Ecology","description":"Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment\nThird-cycle subject area\nBiology with specialisation in ecology\nDescription of the doctoral project\n \n \nThe overall aim of this PhD project is to understand the influence of climate-driven changes in vegetation cover and winter conditions on habitats and food webs of Arctic\/alpine lakes. Climate change is promoting the expansion of terrestrial vegetation, which enhances nutrient sequestration in the Arctic\/alpine landscapes and contributes to long-term declines in nutrient input to lakes (i.e., oligotrophication). Concurrently, changing winter conditions, including shorter ice-covered periods and increased snow cover, alter underwater light availability for primary production and oxygen availability for aquatic organisms during winter. This project will use a space-for-time field survey approach to (i) assess the effects of lake oligotrophication and changing winter conditions on benthic biofilm communities across different lake habitats; (ii) evaluate the consequences of biofilm compositional changes for the production and trophic transfer of health-promoting biomolecules (i.e., essential polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFA) versus harmful biomolecules (i.e., cyanotoxins) to higher trophic levels including fish; and (iii) quantify the extent to which oligotrophication and changing winter conditions alter Arctic\/alpine lake food webs, including consumer diets, the relative importance of benthic versus pelagic energy pathways, and food-chain length.\nAbout the position\nThe candidate will work with an international consortium involving collaborators from across the Nordic countries and North America. The project will use samples and data collected from Arctic\/alpine lakes in Sweden and other circumpolar regions. Implementation methods will include:\nSeasonal sampling of food web components, from primary producers to fish, during open-water (summer) and under-ice (winter) conditions.\nAnalysis of biomarkers (PUFA and cyanotoxins) in biological samples using chromatographic techniques.\nIntegration and synthesis of previous data with newly collected data on fatty acids, cyanotoxins, and stable isotopes.\nApplication of Bayesian mixing models to investigate consumer diets and food web pathways\n\nRequirements\nTo meet the general entry requirements you must have been awarded a second-cycle (Master's) qualification, satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance 1993:100, Chapter 7, Section 39).\nSpecific entry requirements for the third-cycle courses and study programme in Biology with specialisation in ecology. To meet the specific entry requirements, you must have at least 90 HEC in biology-related subjects. This must include a degree project and at least 30 HEC must be at second-cycle level.\nYou must also meet the equivalent English language requirements as those necessary for the Swedish upper-secondary qualification Engelska B\/6.\nYour profile\nApplicants should hold a degree in aquatic ecology, limnology, ecology, or equivalent. Experience in winter biological sampling at ice-covered lakes is highly meritorious. Strong skills in statistical analysis, experience in scientific publication, and fluency in written and oral Swedish are merits. Advantageous attributes include a working knowledge of aquatic food webs (e.g., algae, macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, fish), Arctic ecology, and\/or biogeochemistry. Experience in relevant biological sampling techniques and in biomarker analysis is also advantageous. Emphasis will also be placed on personal qualities including the capability of critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the capacity to work independently and in a team. Strong written and spoken English skills, as well as a driver's license valid for use in Sweden, are required.\nAbout us\nThe Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment is working with applied environmental science, with a national responsibility for assessing the condition of Swedish surface waters with respect to water chemistry, pollution and aquatic biota. The research focuses on geochemical and hydrological processes, aquatic ecology and biodiversity, microbial ecology as well as on environmental chemistry and aquatic ecotoxicology. The department has about 150 employees, of which approximately half are researchers\/doctoral students and the other half are technical and administrative staff.\nFor more information about the department visit: http:\/\/www.slu.se\/aquatic-sciences\nRead more about staff benefits and life as an SLU employee on https:\/\/www.slu.se\/om-slu\/jobba-pa-slu\/ \nRead more about third-cycle courses and study programmes on http:\/\/www.slu.se\/utbildning\/program-kurser\/forskarutbildning\/\nForm of employment \/ Funding\n \nEmployment as a doctoral student (4-year programme).\n \nDoctoral student salaries are set following the local collective agreement. Salary progression is fixed.\nLocation:\n \nUppsala\n \nScope:\n \n100%\n \nStart date:\n \nDecember 2026.\n \nApplication and selection:\n \nPlease submit your application using the link below. The deadline is 12 October 2026.\n \nRead more about the attachments that your application should include at https:\/\/www.slu.se\/en\/study\/programmes-courses\/doctoral-education\/how-can-i-become-a-doctoral-student\/application\/\nSelection among eligible applicants is based on the documents attached to the application, and is carried out with regard to the applicant's ability to complete the programme within the allotted time.\nAcademic union representatives:\nhttps:\/\/internt.slu.se\/en\/my-employment\/employee-associations\/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering\/","language":"sv","is_translated":true,"title_original":"PhD student in Arctic freshwater ecology","description_original":"Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment\nThird-cycle subject area\nBiology with specialisation in ecology\nDescription of the doctoral project\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe overall aim of this PhD project is to understand the influence of climate-driven changes in vegetation cover and winter conditions on habitats and food webs of Arctic\/alpine lakes. Climate change is promoting the expansion of terrestrial vegetation, which enhances nutrient sequestration in the Arctic\/alpine landscapes and contributes to long-term declines in nutrient input to lakes (i.e., oligotrophication). Concurrently, changing winter conditions, including shorter ice-covered periods and increased snow cover, alter underwater light availability for primary production and oxygen availability for aquatic organisms during winter. This project will use a space-for-time field survey approach to (i) assess the effects of lake oligotrophication and changing winter conditions on benthic biofilm communities across different lake habitats; (ii) evaluate the consequences of biofilm compositional changes for the production and trophic transfer of health-promoting biomolecules (i.e., essential polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFA) versus harmful biomolecules (i.e., cyanotoxins) to higher trophic levels including fish; and (iii) quantify the extent to which oligotrophication and changing winter conditions alter Arctic\/alpine lake food webs, including consumer diets, the relative importance of benthic versus pelagic energy pathways, and food-chain length.\nAbout the position\nThe candidate will work with an international consortium involving collaborators from across the Nordic countries and North America. The project will use samples and data collected from Arctic\/alpine lakes in Sweden and other circumpolar regions. Implementation methods will include:\nSeasonal sampling of food web components, from primary producers to fish, during open-water (summer) and under-ice (winter) conditions.\nAnalysis of biomarkers (PUFA and cyanotoxins) in biological samples using chromatographic techniques.\nIntegration and synthesis of previous data with newly collected data on fatty acids, cyanotoxins, and stable isotopes.\nApplication of Bayesian mixing models to investigate consumer diets and food web pathways\n\nRequirements\nTo meet the general entry requirements you must have been awarded a second-cycle (Master\u2019s) qualification, satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance 1993:100, Chapter 7, Section 39).\nSpecific entry requirements for the third-cycle courses and study programme in\u00a0Biology with specialisation in ecology. To meet the specific entry requirements, you must have least 90 HEC in\u00a0biology-related subjects. This must include a degree project and at least 30 HEC\u00a0must be at second-cycle level.\nYou must also meet the equivalent English language requirements as those necessary for the Swedish upper-secondary qualification Engelska B\/6.\nYour profile\nApplicants should hold a degree in aquatic ecology, limnology, ecology, or equivalent. Experience in winter biological sampling at ice-covered lakes is highly meritorious. Strong skills in statistical analysis, experience in scientific publication, and fluency in written and oral Swedish are merits. Advantageous attributes include a working knowledge of aquatic food webs (e.g., algae, macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, fish), Arctic ecology, and\/or biogeochemistry. Experience in relevant biological sampling techniques and in biomarker analysis is also advantageous. Emphasis will also be placed on personal qualities including the capability of critical thinking, problem\u2011solving skills, and the capacity to work independently and in a team. Strong written and spoken English skills, as well as a driver\u2019s license valid for use in Sweden, are required.\nAbout us\nThe Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment is working with applied environmental science, with a national responsibility for assessing the condition of Swedish surface waters with respect to water chemistry, pollution and aquatic biota. The research focuses on geochemical and hydrological processes, aquatic ecology and biodiversity, microbial ecology as well as on environmental chemistry and aquatic ecotoxicology. The department has about 150 employees, of which approximately half are researchers\/doctoral students and the other half are technical and administrative staff.\nFor more information about the department visit: http:\/\/www.slu.se\/aquatic-sciences\nRead more about staff benefits and life as an SLU employee on https:\/\/www.slu.se\/om-slu\/jobba-pa-slu\/\u00a0\nRead more about third-cycle courses and study programmes on http:\/\/www.slu.se\/utbildning\/program-kurser\/forskarutbildning\/\nForm of employment \/ Funding\n\u00a0\nEmployment as a doctoral student (4-year programme).\n\u00a0\nDoctoral student\u2019s salaries are set following the local collective agreement. Salary progression is fixed.\nLocation:\n\u00a0\nUppsala\n\u00a0\nScope:\n\u00a0\n100%\n\u00a0\nStart date:\n\u00a0\nDecember 2026.\n\u00a0\nApplication and selection:\n\u00a0\nPlease submit your application using the link below. The deadline is 12 October 2026.\n\u00a0\nRead more about the attachments that your application should include at\u00a0https:\/\/www.slu.se\/en\/study\/programmes-courses\/doctoral-education\/how-can-i-become-a-doctoral-student\/application\/\nSelection among eligible applicants is based on the documents attached to the application, and is carried out with regard to the applicant\u2019s ability to complete the programme within the allotted time.\nAcademic union representatives:\nhttps:\/\/internt.slu.se\/en\/my-employment\/employee-associations\/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering\/","available_locales":["en"],"price":null,"currency":"SEK","status":"active","noindex":true,"location":{"address":null,"full_address":null,"city":"Uppsala","country":"SE","latitude":59.8520701,"longitude":17.7188369},"metadata":{"region":"Uppsala l\u00e4n","duration":"6 m\u00e5nader eller l\u00e4ngre","employer":"Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet","postcode":"75007","positions":1,"profession":"Doktorand","salary_type":"Fast m\u00e5nads- vecko- eller timl\u00f6n","employer_url":"https:\/\/www.slu.se\/","scope_of_work":"100\u2013100 %","working_hours":"Heltid","contact_person":"Danny Lau","employment_type":"full_time","occupation_field":"Pedagogik","employer_workplace":"Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)","experience_required":true,"employment_type_label":"Vanlig anst\u00e4llning"},"user_id":null,"is_sponsored":false,"views_count":1,"ai_views_count":3,"bot_views_count":2,"ai_vendor_counts":{"other":1,"anthropic":2},"visibility":"public","submission_source":null,"submission_ai_name":null,"has_owner_email":true,"can_contact_owner":true,"phone":"+4618672462","owner_email":"danny.lau@slu.se","images":[],"published_at":"2026-09-22T11:01:55+00:00","expires_at":"2026-10-12T23:59:59+00:00","created_at":"2026-09-23T04:09:45+00:00","updated_at":"2026-09-27T03:11:51+00:00"}}