Postdoctoral Fellow - Global Change Ecologist

The Postdoctoral Fellow will lead the development of spatially explicit ecological models that use characteristics of past population dynamics from fossils and species genes, to reconstruct the range dynamics of select megafauna and medium-sized vertebrates in three broad geographic regions (Eurasia, America and Oceania) over the last 21,000 years. The resulting models will be used to identify the ecological processes that regulate the severity of threats from climate and land-use change, and over-exploitation on range shifts and extinctions. They will also be used to develop the capacity to target conservation management resources more effectively to slow or redirect future range contractions. It is expected that this project will establish the ecological and environmental factors that make some species more prone to range collapse from global change.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be part of a recently funded Australian Research Council Discovery Project, which is establishing the ecological mechanisms of range contractions to avert extinctions of native biota. The project is integrating biotic information from fossils and ancient DNA of vertebrates into computational models to determine ecological processes that drive the structure and dynamics of geographical ranges and regulate the severity of species extinction rates from drivers of global change. The successful candidate will work closely with a diverse and highly skilled group of researchers from the University of Adelaide, University of Copenhagen and the State University of New York. Research leaders in the fields of Global Change Ecology and Modelling (A/ Prof Damien Fordham), Ancient DNA (A/Prof Jeremy Austin), Biogeography and Conservation (A/Prof David Nogues-Bravo, Prof. Carsten Rahbek and Prof. Mark Lomolino) will provide the mentoring, co-supervision and support necessary to both meet project aims and to develop a successful research career.

The successful candidate will be based at the University of Adelaide's School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute, where they will be part of a team of trans-disciplinary scientists who are improving the way in which ecological-model forecasts are generated, interpreted, and used to protect natural systems for long-term resource sustainability. They will have access to the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, the Globe Institute, which houses the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, and world-class high-performance computing facilities.

Candidates should have a strong research interest in global change ecology, paleoecology, eco-evolutionary dynamics or conservation biology. They should enjoy working in a diverse and dynamic research environment.

To be successful you will need:

• A PhD in quantitative ecology, evolutionary biology, applied mathematics or a related discipline
• Evidence of original publications in the peer-reviewed literature
• Practical experience with building spatially explicit ecological models, particularly those that are also process-based
• Evidence of good computational and analytical programming skills and the ability to use geographic information systems to generate and map spatial data
• Proficiency with advanced statistical languages such as R, Matlab or Python

Enjoy an outstanding career environment

The University of Adelaide is a uniquely rewarding workplace. The size, breadth and quality of our education and research programs - including significant industry, government and community collaborations - offers you vast scope and opportunity for a long, fulfilling career.

It also enables us to attract high-calibre people in all facets of our operations, ensuring you will be surrounded by talented colleagues, many world-leading. Our work's cutting-edge nature - not just in your own area, but across virtually the full spectrum of human endeavour - provides a constant source of inspiration.

Our core values are honesty, respect, fairness, discovery and excellence. Our culture is one that welcomes all and embraces diversity. We are firm believers that our people are our most valuable asset, so we work to grow and diversify the skills of our staff.

In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive staff benefits. These include: salary packaging; flexible work arrangements; high-quality professional development programs and activities; and an on-campus health clinic, gym and other fitness facilities.

Your faculty's broader role

The Faculty of Sciences is a multidisciplinary hub of cutting-edge teaching and research in: agriculture; food and wine; animal and veterinary sciences; biological sciences; and physical sciences. It develops future science leaders, and actively partners with innovative industries to solve scientific problems of global significance.

If you want to change tomorrow, act today

Click the link to the online application form below and address and upload your responses to all selection criteria. Applications close 11:55pm, 17 November 2019.

For further information

For a confidential discussion regarding this position, please contact one of the Associate Professors listed below:

Associate Professor Damien Fordham

E: damien.fordham@adelaide.edu.au

Associate Professor Jeremy Austin

E: jeremy.austin@adelaide.edu.au

Associate Professor David Nogues Bravo

E: dnogues@snm.ku.dk

For information regarding recruitment, contact:

Mandy Holloway

Human Resource Coordinator

Faculty of Sciences

P: +61 (0) 83137740

E: mandy.holloway@adelaide.edu.au

The University of Adelaide is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who meet the requirements of this position are strongly encouraged to apply.

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