PhD in Experimental Marine Ecology and Response Diversity
Doctoral Candidate (PhD) in Experimental Marine Ecology at the University of Oldenburg, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
This PhD is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network ReDiLEEP and focuses on response diversity in marine pelagic ecosystems. The project examines how plankton communities respond to environmental change, including warming, marine heatwaves, adaptation, and spatial dynamics, with an emphasis on ecological resilience, biodiversity, and metacommunity processes.
The successful candidate will conduct laboratory experiments ranging from bioassays and thermal reaction norms to long-term microcosm studies and metacommunity experiments. Planned secondments include Trinity College Dublin for pulse disturbance methods and the University of Zürich for modelling, resilience, and response diversity metrics. Training includes R/Tidyverse, reproducible code, machine learning and AI for ecologists, data management, visualisation, science-policy communication, and policy brief writing.
Funding: 36 months, full-time, gross salary 100% TVL E13 under MSCA Doctoral Network conditions. The position is based in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, with support from the German EURAXESS Centre for relocation and integration.
Eligibility highlights: MSc in Ecology, Marine/Aquatic Environmental Science, Biology, or related discipline; wet-lab and experimental experience preferred; phytoplankton cultivation and microscopy are advantageous; statistics/R skills required; excellent English required; applicants must satisfy MSCA mobility rules and must not already hold a doctoral degree.
Application deadline: 30 September 2026, 23:59 Europe/Berlin. Apply by email with a single PDF including cover letter, CV, certificates/transcripts, mobility statement, and two referees.
