Why is it so hard to predict population dynamics of rodents both in urban and rural landscapes? We think that behavioural change of individuals under different demographic and environmental conditions plays a key role. An enhanced understanding of this aspect will lead to more effective actions by the terrain managing organisations.

The animal movement ecology group at the University of Amsterdam is developing ideas and enhancing our understanding through closely linked monitoring and predictive modeling with parameter rich models in two different systems: rural areas with muskrat and coypu and urban landscapes with brown rat as focal species. In both systems, population size will be monitored along with biodiversity, relevant environmental and anthropogenic variables. Also, small experiments will be conducted to identify key factors influencing behaviour and demography. The study sites are part of two larger projects, so the research will be collaborative. The fieldwork related to biodiversity monitoring will f.i. be done close collaboration with project partners. Linked to this research, we educate MSc students in the Environmental Sciences as well as Ecology and Evolution to effectively apply modeling and data analysis in their fields.

We are seeking an ambitious postdoc with a strong track record in quantitative ecological research to pick-up the challenge and make the research and teaching activities sketched above a success.

What are you going to do?

You are expected to:

• help in the design of field monitoring by project collaborators and experimental activities by MSc students and coordinate the execution of these activities (0.2 FTE);
• develop, calibrate, evaluate and apply agent based models to test ideas and (eventually) make predictions on rodent behaviour and demography (0.4 FTE);
• take part in the teaching effort of the group, including supervision of bachelor and master thesis projects and lecturing in an MSc course on quantitative ecology (0.2 FTE);
• be active in presenting your research, both within our institute and the international scientific community.

What do we require?

• a PhD in (quantitative) ecology or related field;

• a solid scientific expertise in ecological modeling and statistics, reflected among others by scientific publications;
• a willingness to teach at undergraduate and graduate levels – prior experience in teaching is a pre;
• fluency in English, both written and spoken.

We will base our selection primarily on your scientific track record, numerical analysis and modeling skills and your vision for future research.

Our offer

A temporary contract for 30,4 hours per week, preferably starting at 1 November 2020 for the duration of 12 months, with a possible extension of 3 years depending on a positive evaluation of your performance. 

The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be €2,790 to €4,402 (scale 10) gross per month, based on 38 hours a week. This is exclusive 8 % holiday allowance and 8.3 end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

Faculty of Science -  Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) is one of eight research institutes of the Faculty of Science. The research at IBED aims to unravel how ecosystems function in all their complexity, and how they change due to natural processes and human activities. At its core lies an integrated systems approach to study biodiversity, ecosystems and the environment. IBED adopts this systems approach to ecosystems, addressing abiotic (soil and water quality) and biotic factors (ecology and evolution of plants, animals, and microorganisms), and the interplay between those. The IBED vision includes research encompassing experimental and theoretical approaches at a wide variety of temporal and spatial scales, i.e. from molecules and microorganisms to patterns and processes occurring at the global scale.