What you will be doing

A postdoctoral position in the Department of Aquatic Ecology for 2 years at 1.0 FTE starting in November-December 2022 (there is some flexibility with the start date). You will investigate the relationship between plankton traits and carbon storage in shallow lakes.

Shallow lakes sequester significant quantities of carbon and could be important in contributing nature-based solutions for climate regulation. Phytoplankton in lakes fix carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and have the potential to supply particulate carbon for burial in sediments. The quantity of phytoplankton-derived carbon that is buried in lake sediments is likely to depend on the attributes or traits of plankton organisms such as cell or colony size and density, sinking rate, grazing by zooplankton, and carbon content. However, it is unclear whether phytoplankton community composition exerts a significant effect on net carbon burial in shallow lakes, since other factors such as allochthonous carbon delivery, lake flushing rate, food web structure and contributions from other primary producers such as benthic algae and macrophytes also influence carbon production and sedimentation.

You will use data and samples collected over a 10-year period from waters, sediment traps and sediment cores in six shallow floodplain ex-gravel-pit lake systems. The samples derive from a long-term monitoring programme at Attenborough Nature Reserve in the UK. You will evaluate plankton traits in phytoplankton and zooplankton samples as well as carbon content and sedimentation rates in sediment traps and cores. You will determine relationships between plankton traits and carbon sedimentation rates to infer the influence of phytoplankton on carbon burial. You will make comparisons among lakes which vary in hydraulic flushing rate and ecosystem state (turbid/ macrophyte-dominated) to determine how these factors affect the relationships between phytoplankton and carbon burial.

What you will be contributing

The successful candidate should have a PhD with a strong background in aquatic ecology, palaeolimnology, and/ or phytoplankton ecology and would suit someone who is interested in understanding aquatic ecosystem processes across a range of timescales.

Essential

• Experience in phytoplankton analysis
• Proficiency in handling and analysis of ecological datasets
• English proficiency
• Experience in scientific writing and publication

Desirable

• Knowledge of analysis of phytoplankton traits
• Zooplankton analysis
• Experience of sediment traps
• Experience of palaeolimnology
• Analysis of multivariate data and time series
• Good communicator across a variety of media
• Dutch language proficiency

Fixed-term contract: 2 years.

What we are offering

The position will be based in the Department of Aquatic Ecology of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), located in Wageningen, the Netherlands, supervised by Suzanne McGowan. The project is funded by the NIOO-KNAW where there are excellent facilities to support this work, such as a range of microscopes, elemental analyser, coulter counter and flow cytometer for fast throughput analysis of phytoplankton traits supported by a team of research assistants trained in analysis of plankton, limnology and aquatic chemistry techniques. Research scientists in the department are highly experienced in shallow lake ecology, phytoplankton traits and palaeomimnology. In addition to support for the project, the NIOO-KNAW offers a range of training for career and personal development. You would join a dynamic, diverse and respectful group with plenty of social and scientific interactions and an active and international group of early career researchers. The position will be supported by a steering committee for project and personal guidance including Sarian Kosten from Radboud University and Laurence Carvalho from NIVA.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is €3.557,00 and the maximum salary is €4.670,00 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale 10 cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment).

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.

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