Post-doctoral Researcher – Ecological connectivity conservation and planning

Modern, interconnected, conscious of tradition: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) is the oldest and largest university in the State of Saxony-Anhalt with a history dating back more than 500 years. Today more than 20,000 students are enrolled at the university. MLU’s core research areas are in the nanosciences and biosciences, the Enlightenment, as well as in social and cultural research. The university is also home to a range of small disciplines, some of which can be found nowhere else in Germany. The university has excellent national and international ties, and works closely together with leading research institutes, industry, and more than 250 universities around the world. 

The Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, in cooperation with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, offers the following position in Leipzig, starting as soon as possible (preferably 1 February 2023) and for 24 months, with possibility for an extension: 

Post-doctoral Researcher – Ecological connectivity conservation and planning (m-f-d) as full-time employment. 

The salary will be up to Entgeltgruppe 13 TV-L, if the personal requirements and tasks are fulfilled. The workplace will be in Leipzig in the Biodiversity Conservation research group. 

The project and research group: 

The German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig is a National Research Centre funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Its central mission is to promote theory-driven synthesis and data-driven theory in integrative biodiversity research. It is located in the city of Leipzig and it is a central institution of the Leipzig University, jointly hosted by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). More information about iDiv: www.idiv.de. 

This position is affiliated with the Biodiversity Conservation Professorship of Prof. Henrique Pereira. The Biodiversity Conservation group investigates patterns and processes of global biodiversity change, with the goal of informing environmental policy and management of ecosystems. For more information, please visit our lab website: www.idiv.de/research/idiv_core_groups/biodiversity_conservation.html. 

This position is funded by the Horizon Europe research project “NaturaConnect: Designing a resilient and coherent Trans-European Network for Nature and People”. NaturaConnect aims to support the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, through an integration of interdisciplinary research and stakeholder engagement across scales, to develop spatial planning policy supporting tools. A key objective is defining a blueprint for identifying multifunctional corridors important to enhance the connectivity and resilience of the European system of protected areas. 

The successful candidate will develop a coherent framework for mapping functional and structural connectivity at the European scale. She/he will also contribute to the design of a resilient Trans-European Nature Network, including connectivity analyses and planning under various environmental change scenarios. The research will be done in collaboration with the NaturaConnect Consortium, which includes scientific institutes across Europe and some of the major European NGOs. The research also involves co-design processes with different stakeholders, including, among others, the European commission, National authorities and protected area managers. 

Tasks: 

• Develop an analytical framework for designing and prioritizing ecological connectivity across various spatial scales, from European to National and sub-national scales. 

• Analyze and simulate spatial configurations of European-scale corridors and their contributions to enhance the cohesion and resilience of the Trans-European Nature Network. 

• Contribute to produce the deliverables of the NaturaConnect project. 

• Actively participate in stakeholders’ workshops, project coordination meetings and other relevant events related to the project research. 

• Write research articles and policy briefs reporting the findings of the research. 

Requirements: 

• A scientific University degree (Diploma/ M.Sc.) in an area related to biodiversity science. 

• A PhD degree in ecology, conservation biology, environmental sciences or related disciplines. 

• Excellent scientific publication record, including one or several of the following topics: spatially explicit ecological modeling, connectivity analyses, spatial conservation planning, scenario projections, or similar. 

• Demonstrated experience in ecological statistics programming and modeling in R and in analyzing spatial biodiversity patterns using geographic information systems. 

• Fluency in English. 

• Excellent communication skills. 

The Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg gives priority to applications from severely disabled candidates with equivalent qualifications. Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants with a degree that was not obtained at a German higher education institution must submit a Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications from the Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen) to prove equivalence. This Statement can also be submitted after successful completion of the hiring process. 

Queries concerning the application process should be directed to hr@idiv.de. For queries about the research project please contact nestor.fernandez@idiv.de. 

Please submit your full application dossier in English with registration number 4-12481/22-D until 17/11/2022 Applications should be submitted on the website https://apply.idiv.de. Applications should include a motivation letter tailored to the research project, a curriculum vitae, the digital copy of the highest academic degree (e.g. PhD), a publication record and names of two senior scientists who could serve as possible references. Application portfolios will not be returned, application costs will not be reimbursed. 

This announcement is subject to possible budgetary restrictions. 

iDiv is committed to establishing and maintaining a diverse and inclusive community that collectively supports and implements our mission to do great science. We will welcome, recruit, develop, and advance talented staff from diverse genders and backgrounds.

Apply here.