Applications are invited for a temporary post of a Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1within School of Biology and Environmental Science / Earth Institute.

This project will focus on grazed permanent grassland systems searching for solutions to tackle global grassland degradation. Most grassland plant species form mycorrhizal associations, and a range of management strategies are available to modify the extent and function of fungal networks. The project is a consortium that has established an international collaborative network between Germany, England, Italy and Ireland. This consortium provides the expertise required to conduct manipulation experiments and field assessments together with cutting-edge isotopic and molecular methods to interrogate mycorrhizal fungal networks and their function. SOIL-HEAL will generate fundamental new knowledge and applied understanding of a critical component of soil biodiversity that regulates numerous ecosystem services. This post will be based in Ireland but the appointee will be integrating all the project data to model plant-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) biological associations and link them to AMF root colonization, the formation of the Common Mycorrhizal network (CMN) and the CMN functions. The post holder will also contribute to data management for generating knowledge in a form accessible to the land user. This researcher will play a major role in the consortium, connecting the various datasets collected by the research groups in the four countries that make up the consortium. There will be resources to travel and network with partners in Germany, England and Italy.

This is a research focused role, where you will conduct a specified programme of research supported by research training and development under the supervision and direction of a Principal Investigator. The primary purpose of the role is to further develop your research skills and competences, including the processes of publication in peer-reviewed academic publications, the development of funding proposals, the mentorship of graduate students along with the opportunity to develop your skills in research led teaching.

In addition to the Principal Duties and Responsibilities listed below, the successful candidate will also carry out the following duties specific to this project:

• Assemble the sequencing data generated by the partners in the consortium to characterise the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungal community taxonomically and phylogenetically.
• Associate AM fungal assemblage will plant assemblages to generate network matrices that we will analyse to reconstruct the complex interaction networks formed by plants and AM fungi.
• Statistical analysis of ecological community level data
• Conduct and co-lead on univariate, multivariate and general statistical analysis to support research work in the consortium

Salary: €39,522 – €41,940 per annum

Appointment on the above range will be dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Application

Closing date: 17:00hrs (local Irish time) on 28th October 2022.

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified.

Prior to application, further information (including application procedure) should be obtained from the Work at UCD website here