PhD in Aquatic Biogeochemistry: Resolving the Organic Carbon Budget of a salmonid humic lake

Applications are invited for full-time three year PhD research position in Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), Ireland, in conjunction with the Irish Marine Institute. The position can commence anytime up to Dec 2015 but preferably as soon as feasible.

Background

Waters draining peat catchments are generally coloured due to high levels of dissolved organic carbon. This carbon can represent the main carbon source to downstream lakes and therefore fuel the lake foodweb. Human activities have greatly modified global carbon exchange between the atmosphere, land and freshwater bodies in recent decades, including in peatland catchments. Knowledge about the redistribution of this carbon is crucial, not only to understand global cycling, but for mitigation and management in affected catchments. This project will investigate the carbon cycle in a humic catchment, building on work that already been undertaken in the Burrishoole catchment, Mayo.

Requirements

Applicants should have a good primary degree (First or Upper Second Class Honours) or M.Sc. in an appropriate discipline (e.g. Environmental Science, Environmental Biology, Biology). The successful candidate should possess a knowledge of catchment processes, have some lab-based experience in water or sediment analysis, a knowledge of multivariate statistical analysis, and be highly self-motivated. The successful candidate must meet DkIT requirements for entry to a doctoral programme. It is also a requirement that any applicant whose first language is other than English must have certified English language proficiency of at least IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

NOTE: A full EU driving licence is also essential.

Award

Funding is through a Marine Institute Cullen Fellowship and provides a 3-year stipend of €16,000 per annum plus fees (appropriate for EU students studying at DkIT), although it should be noted that a PhD programme can take longer than the 3 year period for which funding is available. The position can commence anytime up to Dec 2015 but preferably as soon as feasible. The student will primarily be based in the Marine Institute facility in Burrishoole, Newport, Co. Mayo, and will also use the facilities of the Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies, Dundalk Institute of Technology.

The successful candidate will be registered as a full time research student in DkIT, working under the supervision of Dr Eleanor Jennings (DkIT), and Dr Elvira de Eyto (Marine Institute, Newport). The PhD degree will be awarded by Dublin City University (DCU).

Application deadline: 4th September 2015

Read more and apply here.