PhD position: Polar plankton ecology

Investigate the influence of sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets on phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in Svalbard and the Southern Ocean

Summary

We are looking for a new colleague to join the friendly iC3 team in Tromsø, the capital of Arctic Norway, to do a three-year fully funded PhD. The overall aim of the project is to investigate the influence of sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets on the composition of phytoplankton and zooplankton communities and their vertical flux in Svalbard and the Southern Ocean. The project offers a wide range of laboratory and field opportunities. The deadline for applications is May 31st, 2024.

Candidate profile

The applicant for this PhD position must have a master’s degree or equivalent in marine environmental science, marine biology/ecology, biological oceanography or a similar subject area. Also essential are competence in identifying plant or animal plankton, laboratory experience in chemistry or biology, and numerical and statistical skills.

This PhD opportunity is open to qualified applicants of all nationalities. Please check carefully that your masters degree is recognised in Norway before applying. If you do not speak Norwegian yet, you will be expected to learn the language after you start work.

Plankton in the polar regions

Your role will be to investigate the influence of sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets on phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in Svalbard and the Southern Ocean.

1. Investigate the composition of the plant and zooplankton community along one fjord transect over an entire annual cycle, including the possibility of looking at summer plankton data from Kongsfjorden (Svalbard) for the period 2010-2023.

2. Determine the composition and size of the vertical flux in relation to the proximity of the glacier in Kongsfjorden.

3. Determine the composition and size of the vertical flux in the coastal Southern Ocean, outside Queen Maud Land (Antarctica), in relation to changes in the sea ice cover and runoff from the Antarctic ice sheet in the period 2019-2025.

The PhD student will be affiliated with Research Unit 3 within iC3, which studies how ice sheet changes impact marine carbon cycles and ecosystems. The project offers a wide range of laboratory and field opportunities depending on the candidate’s interests.

About the iC3 polar research centre

The Centre for ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate (iC3) produces ground-breaking insights into how the links between ice sheets, carbon cycles and ocean ecosystems are impacting life on earth: https://ic3.uit.no/

iC3 is based at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the top university worldwide in terms of Arctic research output, and is partnered with the Norwegian Polar Institute and NORCE. The Norwegian Polar Institute is a short bike ride away from iC3’s main offices on the university campus. Our team has access to world-class facilities including Arctic and Antarctic research stations, ice-going research vessels and in-house laboratory and modelling capacity.

We offer a friendly and supportive working environment to PhD researchers who are passionate about polar science, have a strong work ethic, and share our commitment to teamwork and scientific excellence. Training and supporting the next generation of interdisciplinary polar scientists is a core part of our mission. iC3 has a dedicated mentorship and graduate training program. We actively help PhD students to gain new skills, secure grant funding, get their research published, and build their professional networks.