Application Review started 1 November 2021 but position will remain open until filled

The Hines Lab at The Pennsylvania State University (Biology Department, University Park, PA, USA; hineslab.org) is hiring a Postdoctoral Scholar to perform research on an NSF-funded project examining the genetic basis of mimetic color diversity in bees. The postdoc will lead a project examining how transcriptomes shift with the repeated acquisition of mimetic color variants spanning a clade of North American bumble bees. The exceptional diversity and convergence in this system provides an opportunity to examine the different genetic routes to an adaptive phenotype and to connect micro- to macroevolutionary processes through examining patterns of inheritance of adaptive alleles across lineages.

The project involves field collection of bumble bee queens in the western United States, rearing of colonies, developmental staging and dissections, transcriptome sequencing, and comparative analysis of transcriptome variation across several bumble bee morphs and species. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a biology-related field, have a strong record of research involving both molecular and bioinformatic techniques, and an interest in evolutionary genetics/evo-devo. Experience in working with insects is desired, but not necessary.

This experience provides numerous opportunities for training as PSU has a strong focus on Bioinformatics and Genomics, houses several project-relevant facilities in the PSU Huck Institute of Life Sciences (e.g., microscopy, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics), is home to the Center of Pollinator Research and the Insect Biodiversity Center, and offers numerous cross-departmental seminars and programs. The postdoc will also engage the labs of Jeff Lozier (U. Alabama) and Jonathan Koch (USDA ARS, Utah) in this research.

The Pennsylvania State University requires all applicants to register and complete the application form at the Penn State employment website (https://psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Academic/job/University-Park-Campus/Postdoctoral-Scholar—Hines-lab_REQ_0000021143-1). A complete application will include a cover letter detailing relevant experience and research interests, a current CV, and contact information for three professional references. As per Penn State policy, this is a limited-term appointment funded for one year from date of hire with excellent possibility of re-funding with intention of 3 years of funding. Anticipated start date is between January 2022 and Summer 2022. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Heather Hines (hmh19@psu.edu) for more information.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

Deadline: 7th January 2022

Application: https://www.iapetus2.ac.uk/how-to-apply

Background:
Bumblebees are agriculturally important pollinators, but are currently declining in abundance in the UK and around the world, in part due to climate change (Soroye et al. 2020). Understanding these declines requires research on the biology and ecology of these species. Bumblebees are thought to be generalists, pollinating a variety of flower species. However, our preliminary observations conducted in Durham in summers 2020 and 2021 indicate that different bumblebee species prefer different plants (see also Sikora et al. 2020). Bumblebees have been a preferred insect model for neuroethology and sensory neuroscience, and a wealth of earlier work has focussed on the importance of visual cues and nectar/pollen reward for foraging honeybees and bumblebees (Latty and Trueblood 2020). In contrast, the importance of floral smells is less well known, although some works report the essential role of flower volatiles in bumblebees’ floral choice (Galen and Kevan 1983; Suchet et al. 2011; Haber et al. 2019). This project will investigate olfactory preferences of commonly occurring bumblebees (e.g. Bombus terrestris, Bombus pascuorum and Bombus lapidarius) to naturally-occurring floral volatiles, and how these preferences are affected by climatic conditions and background plant communities in Norway (Kløfta), UK (Durham and Stirling), Germany (Würzburg), Italy (Milan) and Portugal (Braganca). We expect the plants that the bumblebees forage on to differ between these location, due to different climatic condition. We hypothesise that, despite the differences in plant species, the key components of floral bouquets will be very similar across test locations.

Aims:
1) To identify plants that bumblebees forage on in the five countries, to establish plant preferences for bumblebee species;
2) Collect floral volatiles from the plants identified in Aim 1, as well as florals that bumblebees do not forage on, as controls; analyse these volatiles by GC/MS;
3) Establish behavioural preferences of bumblebees in response to full floral bouquets and components of bouquets, fractions and synthetic components of that are specific for focal plant species.

Methodology:
Bee and plant collections will be conducted in the areas around Durham, Stirling, Kløfta, Würzburg, Milan and Braganca in March-September during the local bumblebee foraging periods. The student will be advised and assisted during field collection by OR and local members of the supervisory team. Student will be trained to identify plants and bumblebees via morphological cues and DNA barcoding. Floral volatiles will be collected at the same time as bumblebees by using standard volatiles traps, and will be analysed by the student via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in TS laboratory. Behavioural olfactory assays on bees will be conducted in the field or either in the glasshouse at the Biocentre, University of Würzburg or in a glasshouse at Durham Botanical garden. The bees will be given a choice between 2 stimuli, or stimulus and a control, and their preference for a smell will be inferred from the tendency of a bee to land at the stimulus.

Training and skills:

The student will receive training:
1) by supervisors with complementary skills and expertise;
2) by collaborators and postdocs in the seven participating institutions;
3) by attending summer courses, conferences and Durham-run training events;
4) by participating in regular public outreach activities;
5) by helping OR to supervise UG students;
6) by presenting their work at lab meetings and conferences.

The student will acquire knowledge and skills in:
1) insect chemical ecology and neuroethology;
2) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and collection of volatiles;
3) bumblebee rearing;
4) identification of bumblebees and plants;
5) molecular biology methods;
6) cutting-edge techniques for behavioural analysis;
7) presentation and scientific writing;
8) research supervision;
9) Impact and public outreach.

Requirements:
We are looking for an independent and enthusiastic student able to develop the project and drive it forward. Interest in sensory ecology, neuroethology, animal behaviour, chemical ecology and previous research experience are a plus.
You should be available to conduct field and lab work in the UK and in continental Europe. The peak time for field work is in March – September.

Further information:
Informal enquiries are strongly encouraged and should be directed to Dr Lena Riabinina, olena.riabinina@durham.ac.uk, +44-191-334-1282

Funding Notes:
This project is in competition with others for funding. Students of any nationality may receive full funding. Success will depend on the quality of applications received, relative to those for competing projects. If you are interested in applying, in the first instance contact the supervisor, with a CV and covering letter, detailing your reasons for applying for the project.

References:
Galen C, Kevan PG (1983) Bumblebee foraging and floral scent dimorphism: Bombus kirbyellus Curtis ( Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Polemonium viscosum Nutt. ( Polemoniaceae). Can J Zool 61:1207–1213. https://doi.org/10.1139/z83-164
Haber AI, Sims JW, Mescher MC, et al (2019) A key floral scent component (β-trans-bergamotene) drives pollinator preferences independently of pollen rewards in seep monkeyflower. Funct Ecol 33:218–228. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13246
Latty T, Trueblood JS (2020) How do insects choose flowers? A review of multi‐attribute flower choice and decoy effects in flower‐visiting insects. J Anim Ecol 89: 2750–2762. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13347
Raines K, Whitehorn P, Copplestone D, Tinsley M (2020) Chernobyl-level radiation exposure damages bumblebee reproduction: a laboratory experiment. Proc R Soc B 287: 20201638. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1638
Sikora A, Michołap P, Sikora M (2020) What kind of flowering plants are attractive for bumblebees in urban green areas? Urban For Urban Green 48:126546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.126546
Soroye P, Newbold T, Kerr J (2020) Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents. Science 367:685–688. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aax8591
Suchet C, Dormont L, Schatz B, et al (2011) Floral scent variation in two Antirrhinum majus subspecies influences the choice of naïve bumblebees. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 65:1015–1027. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-010-1106-x

https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/floral-preferences-of-bumblebees-across-a-range-of-european-climates/?p137456

Deadline: 6 January 2020

PhD: Studying bumblebee population dynamics and adaptations to understand plant-pollinator evolution under climate change Supervisors: Richard Gill, Jacob Johansson & Keith Larson

To date our understanding of how insect pollinator declines are influenced by climate change remains limited. For instance, why have some species shown evidence of latitudinal range shifts in apparent response to climate change when others have not? To address this type of question requires us to understand the eco-evolutionary processes by which insect pollinator populations and their host plants are dynamically responding and how this translates to plant-pollinator network evolution under climate change. Taking a population biology approach (using complementary genetic approaches), this project will look to understand how bumblebee populations and host plant visitations have changed over the past 50 years for an Arctic bumblebee community in Lapland, Sweden. This will involve understanding how preceding climatic condition has affected population demography of each of 13 species of bumblebee. The study will reveal changes on population trait frequencies over space and time and how resource competition is determined through adaptations to temperature extremes to predict plant-pollinator network structure and the potential for species invasions.

The project takes advantage of a unique phenology transect established over a century ago allowing us to compare past data on bumblebee/plant community composition and phenology with contemporary data spanning the major warming over the last five decades. The transect runs along an altitudinal gradient on Mount Nuolja, Abisko, providing a thermal cline with the study taking a space-for-time substitution approach. The student will become experienced in using a number of interdisciplinary techniques, including a variety of fieldwork skills, bee and plant taxonomic identification, molecular methods in DNA barcoding and population genetics, studying bee thermal profiling, managing and analysing big data, skills in ecological network construction, statistics and developing mathematical models to understand extinction vulnerability. The project will involve a significant amount of fieldwork in the Arctic and will require the candidate to be relatively physically fit. This interdisciplinary project will also benefit from co-supervision & collaboration from a number of world-leading scientists, including: Jacob Johansson (Imperial College and Lund University, Sweden); Keith Larson (Umea University, Sweden); Jason Tylianakis (Canterbury University, NZ), Andrew MacDougal (University of Guelph, Canada); Emily Baird (Stockholm University (Sweden).

The PhD is competitively funded. The student will based at the Silwood Park campus of Imperial College and hosted by the Gill lab that is well equipped to study bee evolution and ecology. The student will be surrounded by world leading researchers in the disciplines of ecology, evolution and conservation. Facilities include 100 hectares of field site, new controlled environment rooms, microbiology facility, labs tailored for bee research and spacious workspace.

Please send your CV, a one page cover letter explaining why you are suitable for the project, and the names and e-mail addresses of two referees to Dr Richard Gill r.gill@imperial.ac.uk by 6th January
2020. Informal enquiries for either are welcomed.

Student eligibility: Applicants should have, or be about to obtain, a Masters qualification and have a 2.1 or higher undergraduate degree in Biology, Ecology, Evolution or similar. To be eligible for a full award they must have either British Citizenship, or Settled status in the UK, meaning they have no restrictions on how long they can stay, or been « ordinarily resident » in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the studentship – (For non-EU citizens, this must not have been in full time education.). This does not apply to UK nationals.

Dr Richard Gill
Department of Life Sciences
Imperial College London
Silwood Park campus
Buckhurst Road, Ascot
Berkshire, SL5 7PY
UK
Phone: 44 (0)20 759 42215
Webpage: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/r.gill

Senior Lecturer, Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and the Environment Initiative
Course Director for Masters of Research (MRes) in Ecology, Evolution & Conservation

PhD: AGEING IN SOCIAL ANIMALS, UEA

PHD STUDENTSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The ageing bee: how does sociality affect ageing in social animals?

PhD to study sociality and ageing in bumble bees at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

Supervisors: Andrew Bourke (a.bourke@uea.ac.uk), Alex Maklakov, Tracey Chapman (all UEA)

Closing date for applications: TUESDAY 7 JANUARY 2020

A PhD studentship to start in October 2020 is now open for applications. Using the bumble bee Bombus terrestris, the student will employ experimental and genetic methods to test whether, in social organisms, longevity and ageing depend primarily on properties of the individual or group. Applicants will be competitively selected for funding of the studentship by the ARIES NERC Doctoral Training Partnership (https://www.aries-dtp.ac.uk/).

For further details of the project (BOURKEUBIO20ARIES) and instructions on how to apply, see: https://www.aries-dtp.ac.uk/studentships/bourke/

Posted 13/11/2019

PhD positions to study the ‘omics cascade of bumble bee cold tolerance

Funding for PhD students is available at The University of Alabama as part of a recently awarded NSF Rules of Life project: “Bumble bee cold tolerance across elevations – From epigenotype to phenotype across space, time, and levels of biological organization”. PhD students will be involved in studying the links between genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic variation in relation to local thermal tolerance adaptation in montane bumble bees (lozierlab.ua.edu). The project will involve extensive high throughput sequencing of bees from wild populations and experimental colonies and the use of approaches like network theory to model and draw inferences from these complex data. Students will develop questions relating to ecological, evolutionary, or conservation genomics within the broader project objectives. The focus of the positions is flexible, and we expect there will be a great deal of collaboration and overlap among students, postdocs, and PIs on the project.

I am looking to recruit highly motivated students with interests in applying modern molecular and computational tools to address ecological and evolutionary questions in a non-model organism. Applicants should have a strong academic record (GPA > 3.0), an ability for clear verbal and written communication, and a desire to learn new skills! Students funded off the grant will participate in both laboratory molecular work (primarily generation of RNAseq and genome/epigenome sequencing libraries) and computational analyses, and applicants should thus have some degree of experience or interest in both aspects of the project.

The project will involve collaborations with Janna Fierst at UA, Michael Dillon and Franco Basile at the University of Wyoming, and James Strange at Ohio State. As part of these collaborations, there may be opportunities for fieldwork or experimental work with bumblebees, depending on student interests and expertise.

Contact Jeff Lozier (jlozier@ua.edu) for more information. Anticipated start date will be Fall 2020, but we’re flexible.

Useful Links:

Lozier Lab: lozierlab.ua.edu

U Alabama Biological Sciences: bsc.ua.edu

Jeff Lozier

Associate Professor

Biological Sciences

The University of Alabama

jlozier@ua.edu

lozierlab.ua.edu | mussels.ua.edu

« Lozier, Jeffrey » <jlozier@ua.edu>

PhD POSITIONS: EPIGENOME-TO-PHENOME OF BUMBLE BEE THERMAL TOLERANCE, ALABAMA

Multiple PhD positions are available in the laboratories of Jeff Lozier and Janna Fierst at The University of Alabama as part of a recently awarded NSF Rules of Life project: « Bumble bee cold tolerance across elevations – From epigenotype to phenotype across space, time, and levels of biological organization ». PhD students will be involved in studying the links between genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic variation in relation to local thermal tolerance adaptation in montane bumble bees. The project will involve extensive high throughput sequencing of bees from wild populations and experimental colonies and the use of approaches like network theory to model and draw inferences from these complex data. Students will develop questions relating to ecological and evolutionary genomics within the broader project objectives. The focus of the positions is flexible, and we expect there will be a great deal of collaboration among project personnel.

We are looking to recruit highly motivated students with interests in applying modern molecular and computational tools to address ecological and evolutionary questions in a non-model organism. Applicants should have a strong academic record (GPA > 3.0), an ability for clear verbal and written communication, and a desire to learn new skills! Students funded off the grant will participate in both laboratory molecular work (primarily generation of RNAseq and genome sequencing libraries) and computational analyses, and applicants should thus have some degree of experience or interest in both aspects of the project.

The project will involve collaborations with Drs. Michael Dillon and Franco Basile at the University of Wyoming, and James Strange at Ohio State. As part of these collaborations there will be opportunities for field work or experimental work with bumble bees, depending on student interests and expertise.

Contact Jeff Lozier (jlozier@ua.edu) or Janna Fierst (janna.l.fierst@ua.edu) for more information. Anticipated start date will be Fall 2020, but we can be flexible.

Useful Links:

Lozier Lab: lozierlab.ua.edu

Fierst Lab: jfierst.people.ua.edu

U Alabama Biological Sciences: bsc.ua.edu

PhD Positions to Study Epigenome-to-Phenome of Bumble Bee Thermal
Tolerance:

Multiple PhD positions are available in the laboratories of Jeff Lozier
and Janna Fierst at The University of Alabama as part of a recently
awarded NSF Rules of Life project: “Bumble bee cold tolerance across
elevations – From epigenotype to phenotype across space, time, and levels
of biological organization”. PhD students will be involved in studying
the links between genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic variation
in relation to local thermal tolerance adaptation in montane bumble
bees. The project will involve extensive high throughput sequencing
of bees from wild populations and experimental colonies and the use of
approaches like network theory to model and draw inferences from these
complex data. Students will develop questions relating to ecological and
evolutionary genomics within the broader project objectives. The focus
of the positions is flexible, and we expect there will be a great deal
of collaboration among project personnel.

We are looking to recruit highly motivated students with interests in
applying modern molecular and computational tools to address ecological
and evolutionary questions in a non-model organism. Applicants should
have a strong academic record (GPA > 3.0), an ability for clear verbal
and written communication, and a desire to learn new skills! Students
funded off the grant will participate in both laboratory molecular work
(primarily generation of RNAseq and genome sequencing libraries) and
computational analyses, and applicants should thus have some degree of
experience or interest in both aspects of the project.

The project will involve collaborations with Drs. Michael Dillon and
Franco Basile at the University of Wyoming, and James Strange at Ohio
State. As part of these collaborations there will be opportunities for
field work or experimental work with bumble bees, depending on student
interests and expertise.

Contact Jeff Lozier (jlozier@ua.edu) or Janna Fierst
(janna.l.fierst@ua.edu) for more information. Anticipated start date
will be Fall 2020, but we can be flexible.

Useful Links:
Lozier Lab: lozierlab.ua.edu
Fierst Lab: jfierst.people.ua.edu
U Alabama Biological Sciences: bsc.ua.edu

jlozier@ua.edu

POSTDOC:  JERUSALEM

Diversity in body size underlies two of the organization principles of bumblebee societies: worker division of labor and caste determination, but little is known on the proximate mechanisms regulating body size and how they are socially regulated. This project explores how social cues such as pheromones, behavior, and queen regurgitates, interact with endocrine and epigenetic processes to regulate genes involved in larva development in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. To meet these goals we integrate sociobiological, behavioral, physiological, and molecular approaches. The molecular methods include but are not limited to RNAseq and RNAi. The position will be located at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with opportunities to travel to the US for training and research.

Required qualifications
* A PhD degree pending or obtained within the last three years in molecular biology, genetics, entomology, developmental biology, neurobiology, or related fields.
* Relevant lab expertise in developmental biology, neuroanatomy, bioinformatics, or molecular biology techniques. Experience with RNAseq, bioinformatics, RNAi, or CRISPR-Cas9 DNA editing, or with bees is advantageous.
* An outstanding academic record
* Experience in organismal biology (e.g., animal behavior, neuroethology, or ecology) is advantageous.
* Fluent spoken and written English
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work in a team.

The position is for 2-3 years but appointment is initially for one year and renewable based on performance. Salaries are commensurate with experience and based on standard postdoc fellowships in Israeli universities.

We offer a strong, internationally recognized and interdisciplinary working environment with an open academic atmosphere. Location in the beautiful city of Jerusalem. The project is part of a collaboration with the Woodard and Yamanaka Labs in the Department of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside and is supported by the US-Israel Agricultural Research and Development Fund, and the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation. The position will start on 1 September 2018 or as soon as possible thereafter.

To apply, please send a cover letter, current CV, and names and contact information for three references to Guy Bloch (guy.bloch@mail.huji.ac.il). The application deadline is September 1st, 2018. For more information on our research please visit our lab page at https://guybloch.huji.ac.il/ or contact Guy.

POSTDOC:  UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

The Woodard and Yamanaka Labs in the Department of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside are seeking to recruit a postdoctoral researcher to study bumble bee larval development. The postdoc will use a variety of molecular methods (including but not limited to RNAseq and RNAi) to explore the proximate factors that control caste and body size determination in bumble bees. The project is supported the National Institutes of Food and Agriculture, the US-Israel Agricultural Research and Development Fund, and the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

The position will be located in Riverside, CA and the postdoc will also work with collaborator Guy Bloch at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with opportunities to travel to Israel for training and research. All appointments are initially for one year and renewable based on performance. Salaries are commensurate with experience and based on minimums set by the University of California postdoctoral union. Additional support is available for conference and other travel. Start date is Fall 2018. Information on benefits is available at http://clients.garnett-powers.com/pd/uc/.

Candidates must have experience with RNAseq (including library preparation and bioinformatic analysis of sequence data) and must have effective written and oral communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to publish peer-reviewed papers and a PhD pending or obtained within the last five years. Previous experience performing manipulative experiments with bees and/or flies is preferred.

To apply, please send a cover letter, current CV, and names and contact information for three references to Hollis Woodard at hollis.woodard@ucr.edu. The application deadline is September 1st, 2018.

For more information, visit the Woodard Lab (woodardlab.com) and Yamanaka Lab (yamanakalab.com) websites, and please email Hollis Woodard with any additional questions. UCR is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. Its mission is explicitly linked to providing routes to educational success for underrepresented and first-generation college students. A commitment to this mission is a preferred qualification.

Contrôle d’altitude chez le bourdon : les invariants optiques

Naviguer dans un environnement inconnu est une tâche aujourd’hui impossible à réaliser par un micro aéronef de quelques grammes, mais qui est réalisée tous les jours avec aisance par les insectes volants. Il existe donc des principes performants, basés en particulier sur des traitements adéquats de l’information visuelle, qui permettent aux insectes volants de réaliser des tâches de navigation spatiale avec précision. C’est précisément ces principes, encore peu connus, que nous voulons explorer, comprendre, modéliser, et simuler.

Le dispositif expérimental ci-dessous permet de tester différentes hypothèses en relation avec le contrôle d’altitude chez les insectes volants. Il se présente sous la forme d’un tunnel dans lequel on entraînera des bourdons à le traverser en fonction de différentes configurations optiques. Il conviendra ensuite de manipuler différents indices visuels (flux optique, lignes de perspective…) pour étudier les réactions du bourdon, on cherchera ensuite à mettre en évidence leur caractère invariant de certains d’entre eux au cours de vol.

Durée du contrat : 3 ans à partir du 1^er octobre 2018
Salaire : 1460 € net /mois

(Auquel des missions telles que l’enseignement, la vulgarisation scientifique… peuvent s’ajouter)

Techniques utilisées

• Paradigme expérimental : tunnel de vol tapissé de contrastes, attraction de bourdons, manipulations optiques, décorrélation d’indices visuels.
• Caméras + reconstitution de trajectoires des bourdons,
• Marquage des boudons, élevage en ruche.

Compétences requises

• Étudiant(e) intéressé(e) par l’éthologie, l’entomologie, les apidés, et les neurosciences.
• Statistiques (descriptive, inférentielle, ANOVA…). L’utilisation du logiciel R/Rstudio serait un plus.
• Des compétences en informatique/programmation. L’utilisation du logiciel Matlab serait un plus.

Merci d’envoyer un CV et une lettre de motivation à :

Julien SERRES julien.serres@univ-amu.fr

Equipe Biorobotique, www.biorobotique.fr, Marseille.
Institut des Sciences du Mouvement, www.ism.univ-amu.fr, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université.

Fully funded PhD opportunity in pollinator ecology at the University of Oxford, UK – UK or EU nationals only

Global declines of both wild and managed insect pollinators threaten ecosystem function and human food security. Pollinator declines have been specifically linked to declines in the abundance and diversity of floral resources, the use of agrochemicals, and introduction of novel parasites. We are interested in how these changes in the foraging environment, as well as social interactions, affect foraging behaviour in UK bumblebees.

The proposed project would use a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based insect tracking system based on harmonic radar tracking to track individual bumblebees while foraging. This study will improve understanding of how farm management systems, including crop types, field sizes, and field margins, as well as pasture, woodland and other semi-natural areas influence pollinator foraging patterns. The data will provide a foundation for modelling the necessary quantity, spatial pattern and temporal presence of floral resources in agricultural systems to maintain healthy wild pollinator communities.

The successful candidate will have a strong interest in pollinator ecology, insect learning, and agro-ecology and have experience piloting UAVs. Experience with radio frequency (RF) systems, microcontroller programming, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will be a significant advantage. For further details please contact tonya.lander@plants.ox.ac.uk.

This project is at the interface between ecology and engineering, and involves a collaboration between the Oxford departments of Plant Sciences (Dr. Tonya Lander) and Engineering (Prof. Chris Stevens).

Student Profile:

* Have, or be expected to obtain before the project begins, a BSc or equivalent in a relevant area (e.g. biology, zoology, environmental science).
* Experience in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle piloting.
* Interest in radio frequency (RF) systems use.
* Interest in microcontroller programming.
* High motivation with intellectual curiosity and rigour.
* Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills, including ability to present research at national and international symposia.

Apply here: https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=94942

Deadline for applications is 9 MARCH 2018

GRADUATE STUDENT POSITIONS:

The Lozier Lab (lozierlab.ua.edu) at The University of Alabama, Dept. of Biological Sciences, is recruiting a highly motivated graduate students to start in the Fall 2018 semester. Students would work on projects related to ongoing NSF-funded studies of bumble bee population genomics to uncover signatures of adaptative and demographic processes within and among species. Students would specifically be working to generate and analyze population-level whole genome resequencing data across multiple species and broad environmental gradients at a large geographic scale, and could also be involved in sequencing and assembly of reference genomes from new bumble bee species using long-read sequencing technologies.

Students would have the opportunity to collaborate with project collaborators across institutions, and to integrate phenotypic data, including physiology and morphology, into genomic analyses.

Students with an interest in population genetics/genomics should contact Jeff Lozier (jlozier@ua.edu), with a brief statement of interest, a resume/CV, and an informal academic history (e.g., GPAs, GREs, and relevant coursework list, etc.).

The University of Alabama is the flagship campus of the University System of Alabama, with an enrollment of over 35,000 students.The University is committed to achieving excellence as one of the country’s primary centers of research and education. It is located in the vibrant college town of Tuscaloosa, AL, which boasts many cultural and athletic activities. The campus also benefits from the close proximity to the Birmingham metropolitan community.

The University of Alabama is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Jeff Lozier
Associate Professor
Biological Sciences
The University of Alabama
Office 205-348-2754
jlozier@ua.edu | lozierlab.ua.edu

PhD STUDENTSHIP: DOMINANCE AND POLICING IN BUMBLE BEES, UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA

A fully-funded PhD studentship to start in October 2018 in Andrew Bourke’s group in the School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, is now open for applications. The project is entitled ‘Dominance and policing in bumble bees’ and will use experimental and genetic methods (microsatellites, SNPs) to test hypotheses regarding the origin and maintenance of selfish egg-laying by bumble bee workers. The studentship will be funded by NERC as part of the EnvEast Doctoral Training Partnership (http://www.enveast.ac.uk/).

For further details of the project (BOURKEUBIO18EE) and instructions on how to apply, please follow this link:

https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=89467

The closing date for applications is Monday 8 January 2018.

A NERC-funded PDRA position is available for 34 months working at the Natural History Museum, London, with Professor Ian Barnes and Dr Selina Brace, on the recovery and analysis of DNA from bumblebee museum specimens. This work is part of a larger project investigating insect pollinator responses over a century of UK land-use change. The advertised position will focus on whole genome sequencing of museum specimens, and analysis of these data to infer past patterns of population size change, admixture and selection. The post-holder will work closely with Dr Richard Gill and his team in the Department of Life Sciences at the Silwood Park campus of Imperial College London, who are conducting population trait evolution and manipulative experiments as complementary components of the project. The project also involves working with the imaging and digitisation teams at the Natural History Museum, and museum curators and other leading researchers from around the UK. The overall aim f or the project is to better understand the dynamics of how insect pollinator populations have (and will) change in response to changes in land-use and associated factors, and how they adapt to newly emerging environments and the impact on fitness.

The post will be based at the Natural History Museum, and will make use of the Museum’s excellent molecular laboratory facilities and extensive collections. The successful applicant will be interested in the recovery of DNA sequences from museum specimens, and the application of these data in evolutionary biology and applying this to eco-evolutionary questions.

Salary will be £33,416 per annum plus benefits.

Informal enquiries can be addressed to Dr Selina Brace (s.brace@nhm.ac.uk) or Prof Ian Barnes (i.barnes@nhm.ac.uk).
Closing date: 9am on Monday 16 October 2017.

How to apply

Please complete your application online in our recruitment portal.

Apply at: https://careers.nhm.ac.uk/templates/CIPHR/jobdetail_344.aspx

You should upload the following documents:

• A comprehensive curriculum vitae giving details of relevant achievements in recent posts as well as your education and professional qualifications.
• A covering letter that summarises your interest in this post, providing evidence of your ability to match the criteria outlined in the role competencies.  Please ensure your letter includes details of your latest salary and notice period.