PhD POSITION IN BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY

Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Switzerland

'GENETIC BASIS OF COOPERATION': The aim of this PhD-project is to investigate the genetic basis of cooperative behaviour in highly social African cichlids. These fish breed cooperatively in large family groups and have turned into a model species for studies of social evolution based on detailed information about their ecology and behaviour, excellent possibilities for behavioural experiments and recent sequencing of their full genome. We shall pursue a multidisciplinary approach to study the genetic control of cooperative behaviour. This involves behavioural experiments with offspring obtained from a large-scale breeding experiment, analysis of the behavioural data using quantitative genetics tools and identifying candidate genes responsible for variation in cooperative behaviour by an ecological genomics approach. Eligible candidates will have a master’s degree (or Diplom) in Biology and research experience in animal behaviour and a genuine understanding of evolutionary theory. Practical skills in molecular genetics techniques, the application of statistical models and empirical work with fish would be beneficial, but they are not a precondition. The project will be mostly based in Bern, but will involve collaboration with two co-supervisors, Nadia Aubin-Horth (University Laval, Canada) and Mathias Kölliker (University of Basel, Switzerland). The position is part of the Doctoral Research Program ("ProDoc") funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation SNF on “Proximate and ultimate causes of cooperation” and will connect up to 30 PhD students working on animal cooperation by a research network. Supervisor: Barbara Taborsky.

The position is for three years and should preferably start in spring 2012.

The successful candidate will join a bustling research environment consisting of ca. 15 PhD-students and advanced research staff, five technicians and a varying number of master’s students and guest scientists. Besides this Behavioural Ecology group, the Institute of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Bern comprises research groups in Aquatic Ecology (Ole Seehausen), Community Ecology (Wolfgang Nentwig), Conservation Biology (Raphael Arlettaz), Evolutionary Ecology (Heinz Richner) and Population Genetics (Laurent Excoffier). Salaries will follow the schemes of the national funding organization of Switzerland.

Closing date: Open until filled, but all application materials, including CV, a summary of research experience, copies of any published or in-press papers, and two letters of recommendation should be received by 15 March 2012 to ensure full consideration. Candidates should indicate in a cover letter when they could take up the position. Please send all application material to the secretary’s office, c/o Marlis Gerteis, Dept. Behavioural Ecology, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50A, CH-3032 Bern, Switzerland; or as e-mail attachments tomarlis.gerteis@iee.unibe.ch. Please consult our web-page for information on our research: http://behav.zoology.unibe.ch/ For inquiries please contact barbara.taborsky@iee.unibe.ch

offre : Imagerie cérébrale et sommeil dans la maladie d'Alzheimer (Caen), fin : 25 fevr. 2012

URGENT : L’Unité INSERM U1077 dirigée par Francis Eustache à Caen mène un projet d'imagerie multimodale dans la maladie d'Alzheimer, comprenant notamment une étude en IRM fonctionnelle d’activation et une évaluation du sommeil.

Nous recherchons un étudiant de très bon niveau, titulaire d'un master II de Neuropsychologie ou de Neurosciences (ou obtention dans l'année), souhaitant faire une thèse et travailler sur ce projet, sous la supervision de Gaël Chételat et de Géraldine Rauchs.

Réponses urgentes souhaitées pour pouvoir répondre aux appels d’offre des bourses doctorales.

Envoyer un CV et une lettre de motivation à Géraldine Rauchs : rauchs [ à ] cyceron.fr

Date limite de candidature : 25/02/2012

Géraldine Rauchs, PhD

Inserm-EPHE-UCBN U1077

Neuropsychologie et neuroanatomie

fonctionnelle de la mémoire humaine

GIP Cyceron, Bd H Becquerel, BP 5229, F-14074 Caen Cedex

Tél. +33(0)2 31 47 01 34 Fax +33(02) 31 47 02 75

http://www.u923.caen.inserm.fr/

PhD studentship, the control of eye movements, in Giessen

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship to work with Alexander Schütz and Karl Gegenfurtner at Giessen University.

The position is for students interested in the control of eye movements and their relationship to visual perception. The successful applicant will be responsible for setting-up laboratory experiments, recruiting and testing participants, analyzing data, developing models and publication of results. Some of our relevant work is described in a recent review article published in the Journal of Vision (http://www.journalofvision.org/content/11/5/9)

The lab offers excellent facilities for studying visual perception and motor control in a stimulating, multi-national and multi-disciplinary research environment (http://www.uni-giessen.de/cms/allpsych). The city of Giessen is a small university town, located in the center of Germany just 60 km north of Frankfurt.

Applications are invited from candidates with a higher degree (diploma or MS) in subjects related to aspects of neuroscience including psychology, computer science, biological sciences, and engineering. Applicants should have knowledge and skills in at least one of the following areas: computer programming; visual psychophysics; experimental psychology; eye tracking. Of course, applicants are expected to have a strong interest in human visual perception and eye movements.

The position is for two years initially and can start anytime between April and August 2012. Salary is according to German salary scale 65% TV-H 13 or equivalent. Full applications with the usual materials should be sent before March 15, 2012 via Email in PDF format to gegenfurtner [ à ] uni-giessen.de or alexander.schuetz [ à ] psychol.uni-giessen.de.

Do not hesitate to contact us for informal inquiries.

Alexander Schütz and Karl Gegenfurtner

--

Prof. Karl Gegenfurtner, Abteilung Allgemeine Psychologie

Justus-Liebig-Universität, Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10, 35394 Giessen

phone: +49 641 9926100

mailto:gegenfurtner [ à ] uni-giessen.de

fax: +49 641 9926119

http://www.allpsych.uni-giessen.de/karl

PhD position

A BBSRC-funded PhD studentship is advertised in the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour. The closing deadline is the 24th of February.

Details can be found here:

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/?id=910

For further information please contact Dr John Skelhorn:

J.P.Skelhorn@exeter.ac.uk

http://psychology.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=john_skelhorn

Foreign Research Associate (Postdoctoral position)

Hiring Organization:

Kyoto University Primate Research Institute

Date Posted:

2012-02-15

Position Description:

The Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology (CICASP), a department of the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University, is looking for a primatologist to be appointed as a foreign research associate (a postdoctoral position). Applicants must have a Ph.D. and a strong research background in a domain within the discipline of Primatology. The successful applicant should have a clear plan for research to be carried out on primates, they should be able to publish their research, and they should be willing to work toward promoting the activities of the CICASP department. CICASP works toward fostering international collaboration in Primatology, as well as providing guidance and education in English to graduate students at KUPRI. Fluency in English is essential. As this is a foreign research associate position, the nationality of the applicant should be non-Japanese.

Candidates are requested to submit three copies of the following documents written in English:

1) CV

2) Detailed account of academic activity and research grant record

3) List of academic publications and reprints

4) Summary of research that the candidate has conducted ( about 1000 words)

5) Summary of research that the candidate plans to carry out (about 1000 words)

6) Ideas about how the candidate intends to promote and carry out the educational activities of CICASP (about 500 words)

All of the documents must arrive by the application deadline (March 2nd 2012), and should be sent to the following address:

Dr. Tetsuro Matsuzawa (Application for Foreign Research Associate)

Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University

41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan

Qualifications/Experience:

PhD in hand as of the start of the appointment.

Salary/funding:

The yearly salary is set at approximately 3 million yen per year (approximately $39,000 us dollars at the current exchange rate).

Term of Appointment:

1 year contract, subject to extension on an annual basis (beginning April 1st, 2012)

Application Deadline:

March 2nd, 2012

Comments:

A committee will be set up at CICASP- KUPRI to evaluate all candidates, based on the documents submitted. Interviews conducted by CICASP faculty members will be given to select candidates. The final decision will be made by the committee. Each candidate will be informed of the decision as it pertains to him or herself.

Contact Information:

Dr. Tetsuro Matsuzawa

41-2 Kanrin

Inuyama, Aichi 484-0094

Japan

Telephone Number:

+81-568-63-0232

Fax Number:

+81-568-63-0085

Website:

http://www.pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/sections/CICASP/index.html

E-mail Address:

cicasp@pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Questions and C

Volunteer Research Assistant for Azafady Conservation Programme

Hiring Organization:

Azafady

Date Posted:

2012-02-14

Position Description:

Volunteer Research Assistant for the Azafady Conservation Programme

Location of Post: Based in Fort Dauphin and working throughout bordering communes in Anosy Region

Supervisor: Research and Project Co-ordinator

Background of the post:

Azafady is a UK registered charity and Malagasy NGO working in partnership with disadvantaged communities to improve living standards and quality of life in positive coexistence with the fragile and unique local environment. Founded in 1994, the organisation works in 30 of the most impoverished villages on the globe and in the urban centre of Fort Dauphin, south and south east Madagascar, home to a population of some 300,000 people.

Azafady’s Environment Department and the Azafady Conservation Programme (ACP), which accepts international volunteers to work on Azafady’s conservation projects on the ground, are working in tandem with local people to aid the conservation of the threatened forests in the south east of Madagascar. The Azafady Conservation Programme collects data essential for conducting research on the endemic and threatened flora and fauna, in particular lemurs, herpetofauna and endangered palms. The ACP also implements community conservation initiatives such as environmental education in the village school, conservation club, conservation through English lessons, fuel-efficient stove building and World Environment Day festivities, as well as supporting the Environment Department’s reforestation projects. The Environmental Department has established a reforestation project which provides local communities with over 30,000 trees per year, reducing the human impact on the native forests.

ONG Azafady is now looking to recruit a motivated and dynamic individual to assist the Coordinator of the Azafady Conservation Programme. The person will work with our local staff and assist with co-ordinating volunteers in conducting field research on the endemic and endangered flora and fauna of Sainte Luce, approximately 40km north of Fort Dauphin. The individual will be expected to manage and supervise the research projects in the absence of the coordinator and assist the Project co-ordinator in all aspects of their job role. This will involve assisting in the induction and instruction of international volunteers in research methods and daily tasks while ensuring volunteers are happy and satisfied with the programme wherever possible. You will also be required to assist the Project coordinator with data entry/analysis, report writing, organising equipment and communicating with Azafady staff and the local community.

Duties and responsibilities

The research assistant will work in collaboration with Azafady Malagasy staff in the following activities;

• To assist in the development and implementation of the research programme for the coastal littoral forest fragments in Sainte Luce

• To ensure the project targets are met

• To assist in the organisation and logistics for the research programme including equipment and the resources required for the research

• To implement, with the assistance of international and Malagasy staff, the research required to complete the projects organised by the Project co-ordinator.

• To supervise volunteers during their time in the field

• To monitor data collection in the field

• To assist in training of volunteers in the field research techniques required to implement the programmes

• To ensure good communication and team relations with Volunteers, Azafady staff and local staff

• To assist the Project coordinator in the organisation of research excursions

• Any other tasks the Director/ Project Coordinator deems necessary within the broad remit of this role

• Able to commit for a period of one year

Qualifications/Experience:

Personal specification:

• Demonstrate sound knowledge and keen interest in conservation issues

• A qualification in a related discipline

• Specialist knowledge of either primatology, herpetology, botany or environmental education is desirable

• Able to or willing to learn to safely handle and identify reptiles and amphibians

• Previous experience living or working in a developing country would be an asset

• Good IT skills

• Ability to grasp and carryout instruction in challenging environments and maintain a good sense of humour

• First aid certificate

• Working Knowledge of GPS and/or GIS is an advantage

• A good degree of initiative, motivation and commitment

• Excellent organisational and time management skills is a must

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Ability to work under pressure and be flexible and accommodating

• Ability to work as part of a dynamic and multicultural team

• Good degree of fitness for working in difficult terrain under tropical conditions

• Ability to spend long periods of time in basic camping conditions

Salary/funding:

Unpaid

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):

Pay and conditions – Food and local transport will be provided whilst on projects. All other costs will need to be covered by the candidate, including accommodation when in town.

Application Deadline:

29/02/2012

Comments:

Anyone interested in applying for this position should send a detailed CV and a cover letter explaining how their skills and experience match the requirements in the Job Description to Mark Jacobs, by email or by post. The closing date for applications is February 29th 2012.

Contact Information:

Mark Jacobs

Studio 7, 1a Beethoven Street

London W10 4LG

United Kingdom

Telephone Number:

+ 44 (0) 20 8960 6629

Fax Number:

+ 44 (0) 20 8962 0126

Website:

http://www.madagascar.co.uk

E-mail Address:

mark@azafady.org

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