In the
College of Life and Natural Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences,
University of Derby, we are looking for an interested, highly motivated
postgraduate student for a General Teaching Assistantship
(GTA) position (leading to a PhD) in Biosciences, who enjoys
independent research. An interest in biodiversity conservation is a key
requirement, and a background in two or more of the following would be
useful: animal behaviour, small mammal trapping and
surveying, small bird surveying, diet identification from faecal
samples, general behaviour and ecology of domestic cats, and ecological
consultancy. The project is for 3 years, and starts in September 2017.
Applicants fulfilling the essential qualifications
specified in the Personal Specifications are eligible. Funding will
cover tuition fees at Home/EU level and pay a stipend of £14,553 for 3
years only. If your application is successful and you are assessed as
Overseas for fees purposes, you will need to pay
the difference between the Home/EU fees and the Overseas fees.
Project title: Impact of Domestic Cats (Felis silvestris catus) on British Wildlife
Predation by feral
domestic animals can have a devastating effect on native fauna,
especially on small island populations. For larger ecosystems, however,
evidence for whether predation is mainly additive
or compensatory is lacking. There is a large population of feral or
free-ranging pet cats, with approximately 10 Million owned cats in Great
Britain. Claims that cats are partly responsible for the decline of
song-bird populations in Britain are based on the
fact that free-roaming cats will kill birds and small mammals, even if
fed by humans. However, whether estimated predation rates really affect
populations has rarely been studied. The sole reliance on questionnaire
surveys of cat owners is part of the problem
of assessing the domestic cats' impact on wildlife. Only very recently
has technology advanced to a state where cats can be fitted with light
video-cameras that allow assessing the behaviour from the cats' points
of view.
Based on this
background, we are offering a fully funded GTA/PhD position to assess
the true impact of cat predation on wildlife. The candidate would be
using a combination of various techniques, including
wildlife surveys, diet analyses, estimating predation rates using
questionnaires, cameras and diet analyses, and home-range analyses. The
candidate would also be expected to contribute to the delivery of the
curricula relating to a range of undergraduate programmes
of study within the Department of Natural Sciences.
Location: Bioscience discipline, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby
Funding: Funding will cover tuition fees at Home/EU level and pay a stipend of £14,553 for 3 years only.
Responsible to: Dr. Maren Huck, Lecturer in Animal Behavioural Ecology, and Dr. Gill Knight, Head of Bioscience
Entry Requirements:
Candidates must have a first or upper second class honours degree in a
zoology or biology-related subject. A higher postgraduate degree is
desirable. Experience with at least one of small
mammal trapping, bird surveys, and diet identification from faecal
samples are desirable – for further information please refer to the
person specification.
For informal enquiries please contact
Dr. Maren Huck via e-mail (m.huck@derby.ac.uk) or on 01332
592354.
How to apply: Complete applications should be forwarded to Stuart Wain at
researchoffice@derby.ac.uk, quoting reference number L&NS_Cats_PGTA_0517
For details of how to apply, please see: www.derby.ac.uk/research/degrees/apply
For details of how to apply, please see: www.derby.ac.uk/research/degrees/apply
Closing date: 25th of June 2017, midnight
Proposed date of interview: 19th of July 2017
The official advert for the position can be accessed through: