Applicants are sought for a PhD candidate to explore the development of movement and location patterns of individual laying hens, their relationship to basic health metrics, and how this information can be used towards improving breeding within cage-free housing systems (https://tinyurl.com/HenTrack2). The project will focus on the appearance of movement patterns in early life, their manifestation into the laying period, and factors that drive their differentiation. The candidate will be involved in all aspects of the project including: experimental design, project coordination, data analysis, and presentations at conferences and peer-reviewed journal articles.
The project will be based at the Center for Proper Housing of Poultry and Rabbits within the Division of Animal Welfare at the University of Bern
<http://www.tierschutz.vetsuisse.unibe.ch/content/index_eng.html>.
The salary will be based on regulations of the Swiss National Science Foundation. The PhD program is funded for a three year period, though there is a possibility for extension into a fourth year pending.
Characteristics that will be considered when reviewing applications include:
Required
• MSc degree (or equivalent) in relevant discipline (e.g., biology, animal science, veterinary science, or psychology)
• Demonstrated experience in research including analysis, presentation of research findings, and development of concepts
• Good knowledge of spoken and written English
Highly valued
• Experience and interest in ethology and/or animal welfare (or project related experience)
• Knowledge of statistics including generalized linear mixed effects models
• Experience in software programming (especially R) and working with large datasets
• Active member of relevant societies and attendance of scientific conferences
• Good knowledge of spoken and written German and/or French
To apply, please send a 1-2 page cover letter describing your background (particularly highlighting the characteristics given above) and interest in the position, a CV detailing your education and research experience, and contact information for at least two references. The CV should NOT contain your photograph. Applications will be accepted until August 1, 2024 and interviews will be conducted in August/September either via teleconference or in person if possible. We hope for the student to formally begin the position in November 2024 though the specific date is negotiable.
Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Matthew Petelle (matthew.petelle@unibe.ch) while application materials should be sent to Ms. Masha Marincek (masha.marincek@unibe.ch).