Hiring Organization:
MPI-EVA Leipzig
Date Posted:
2008-11-28
Position Description:
I am looking for a PhD student to conduct a project aimed at using DNA sequence analysis to improve our understanding of the evolutionary histories of primate populations. Primates in the wild exist in populations with very varied distributions. For example, some primates may occur in fragmented patches in a restricted area, whereas others may be quite widespread. Some closely-related species occupy widely separated ranges, while others occur adjacent to one another and may even hybridize along their contact zone. The wealth of nuclear genome sequence information newly available from chimpanzees, macaques, and other primates enable us to ask questions concerning the long-term histories of primate populations. By using high-throughput methods to resequence multiple segments of the nuclear genome of small numbers of representatives of different populations, we seek to understand when and how populations diverge, how they remain separate in the presence of gene flow, and the social, ecological and demographic factors that ultimately underly the patterns observed.
Qualifications/Experience:
Candidates with experience in relevant molecular biology lab techniques, population genetics theory, and skills in genetic data analysis are encouraged to apply. The student will be a member of the genetics group of the primatology department of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (see http://www.eva.mpg.de/primat/files/genetics.htm) and receive a degree through the Leipzig School of Human Origins, an International Max Planck Research School of the University of Leipzig and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (see http://www.leipzig-school.eva.mpg.de/start.html). Students are supported by fellowships.
Applicants will ideally already have a master’s degree in a relevant subject (e.g., Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Anthropology). Alternatively, an excellent bachelor’s degree (e.g., first, with high honors) may be acceptable but please enquire prior to applying. Candidates should also have good organizational skills, be interested in behavioral ecology, genetics and evolution, be able to work independently as well as in a team and enjoy working in an interdisciplinary environment.
Term of Appointment:
Must begin by September 1, 2009
Application Deadline:
January 31, 2009
Contact Information:
Dr. Linda Vigilant
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Leipzig
Germany
Fax Number:
+49-341-3550-229
Website:
http://www.eva.mpg.de/primat/files/genetics.htm
E-mail Address:
vigilant@eva.mpg.de