Linnaeus University seeks
A Post-Doc researcher in Quaternary Palaeoecology
(Environmental Science) specialized in quantitative
vegetation/land-cover reconstructions, ref 2010/2880
Linnaeus University is the result of a merger between Kalmar University and Växjö University.
Together we will be creating a new, exciting university with 31 000 students and 2 000 employees.
Linnaeus University will be a modern, international university in the Småland region of Sweden,
where people can grow to reach their potential. For more information see: Lnu.se
The School of Natural Sciences is part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The research
activities within this multidisciplinary school include Environmental Science with seven research
groups of which Palaeoecology is one.
The palaeoecology research group seeks one Post Doctoral researcher for studies within past land
cover-climate feedbacks (Holocene period). The project is part of the Swedish strategic research area
ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system, MERGE; for more information on MERGE, see
http://www.cec.lu.se/forskning/merge. The position is for two years.
Project title: Regional and global land cover-climate feedbacks during the Holocene – modelling the
past land-cover using pollen-vegetation modelling and other methods.
The research project: The main objective of the project is to produce vegetation/land-cover
reconstructions of the past (Holocene period) that can be used in climate modelling to test and refine
regional and global climate models and to elucidate past land cover-climate feedbacks in particular
through human-modified land-cover. Did changes in human land-use and related land-cover changes
have significant feedbacks on the regional and global climate in the past? Will such changes affect the
future climate? The candidate will collaborate with the global community of palynologists
(contributors of pollen data), the scientists working with anthropogenic landscape scenarios, and
climate modellers (including vegetation modellers for coupled climate-vegetation models). Work will
include collecting of existing pollen data, getting pollen-vegetation data to calculate new pollen
productivity estimates (PPEs) from regions where no PPEs are available, and modelling past landcover on regional to global spatial scales using pollen-vegetation modelling and other methods.
Applicants should have a doctoral degree in palaeoecology or similar. Documented training in pollen
analysis and quantitative reconstruction of vegetation/land-cover using pollen-vegetation modelling is
required. A good expertise in numerical techniques and GIS, and knowledge of general
palaeoclimatology are clearly an advantage. The position is located to Kalmar.
For further information please contact Professor Marie-José Gaillard, marie-jose.gaillardlemdahl@lnu.se , +46-480-446175, or Personnel Officer Leif Eriksson, leif.eriksson@lnu.se, +46-48044 60 28. Union representatives may be contacted via the university operator at +46-480-44 60 00.
Application should be addressed to: Registrator, Linnaeus University, SE-351 95 Växjö, Sweden or by
e-mail to registrator@lnu.se, and should arrive no later than November 30, 2010. Mark your
application with reference number 2010/2880.
The application (in English) should contain a CV, documentations of exams and grades, the name of
two references (with telephone number and e-mail), a description of motivation and experience
relevant to the research project and any other documentation that the applicant would like to present.