We seek a biologist/geographer/forester (or related education) for a PhD position within a grant “The landscape of pulsating aquatic insect swarms and their predators”. The project will be realized at the Mammal  Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland.

 

The summary and objectives of the project:

The primary goal of the proposed project is to link the diversity and abundance of water bodies to the duration and intensity of emergence pulses of aquatic insects and the activity of a main group of insectivorous ecosystem service providers – bats. Water bodies such as lakes, rivers and wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining the health and functioning of ecosystems worldwide. In recent times, there has been a rapid decline in water resources primarily due to the excessive exploitation of groundwater, draining of wetlands, river regulations, and the effects of climate change. The disappearing of water bodies significantly impact the development of insects that undergo aquatic life stages, including chironomids, trichopterans, plecopterans and other insects. This can adversely affect the broader ecosystem dynamics that depend on these insects. Maintaining high insect predator abundance is essential to maintain natural processes in farmland ecosystems, such as the top-down regulation of insect abundance, especially insect pests. Low predator activity may decrease ecosystem resistance to pest outbreaks in farmland. Understanding when, where and which species of bats may use such rich food resources is crucial for understanding the functioning bat population in an agricultural landscape and pest control possibilities. The project will explore two levels of ecosystem functional relationships: 1) the relationship between water body heterogeneity/diversity and the presence of insect swarming, 2) the spatial and temporal relationship between insect-swarming pulses and bat activity (the landscape of predator activity). The project will contribute novel and significant insights into conservation biology and applied ecology.

 

The working environment

Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences (MRI PAS) in Białowieża, funded in 1952, conducts research in the field of ecology, ethology, morphology, population genetics as well as population management and conservation of mammals and other terrestrial vertebrates. The mission of the Institute is to acquire, advance, and disseminate knowledge of natural patterns and processes in order to improve the scientific basis for effective nature conservation activities and sustainable development. We focus mainly on Białowieża Primeval Forest (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site) as a study area, but also on other regions of Poland and Europe. The Institute employs 60 people, including researchers, PhD students, and qualified technical and office staff.

We provide:

1. Work in a friendly research team,
2. The possibility of effective scientific development through cooperation with the best world research centers,
3. Participation in an interesting scientific project with travelling opportunities,
4. The possibility of applying for inexpensive accommodation in MRI PAS flats.

PhD student tasks and duties within the project:

1. Insect abundance and bat activity measurement,
2. Conducting drone flights and creating topographic maps,
3. Bat call identification from recordings,
4. Insect identification from photographs,
5. Data analysis,
6. Writing scientific articles.

 

Requirements:

1. MSc degree in biology, geography, forestry or related sciences,
2. General knowledge of ecology and animal biology,
3. Scientific interests,
4. Good command of the English language,
5. Ability to write articles, scientific texts, and present research results at conferences,
6. Basic knowledge of GIS programs, statistical tools (R environment),
7. Ease in acquiring new skills (aimed at optimizing work with large databases, including the necessity of automating analytical processes),
8. Ability to work in a team.

 

Required documents:

The recruitment process of the BioPlanet Doctoral School is joined with the recruitment of doctoral applicants to a project funded by external institutions (National Science Centre, The National Centre for Research and Development, Foundation for Polish Science, etc.), the beneficiary of which is one of the institutes forming the Doctoral School.

1. Application for admission to the BIOPLANET Doctoral School along with consent for the personal data to be processed for recruitment, and declaration of acceptance of the terms and conditions of admission (application form).
2. Certified copy of diploma or certificate of completion of studies. If the applicant does not have proof of the qualifications, s/he must provide them before the Doctoral School program begins.
3. CV including education, employment and research experience with a list of publications and a short description of scientific achievements, particularly information on participation in scientific conferences, workshops, training and internships, participation in research projects, involvement in learned societies and students’ scientific associations, and awarded distinctions and scholarships.
4. Certificates or other documents confirming knowledge of English, if the applicant has them at his/her disposal.
5. An opinion on the applicant and their past scientific activity from an academic staff member or a university teacher with at least a doctoral degree. Instead of providing such a document, a person who is an academic staff member or a university teacher who holds at least a doctoral degree can be designated from whom the Recruitment Committee can independently obtain their opinion on the applicant.
6. Declaration of consent for the processing of personal data, attached below (only the first signed page should be scanned and delivered through e-mail).

 

Conditions of employment:

PhD student scholarship of 4666,9 PLN brutto. As living in Poland is cheaper than in Western Europe, this ensures quite satisfactory standard of living.

The project will last 4 years, starting in summer 2024. The PhD studies start in October 2024; thus, the candidate is optimally supposed to be in Białowieża then.

The recruitment rules will follow NCN regulations. The selection will be based on the qualifications of the candidates, including scientific achievements, experience, awards, internships, skills and competencies. An interview will be part of the selection of candidates. Recruitment is a two-stage process and includes: 1) evaluation of candidates’ documentation and 2) an interview with selected candidates.

Applications should be sent directly to Ireneusz Ruczyński by letter or electronically by 30th June 2024. The selected candidates will be invited to an online or in-person interview, and the decision will be announced by 31st August 2024. Since fieldwork in the project will start at the end of May 2024, prospective candidates can participate. Individuals interested in participating in the work are kindly asked to contact via email in advance.

 

 

 

Contact:

Ireneusz Ruczyński PhD – project leader

Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences

1. Stoczek 1,

17-230 Białowieża, Poland

e-mail: iruczyns@ibs.bialowieza.pl; phone  +48 85 682-77-63

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Declaration of consent for processing of personal data within the framework of the competition procedure for granting scientific scholarships in research projects funded by the National Science Centre

 

I consent for my personal data to be processed by the Institute of Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as IBS PAN) for the purposes necessary for the recruitment process on the award of scientific scholarships in research projects funded by the National Science Centre (in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016, on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Regulation on Data Protection ) (J.L. EU. 2016, No. 119, p. 1) – hereinafter referred to as RODO, and national data protection regulations issued on its basis.

 

 

………………………………………………                                         …………………………………….

Place, date                                                                             Signature

 

 

 

I consent for my personal data to be processed by the Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences in Białowieża (hereinafter referred to as IBS PAN) for the purposes of the recruitment process for the award of scientific scholarships in research projects funded by the National Science Centre (required if the data provided include special categories of data referred to in Article 9(1) of the RODO).

 

 

………………………………………………                             …………………………………….

Place, date                                                                 Signature

 

General Regulation on Data Protection (RODO) information clause

(drawn up in connection with the implementation of the obligation indicated in Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons in connection with the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC. (Official Journal of the EU L 119, p. 1).

 

1. The Administrator of your personal data is the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Białowieża (hereinafter referred to as IBS PAN), represented by the Director of IBS PAN 1 Stoczek St., 17-230 Białowieża, e-mail address: mripas@ibs.bialowieza.pl, tel. 85 682 77 50.
2. Any questions regarding the manner and extent of the processing of your personal data and your rights under the RODO, can be directed to the designated Data Protection Officer at email address: iod@ibs.bialowieza.pl or by writing to the registered office address indicated above with the reference „Data Protection Officer”.
3. Your personal data will be processed for the purpose and in the scope necessary to carry out the competition procedure for the scholarship, awarding scientific scholarships in research projects funded by the National Centre for Science, and in the case of selection for the position of a scholarship holder, in connection with the conclusion of a scholarship agreement for the payment of a scientific scholarship and activities connected with the collection of the scientific scholarship, your data will be processed on the basis of the Rules of Procedure for Awarding Scientific Scholarships in Research Projects Funded by the National Centre for Science, the Agreement for the Implementation and Financing of the Research Project (hereinafter referred to as „Project”) in the framework of which the competition for the position of a scholarship holder is carried out (art. 6 1(b) RODO). Your personal data will also be processed on the basis of your consent to the processing of data in order to carry out the competition procedure – the basis for the processing of personal data will then be Article 6(1)(a) RODO and Article 9(2)(a) RODO. The Administrator may also process personal data in order to protect its legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) RODO) – in order to service, investigate and defend in the event of the occurrence of mutual claims.
4. The recipients of your personal data will be: The National Science Centre in Cracow, the appointed Scholarship Committee, entities assessing or controlling the proper implementation of the Project, within the framework of which the agreement was concluded, entities conducting control and evaluation and other entities entitled to obtain data on the basis of legal regulations.
5. Your personal data will be stored until the end of the recruitment process from the date of your application, unless, before the expiry of the period indicated above, you withdraw your consent to the processing of your data or restrict it, subject to point 6. In the event, that the basis for the processing of your personal data after the recruitment process has been completed is the legitimate interest of the administrator (e.g. in case when the processing of your personal data after the recruitment process is based on the legitimate interest of the administrator (e.g. in connection with the proceedings before the administrative court initiated by the candidate as a result of the refusal to grant the NCN research scholarship or suspension of the NCN research scholarship payment in connection with the termination of the scholarship agreement), your personal data will be processed only until the proceedings based on the legitimate interest of the administrator is completed or until you make an effective objection.
6. In the case of obtaining a NCN research scholarship (i.e. successful completion of the recruitment process and conclusion of an agreement for a NCN research scholarship payment), the processing of your personal data will take place for the entire period of the agreement for the implementation and financing of the research project within the framework of which the competition for the position of a scholarship holder was held, until the completion of Project implementation and settlement of the agreement for Project implementation and financing concluded with National Science Centre, and then until the expiration of the period of limitation of any possible claims resulting from the contract in the Project, and after that period the data will be kept for archiving purposes – for the period provided for by the law.
7. You have the right to request access to your personal data (including making a copy of it) and, under the conditions set out in the RODO, the right to rectify (amend), erase or restrict processing, object to the processing of your data, transfer your data and the right to lodge a complaint to the supervisory authority, which in Poland is the Inspector General for the Office for Personal Data Protection, having its registered office at: Office for Personal Data Protection, 2 Stawki St., 00-193 Warsaw.
8. You also have the right to withdraw your consent for the control to process your personal data at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the compliance of the processing of your personal data which was performed on the basis of consent given before its withdrawal. However, revoking your consent to data processing during the recruitment process may make it impossible to grant an NCN research scholarship.
9. Providing your personal data is voluntary, but necessary to participate in the competition procedure in the competition procedure, and in the case of a scholarship award it is a condition for the conclusion and performance of the agreement for the payment of a NCN research scholarship.
10. Your personal data obtained for recruitment purposes will not be transferred to a third country or international organization.
11. Your personal data will not be subject to automated decision-making, including in the form of profiling.