PhD research to manage greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon loss in East African Wetlands

Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Ecoscience programme. The position is available from 01 February 2025 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.

Title:
PhD research to manage greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon loss in East African Wetlands

Research area and project description:
Background:
African wetlands are known to comprise an important component of the global greenhouse gas budgets, but measurements remain sparse and estimates highly uncertain. Agricultural activities, particularly in papyrus wetlands, are critically important for the livelihoods of millions of smallholders but contribute to their widespread degradation. Among the impacts are reduction in soil carbon storage, soil drying, and changes in greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable management requires information on these impacts locally and nationally, while measurements will also contribute to a better understanding of African wetlands globally.

Description of PhD Position:
The PhD candidate will conduct field and laboratory research to understand the effects of agriculture and urban development on greenhouse gas emissions and their controls in two wetlands in Uganda (the Lubigi and Rufuha wetlands). The candidate will design and execute the research according to their interests, capitalizing on the impact gradient represented by the sites (highly impacted to restored to pristine). Preliminary literature review and interviews of communities will inform the research design, which will include site selection based on important socio-economic activities. Field work will take place over one full year to capture seasonal variation, and most laboratory analyses will be conducted in Uganda.The candidate will take a leadership role, working together with other MSc and BSc students, to accomplish the work. Upscaling of results is expected through GIS and modelling approaches.

The position is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Aarhus University Denmark) and is also supported by the POLKA Project (Water and Development Programme) at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. As such, the candidate will work in an interdisciplinary context with other scientists from Uganda, Kenya, Netherlands, and Denmark, and is encouraged to develop own research questions considering the broader project activities.

Project description (½-4 pages): This document should describe your ideas and research plans for this specific project. If you wish to, you can indicate an URL where further information can be found.

Qualifications and specific competences:
Applicants to the PhD position must have a MSc degree with research thesis in environmental science, biogeochemistry, water quality, agricultural or soil science.

• Experience in measuring greenhouse gas fluxes from papyrus wetlands or other types of aquatic or agricultural ecosystems, with knowledge of portable greenhouse gas analyzers.
• Interested in and able to work with local communities, partners, students, and laboratory facilities, with knowledge of local languages a plus.
• Willing to spend several months at a time in Uganda for field work and showing a determined and creative attitude towards solving on-the-ground challenges.
• Skills in data analysis (preferably R programming) and GIS.
• Demonstrated commitment to capacity strengthening and experience in multi-cultural teams.

Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Department of Ecoscience, Freshwater Ecology, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C., Denmark.

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information are invited to contact:

• Gretchen Gettel, [email protected] (main supervisor)

How to apply:
Please follow this link to submit your application.

Application deadline is 18 December 2024 at 23:59 CET.

Preferred starting date is 01 February 2025.

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide.

Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.