RESEARCH ASSISTANT IN QUATERNARY PALYNOLOGY AT GLOBE INSTITUTE

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen

We invite applications for the position of Research Assistant in Quaternary Palynology. This role is funded for 2 years, commencing on 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position will be based at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen. Information on the department can be found at: www.globe.ku.dk.

Our research
You will join the Conservation Palaeogenetics & Palaeoecology Group at the Section for GeoGenetics led by Assistant Professor Ana Prohaska. We work at the interface of palaeoecology, ancient genetics, evolutionary biology, and conservation science to understand how species and ecosystems responded to past environmental change and how this understanding can inform conservation decision-making today. Our focus is on identifying and recovering genetic diversity relevant to preserving Earth’s contemporary biodiversity into the future. For more information about the group and our research, please see: globe.ku.dk/research/geogenetics/prohaska-group.

You will also be part of the newly established Centre of Excellence for Ancient Environmental Genomics. This is an interdisciplinary research centre committed to unlocking the vast, yet largely untapped research potential of ancient environmental genomics by enhancing key experimental and computational capabilities. The goal is to study community-wide and population-level processes on an unprecedented temporal and spatial scale to help resolve fundamental questions about the history of life on Earth. The centre brings together a diverse team of researchers with backgrounds in geology, genetics, ecology, evolutionary biology, computer science, statistics, and more.

Your Position
You will join a new project funded by the Villum Foundation as part of a dedicated research team. The project aims to uncover the adaptability of mass flowering—synchronized, interannual reproduction in plants—to climate change. Mass flowering underpins forest regeneration and provides essential ecosystem services to both people and wildlife. However, whether mass flowering can persist on a warming planet remains uncertain. The project will pioneer the use of morphological and genetic analyses of fossil pollen to investigate how past periods of global warming impacted the mass flowering of key tree species and to predict future trends.

You will contribute to and support the project through the collection, preparation and morphological analysis of fossil pollen samples from Quaternary sedimentary deposits retrieved from several lake sites in Europe.

Your tasks include but are not limited to:

• Participation in organisation and execution of lake sediment coring campaigns.
• Preparation of sediment samples for palynological analysis.
• Identification and counting of pollen from a variety of sediment samples.
• Optimising protocols for pollen preparation and analysis as the need arises.
• Technical support in planning and troubleshooting of the pollen analysis work of the wider team.
• Participation in the scientific activities of the group.
• Keeping up to date with technological developments.
• Work in close collaboration with other scientific staff and academics in the group, and centre more broadly.

Advisor will be Assistant Professor Ana Prohaska.

Your Profile
We are looking for a trained paleopalynologist with the following competencies and experience.

Essential qualifications and skills

• MSc degree in (paleo)ecology, geology, geography, Earth sciences, or a related field. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years).
• Extensive experience in the preparation of palynological samples and palynological analysis.
• A genuine interest in developing and advancing lab methodologies and protocols.
• Self-motivation, pragmatic mindset, strong work ethics, and good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to organise time and work effectively and responsibly, independently and in teams.
• Strong attention to detail with demonstrated skills in troubleshooting.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English (due to the institute's international profile).

Desirable experience and skills

• Experience in processing and analysing varved sediments.
• Experience with statistical data analysis.

Place of employment
The place of work is at the Section for GeoGenetics, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen. We offer supportive, creative, and stimulating working conditions within a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include a LEAF GOLD certified molecular lab, designed for generating genomic-scale datasets from both modern and ancient specimens, complemented by high-capacity computational servers adept at handling such data.

The Globe Institute is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment where employees and students can belong and thrive (https://globe.ku.dk/about/diversity-programme/). All qualified applicants will receive full consideration. Candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, contribute to diversity and competencies of our Institute are encouraged to apply.

The University of Copenhagen strives to offer a family friendly and flexible working environment with a sustainable balance between work- and private life, including parental leave schemes (up to 47 weeks for both parents) and up to six weeks of paid holidays per year.

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 2 years. The starting date is 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 32,998 DKK/approx. 4,422 EUR (April 2024 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information regarding the position, please contact Ana Prohaska; [email protected]

Application
Your application in English should include:

• Letter of application addressing the requirements (max. one page).
• Curriculum Vitae
• Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted. As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database. Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.
  

Please submit your application by clicking "apply now" below. Only online applications will be accepted.

Deadline for applications: 24 February 2025, 23.59pm CET.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.