The Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS), part of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ), is looking for a highly motivated PhD student with a background in biology or ecology to investigate marine zooplankton dynamics and their mortality. Your research will be a 4-year funded project, working with your supervisory team: Andrew Hirst, Dick van Oevelen and Karline Soetaert. The successful applicant will be trained in a wide range of modern biological oceanographic methodologies, and undertake both laboratory and sea-going work, while being based at our Yerseke facility.
ROYAL NIOZ
NWO-NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is the Dutch national oceanographic institute and principally performs academically excellent multidisciplinary, fundamental, and frontier applied marine research addressing important scientific and societal questions pertinent to the functioning of the ocean and seas. NIOZ includes the National Marine research Facilities (NMF) department that operates a fleet of research vessels and the national pool of large seagoing equipment, and supports excellence in multidisciplinary marine research, education, and policy development.
THE DEPARTEMENT
The Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS, NIOZ-Yerseke) studies how the interplay between biota, hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics and biochemistry shapes the estuarine, deltaic and coastal environments within the context of natural and human-induced environmental changes. Our department assigns central importance to a multidisciplinary approach that combines state-of-the-art biophysical, biochemical, ecological and physiological measurements and experiments with remote sensing and numerical modelling to create in-depth understanding of the processes that control estuarine and delta systems. One important focus for the department is how our research can create value for society.
THE PROJECT (or RESEARCH)
All organisms reproduce, grow and die, yet our understanding of each of these processes, especially in the marine environment, differs greatly. Marine zooplankton play a fundamental role in ocean biogeochemistry, biological productivity, and are influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and water column mixing. Over the past 30 years, our understanding of the rates of growth and reproduction of zooplankton, especially copepods, have greatly advanced. By comparison, we still have a poor appreciation of their mortality: it can be difficult to quantify mortality, and to elucidate which are the primary causes of death. Consequently, models of biological processes in the ocean often lack good mechanistic descriptions of mortality and are typically oversimplified.
There is much indirect evidence that high rates of predation and mortality have selected for sustained rapid growth and high metabolic energy use by plankton over their development, but exactly how these selective pressures have shifted these rates is not known. Important outstanding questions include: to what degree does disease, predation, old age and environmental extremes (e.g. heatwaves, storms), affect zooplankton populations? How will these factors vary in the face of climate change? Can we add a more mechanistic basis on mortality in the oceanic models that include zooplankton dynamics?
This is a unique PhD position, as there is flexibility to shape the content of the thesis. Overall, the work will lead to a broader understanding of the role of mortality on critical processes in the marine environment, and can include:
Describe and understand patterns of morality rates in the marine plankton, including microbes, zooplankton (e.g. jellyfish, crustaceans, chordata) and higher predators, such as fish.
Improved quantification of mortality in the marine ecosystem using experimental field-work approaches, to better appreciate the causes of mortality in different regions, seasons and environmental conditions, and how we can improve ways to predict and model these processes.
Describe and model linkages between mortality and the selection of ontogenetic, physiological and life-history traits, including the stark differences observed between plankton, benthos (bottom-living species) and species in differing environments.
During the 4 years of this fully-funded programme, you will be able to utilize a broad range of techniques, from meta-analysis of the literature, use of traditional net sampling and analysis techniques, and laboratory experimentation, as well as using novel approaches (e.g. size spectra, vital staining), and mechanistic modelling, to address these outstanding questions.
THE CANDIDATE
We are seeking a highly motivates student who wishes to now take the next step in their career to undertake a PhD. You should have a science degree and have completed (or soon to complete) a university masters degree, ideally in oceanographic, biological or ecologically-related subjects. A background in marine biology or biological oceanography and/or affinity with numerical methods and modelling concepts would be advantageous. Affinity with, or experience of using R and / or Python are important for this position, although you may not yet have such skills yet. The successful candidate will be trained, and gain experience in, a wide range of approaches. As well as taking samples at sea, and using modern imaging systems for plankton sampling, you will use microscopy and traditional identification. You will gain experience of data handling, and develop important skills in model development. You will be interested in applying your problem solving abilities to contemporary questions in biological oceanography and ecology, while addressing pressing questions concerning the environment.
We are a transparent institute with a healthy working climate and an inclusive culture, where people from diverse backgrounds and gender bring their talents and further develop these talents. We aim for inclusive decision-making processes, and expect our leadership to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.
CONDITIONS
Employment of this full-time position at Royal NIOZ is by NWO-I, for a total duration of 4 years. You start with an appointment for the duration of 1 year, that, after a positive evaluation in the 9th month (Go-No go), will be extended to the full period of 4 years.
Salary compliant with scales for PhD candidate (OIOs) CAO-WVOI (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes).
An appointment at NIOZ as a PhD candidate means working and learning simultaneously conform the NIOZ PhD policy.
338 annualized holiday hours for a full-time 40-hour work week.
Pension scheme via ABP, 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.33%.
2nd class public transportation travel is reimbursed 100%.
Employment benefits plan to exchange a portion of your salary for days off or vice versa, or can be used to purchase a bicycle with tax benefits.
We offer relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation.
MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Andrew Hirst. For additional information about the procedure, please send an e-mail to [email protected]
Deadline for applications to be received is the 24th June 2025, and we are planning on interviews taking place at Yereske on the 8th July 2025.
