Applications are invited for 24 month post doc (with a possibility of up to

2 year continuation) in the research group of Marjo Saastamoinen as part of

the ERC funded META-STRESS project (Starting Grant scheme). The successful

applicant will join the Centre of Excellence in Metapopulation Research at

the University of Helsinki. 

The project aims to understand the mechanisms that allow organisms in the

wild to cope with environmental stress. The large metapopulation of the

Glanville fritillary butterfly gives a unique opportunity to study processes

operating from genes within individuals all the way to metapopulation-level

dynamics (> 20 years of data). In this project ecological studies will be

integrated with molecular approaches to unravel the significance of

different mechanisms - candidate genes, epigenetic inheritance and

intestinal microbial communities - potentially influencing individual

responses to environmental challenges. Molecular and genomic tools

(including the genome; Ahola et al. 2014, Nat Comm) are available for this

species to apply to ecologically relevant traits.

Recent relevant publications include:

Saastamoinen M, Norio H & Van Nouhuys S (2013) Direct and trans-generational

responses to food deprivation during development in the Glanville fritillary

butterfly. Oecologia 171: 93-104.

Saastamoinen M, Ikonen S, Wong SW, Lehtonen R & Hanski I (2013) Plastic

larval development in a butterfly has complex environmental and genetic

causes and consequences for population dynamics. Journal of Animal Ecology

82: 529-539. 

Kvist J., Wheat C. W., Kallioniemi E., Saastamoinen M., Hanski I. &

Frilander M. (2013). Temperature treatments during larval development reveal

extensive heritable and plastic variation in gene expression and life

history traits. Molecular Ecology 22: 602-619. 

The successful candidate should have PhD / post doctoral experience in

evolutionary genetics, bioinformatics, microbiology, evolutionary biology or

similar, and a strong interest in working with natural populations.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to think

independently and creatively are required. You must demonstrate the ability

to work as part of a team, and participate in supervision of more junior

group members. 

More information: http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/msaastam ;

www.helsinki.fi/science/metapop

Starting date: April 2015

Application deadline: 13 February 2015

Mail your application with title post-doc META-STRESS (CV with

publications included, contact details of two references, and a letter

(MAX 1 page) with a description of your research interests and why you

would be a suitable candidate for the project) as a single pdf file to

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 .

Informal inquires to  
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Dr Marjo Saastamoinen

Academy Research Fellow

Center-of-Excellence in Metapopulation Biology

Department of Biosciences

PO Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1)

FI-00014 University of Helsinki

FINLAND

tel. + 358 (0)50 448 4471

http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/msaastam/