Postdoctoral Researcher within the Doctoral Pilot of Digital Waters Flagship (DIWA), 1.3.2025-31.8.2026

Åbo Akademi söker en forskardoktor till projektet “Ecological impact of ferry traffic waves on littoral biodiversity and ecological processes in an archipelago seascape”. Befattningen hör till doktorandpiloten Digital Waters (DIWA). Anställningen är för tiden 1.3.2025-31.8.2026. Den tidsbundna anställningen är på heltid.

Se annonsen i sin helhet på engelska nedan.

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Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) is an internationally acknowledged research university with an extensive responsibility for providing education in Swedish in Finland. With its international research community and its strong Nordic ties, Åbo Akademi University has an acclaimed and recognized position within research and education both nationally and internationally.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering invites applications for a 1.5 year postdoctoral researcher position within the Doctoral Pilot of Digital Waters Flagship (DIWA). The position starts March 1, 2025 and ends August 31, 2026. The DIWA flagship is a leading research and innovation ecosystem, using research to support decision-making and pave the way for the next revolution in the water sector – digitally.

The position is full-time and will be seated at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the subject Environmental and Marine Biology in Turku.

DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION
The postdoctoral researcher will work within the project: “Ecological impact of ferry traffic waves on littoral biodiversity and ecological processes in an archipelago seascape”.

Physical disturbance is major factor shaping marine coastal soft and rocky shore ecosystems, their biodiversity and ecosystem services. The Archipelago Sea is one of the busiest regions when it comes to cargo, tourist and ferry traffic in the northern Baltic Sea. The maritime shipping business is of major importance for the local economy. Simultaneously this activity creates disturbances and potentially loss to coastal biodiversity, especially in sensitive passages via erosion and long-term resuspension of sediments. However, there is no systematic quantitative information about the scale, location and consequences of this human activity on marine littoral biodiversity, community structure and key ecological processes such as production, recruitment and colonization of plants and invertebrates.

Ferry traffic waves and currents likely interact directly with both the shallow rocky shore communities (the bladderwrack Fucus vesiculosus belt) and the vegetated (Zostera marina, Stuckenia spp.) and unvegetated soft sediment communities through sediment resuspension, erosion and deterioration of water transparency.

The field work will benefit from a team effort and will be carried out in collaboration with two doctoral researchers focusing on rocky and soft-sediment bottom responses to ferry waves, respectively, as well as a doctoral researcher focusing on flow characteristics and habitat mapping in the littoral zone. In general, the work will be carried out by identifying bottleneck ferry passages and control sites using novel automated monitoring instruments targeting both the wave/flow disturbance regime and the underwater light climate. The doctoral researchers’ work will focus mainly on descriptive (and to some extent experimental) surveys of plant diversity, abundance and biomass and associated animal diversity.

The postdoctoral researcher is expected to carry out independent research in collaboration with the team above. We strongly encourage the applicant to come up with own, novel research questions and experimental approaches related to the research theme “physical disturbance and marine biodiversity” outlined above. This should preferentially involve field and/or laboratory experiments that build on and benefit from the data collected in the project.

Research environment

The postdoctoral researcher will work with research groups at Environmental and Marine Biology (ÅAU) and Department of Geography and Geology (University of Turku), and benefit from a network of field stations with excellent infrastructure to study wave disturbance i.e. Archipelago Centre Korpoström (ÅAU), Husö Biological Station (ÅAU), Archipelago Research Institute, (University of Turku) (https://www.abo.fi/en/emb-locations-and-fieldstations/, https://skargardscentrum.fi/marine-biology/?lang=en). As part of DIWA the postdoctoral researcher will also benefit from collaborative fieldwork, joint publications with other DIWA researchers and DIWA’s training programmes and seminars.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATION
We are looking for a candidate with a PhD degree within the fields of marine biology or aquatic ecology or similar and with excellent teamwork and communication skills as well as ability to take responsibility and show commitment toward collaborators. As a rule, the time elapsed since completing the doctoral degree should not exceed four years in accordance with the Regulations for Personnel of the university, excluding maternity leaves, parental leaves, military service, etc. (a copy of the diploma of a doctoral degree should be submitted in the application).

The following experience is considered essential:

• Littoral sampling and processing of marine samples
• Marine field and laboratory experiments and statistical analysis

The following is considered advantageous:

• Experience of PhD and MSc student supervision
• A valid SCUBA diving licence
• A valid driver’s licence (B)
• Boat handling and navigation skills

The applications will be assessed as follows:

• Research competence (75%) measured through research plan, relevant academic publications, participation in research- and other academic projects and other research related experience. The research plan must be relevant for Digital Waters and the project “Ecological impact of ferry traffic waves on littoral biodiversity and ecological processes in an archipelago seascape”.
• Interactive competence (25%) that covers ability to cooperate in collegial manner and administrative ability as well as experience which may have been acquired also in activities outside the academia.

The appointment will be based on an overall assessment of the applicant’s potential for development and competences and in relation to the necessary qualities to successfully carry out the tasks for the position. The applicants may be invited to an interview.

SALARY AND CONDITIONS
The postdoctoral researcher’s salary is based on levels 5–6 of the job demand levels for teaching and research staff. In addition, an individual salary component based on personal work performance is added to the salary. Please see the salary chart for teaching and research personnel.

Researchers have a total working time of 1,612 hours per year. A trial period of six months applies to all new employees. The person’s appointed will have access to occupational health care-services.

APPLICATION
Please submit your electronic application in the ÅAU recruitment system (www.abo.fi/rekrytering) no later than October 31st, 2024 at 15:00 (EEST, Finnish time zone). Please see guidelines on the electronic application.

The application should include the following enclosures (in English): 

• Personal statement or motivation letter containing a description of your scientific background and motivation, and how they relate to research conducted within DIWA and the project (max. 2 pages)
• CV (according to the recommendations of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity, TENK: https://tenk.fi/en/advice-and-materials/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae) including a full list of publications.
• Research plan (max 3 pages)
• Degree certificates

INFORMATION
For further information regarding the position, please contact Associate Professor Christoffer Boström, christoffer.bostrom[a]abo.fi and in questions concerning the recruitment process HR Specialist Sabina Ringvall, sabina.ringvall[a]abo.fi.

Åbo Akademi University works for equal gender distribution and diversity across all personnel groups.