Are you curious as to why wild animals cooperate? Do you dream of studying the social behaviour of savanna birds in Africa? Do you want to do conceptually-driven PhD research?
Then read on, because this PhD position may be the perfect fit for you!
We offer a fully-funded PhD position in the Behavioural Ecology Group at Wageningen University to work in our “Social Savanna” project.
The Social Savanna project was set up in 2017 with the goal of understanding the evolutionary drivers of sociality and cooperation in birds. The research of the vacant position, funded by NWO ENW, is based on cutting-edge concepts in the field of social evolution, and consists of fieldwork supplemented by phylogenetic analysis. The focus will be on how adverse environmental circumstances affect the relation between sociality, cooperation and reproduction. Using state-of-the-art tracking and monitoring technology, the successful candidate will study a range of different bird species, covering both cooperative and non-cooperative breeders.
The fieldwork, conducted in savanna habitat at Mbuluzi Game Reserve, Eswatini, includes for example catching and ringing birds, monitoring breeding attempts and reproductive behaviour, tracking individual movement, and recording various ecological and environmental features such as vegetation and predators.
The research is embedded within the chair group Behavioural Ecology, and the successful candidate will be a member of the ‘Social Savanna’ team, which is led by Dr. Sjouke A. Kingma. You will be part of a team consisting of, among others, Dr. Kat Bebbington, Prof. Marc Naguib, and Prof. Ara Monadjem.
You have:
• a successfully completed MSc degree in the field of Behavioural Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Animal Ecology, or similar
• experience (or an affinity for) conducting fieldwork on birds, ideally including behavioural observations, catching and handling of wild birds, and/or nest and population monitoring
• strong organisational skills, are a team player willing to work with a diverse group of researchers and technicians, and have the ability to work independently
• strong communication skills and are able to lead a team of students and technicians under difficult field conditions
• good quantitative skills in statistics, and preferably in phylogenetic analysis
• excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.
Do you want to apply?
You can apply via the WUR webpage or AcademicTransfer page using the apply button on the vacancy page which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. Please upload a motivation letter, a CV and the contact details of two references.
This vacancy will be listed up to and including 15 February 2022. We hope to schedule the first interviews in the second half of February. The preferred starting date for this position is March 15 (and must start before of March 29th).
Do you need more information?
For more information about this position, please contact Sjouke A. Kingma, Associate Professor in Behavioural Ecology, by email by clicking on the button below. For more information about the procedure, please contact Ine van 't Land, corporate recruiter by e-mail by clicking on the button below.
