PhD position in Microbial methane consumption in contrasting ocean environments

Project Title
Microbial methane consumption in contrasting ocean environments: effects of elevated seepage and
geochemical boundary conditions

Job Description 
A 3-year PhD position within the framework of a joint Swiss-German research project on microbial methane consumption in the ocean. The candidate will be based at the University of Basel, Switzerland (Department of Environmental Sciences, Stable Isotope Geochemistry and Aquatic Biogeochemistry Group), but extended sojourns at the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) are planned. The focus of the position will be to assess microbial methane oxidation in ocean sediments and the water column in relation to (changing) biogeochemical boundary conditions. The research will involve field sampling onboard international, seagoing research vessels as well as laboratory work in Basel and Kiel. The candidate will be exposed to (and trained in) a wide range of analytical methods including lipid biomarker-, radio-tracer- and stable isotope assays as well as microbiological techniques for determining pathways and rates of methane oxidation, and the microbial communities involved. Students with a background in Environmental- /Geo-Sciences, Biogeochemistry, Biology or Analytical Chemistry, and with interests in a highly multidisciplinary work environment are encouraged to apply.

Academic requirement 
Masters/Diploma degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate subject for the project.

Application 
Applicants should submit a CV, a statement of research interests, and the names and contact information for two references via e-mail to Dr. H. Niemann, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland (helge.niemann@unibas.ch).

Application Deadline: 20th February 2012
Interview Date: beginning of March 2012
Start Date: April 2012

Contact 
Dr. Helge Niemann
Dept. Environmental Sciences, University of Basel
Bernoullistrasse 30, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
phone: ++41-61-2673615
e-mail: helge.niemann@unibas.ch
http://pages.unibas.ch/environment/index_e.html

Prof. Dr. Tina Treude
Department of Marine Biogeochemistry
Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)
Wischhofstr. 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
phone: ++49-4316002837
e-mai: ttreude@geomar.de
www.ifm-geomar.de/~ttreude