The Department of Physical Geography at Stockholm University is advertising a PhD position on the topic of Impacts of Mining on Arctic Environments and Societies.  Closing date: 16 October 2016. Ref. No. SU FV-2503-16

Link to Stockholm University vacancy posting

The Department of Physical Geography is one of the major departments within the Faculty of Science of Stockholm University. The department has approximately 140 employees and educates approximately 2 000 students annually. Education is oriented towards geography, geosciences, biology-earth sciences, and environmental protection and environmental management. The main research areas are: Biogeography and Geomatics, Climate science and quaternary geology, Environment, resource dynamics and management, Geomorphology and glaciology, and Hydrology, Water resources and permafrost.

Project description
The Department of Physical Geographyat has an opening for a PhD position that will be part of the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Resource Extraction and Sustainable Arctic Communities (REXSAC)”, which is funded by Nordforsk (the Nordic research board). REXSAC is hosted by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), in collaboration with Stockholm University and Stockholm Environment Institute. This PhD project will jointly be supervised by Jerker Jarsjö and Gunhild Rosqvist. REXSAC is building an interdiscplinary research environment to provide new thinking about sustainable development, especially in the context of Arctic mining. The PhD project will be one of six PhD projects starting in 2016/17 and will include opportunities for close collaboration with other partners in REXSAC. An urgent need exists for strategic impact assessment methods that investigate the effects of multiple and cumulative impacts from non-renewable resource extraction in both political and ecological terms. The combined effects of mining activities and other pressures in areas that are experiencing rapid climate and environmental change are poorly understood. This PhD project includes case-study analyses of current mining impacts with regard to occurrence of metall(oid)s and their bioavailability in different environmental compartments such as soil, water, sediment and vegetation. The research also includes analyses of base-line (negligible mining impact) conditions and projections of plausible future effects in Arctic environments.

Qualification requirements
In order to meet the general entry requirements, the applicant must have completed a second-cycle degree, completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

In order to meet the specific entry requirements, and to fulfill the general syllabus for doctoral studies in the field of physical geography, the candidate for this position should have acquired a total of 240 higher education credits (of which at least 60 at advanced level), or acquired in some alternative fashion, the equivalent knowledge in geoscience, environmental science or other relevant natural or engineering science.

Only a person who will be or has already been admitted to a third-cycle program may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. The primary assessment criteria in appointing a doctoral student should be the capacity to benefit from the training.

Selection
The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The following criteria will be used to assess this capacity: the candidates’ documented knowledge in a relevant field of research, written and oral proficiency in English, the capacity for analytical thinking, the ability to collaborate, as well as creativity, initiative, and independence. The assessment will be based on previous experience and grades, the quality of the degree project, references, relevant experience, interviews, and the candidate’s written motivation for seeking the position.

Preference will be given to applicants with a quantitative background in geosciences, environmental sciences, geochemistry and GIS. Candidates must be self-motivated, committed and enthusiastic about working in a large cross-disciplinary project. The PhD dissertation will be written in English.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University are available at: www.regelboken.su.se.

Terms of employment
The term of the initial contract may not exceed one year. The employment may be extended for a maximum of two years at a time. However, the total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study.

Doctoral students should primarily devote themselves to their own education, but may engage in teaching, research, and administration corresponding to a maximum of 20 % of a full-time position.

Please note that admission decisions cannot be appealed.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact
For more information, please contact Professor Gunhild Rosqvist, telephone: +46 8 16 49 83, gunhild.rosqvist@natgeo.su.se, or Associate professor Jerker Jarsjö, telephone: +46 8 16 49 58, jerker.jarsjo@natgeo.su.se.

Union representatives
Anqi Lindblom-Ahlm (Saco-S) and Lisbeth Häggberg (Fackförbundet ST), telephone: +46 8 16 20 00 (operator), Gunnar Stenberg (SEKO), telephone: +46 70 316 43 41, and PhD student representative: fredrik.c.l@sus.su.se.

Application
Apply for the position at Stockholm University’s recruitment system by visiting the Stockholm University application page. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Please include the following information with your application

• Your contact details and personal data
• Your highest degree
• Your language skills
• Contact details for 2–3 references

and, in addition, please include the following documents

• Cover letter
• CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of degree projects/theses
• Research proposal (no more than 3 pages) describing:
  – why you are interested in the field/project described in the advertisement
  – why and how you wish to complete the project
  – what makes you suitable for the project in question
• Degree certificates and grades confirming that you meet the general and specific entry requirements (no more than 6 files)
• Letters of recommendation (no more than 3 files)
• Degree projects/theses (no more than 3 files).

The instructions for applicants are available at: Instructions – Applicants.

You are welcome to apply!

Stockholm University – our education and research produce results.

Closing date: 16/10/2016