About the position
The world's forests are changing fast: in many regions more trees are dying, growth rates are shifting, and the large amount of carbon that forests absorb may be at risk. There is still no consistent global picture of how tree growth and death are changing, or how they will change.
The TreeChange project at Lund University's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences tackles this by combining field data on how trees grow, live and die with computer models of vegetation. As the postdoc, you will extend the LPJ-GUESS vegetation model and use it to assess forests and their carbon worldwide, working with project partners in Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
What you will do
- Plan and carry out developments to the LPJ-GUESS model, linking it to tree data from ground-based forest inventory plots.
- Prepare and analyse observational datasets, design and run simulations, and lead the writing of peer-reviewed papers.
- Take part in national and international meetings. Teaching is a small part of the role, and the post includes three weeks of training in university teaching.
Who can apply
- A PhD in biology, ecology or a related quantitative science, completed no more than three years before the hiring decision unless there are special circumstances.
- Documented programming skills (C++ is an advantage) and a record of publishing high-quality papers.
- Very good spoken and written English.
- Valued: deep knowledge of forest ecology, experience with process-based or vegetation models, and organising community activities such as model comparisons.
What is offered
- Full-time, fixed-term employment for two years.
- Start on 15 January 2027, or as agreed.
- A large international network of collaborators, and membership of BECC, a Lund–Gothenburg research platform of more than 250 researchers working on biodiversity and ecosystem services in a changing climate.
How to apply
- Apply in English through the university's online application system, linked below.
- Combine everything into one PDF: a CV with your list of publications, a one-page letter on your motivation and your past and future research, contact details for at least two referees, and a copy of your doctoral degree certificate.