We are currently looking for two enthusiastic PhD students to work on a new project preventing extinctions of Australia’s threatened mammals with DNA.

The successful candidates will be part of a recent Linkage Project funded by the Australian Research Council, involving several senior and postdoctoral scientists, and conservation practitioners. The successful candidates will work closely with this diverse and highly skilled group of researchers.

These PhD projects will use ancient DNA extracted from sediment and bulk-bone deposits to reconstruct spatial patterns of mammals and plants across Australian landscapes. Their significance is that they will establish historical distributions and habitats of Australian threatened mammals at geographic scales and spatial resolutions needed for evidence-based ecological restoration.

Position 1: Establishing past mammals and their habitats using sedimentary DNA

Position 2: Quantifying losses of mammals at key conservation areas using bulk bone metabarcoding

PLEASE REFER TO THE FLYER FOR MORE DETAILS.

Eligibility:

Applicants must be acceptable as candidates for a Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Adelaide and able to commence as soon as possible in semester 1, 2025.

You should have:

• First Class Honours or Master degree in genomics, population or conservation genetics or bioinformatics

• A strong interest in biodiversity conservation, paleoecology and or community ecology

• DNA laboratory experience and competency in statistical analysis

• Excellent time and data management and interpersonal skills

• Evidence of well-developed verbal and written communication skills

Desirable Characteristics

• Publication record in peer-reviewed journals

• Experience with ancient and /or environmental DNA

• Familiarity with metabarcoding data and its analysis.

• Knowledge of advanced statistical languages such as R, Python or Matlab

• Familiarity with field based data collection

Stipend:

The scholarship will be for 3.5 years and has a stipend of $ 34,210  (2024 rate, indexed annually) per annum.  It is likely to be tax exempt, subject to Taxation Office approval.

Enquiries:

Associate Professor Damien Fordham

School of Biological Sciences

Tel: (08) 8313 6711 Email: damien.fordham@adelaide.edu.au

Dr Jamie Wood

School of Biological Sciences

Tel: (08) 8313 3952 Email: jamie.wood@adelaide.edu.au

Applying:

Please email your expression of interest to damien.fordham@adelaide.edu.au. This should include:

• your résumé/Curriculum Vitae and copies of any published papers

• address the selection criteria

• include your residency status

• include the names, addresses and/or email details of two referees