Vacancies

You will work within a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary team with the goal of filling in the current gaps in the insect tree of life using a combination of genome sequencing, computer vision and probabilistic machine learning. We will be using a unique insect material collected in the Insect Biome Atlas project (funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation) and LIFEPLAN project (funded by the European Research Council), comprising some 35,000 Malaise trap samples containing an estimated 35 million insects representing at least a million species, most of which are undescribed. All samples have been previously indexed using metabarcoding of the mitochondrial gene CO1, commonly used for species identification in insects. Using the metabarcoding information and the current genome-based tree of life for insects, we will systematically pick out specimens of species-rich but poorly known groups for genome sequencing. The process will involve computer-assisted manual sorting of samples, individual-specimen barcoding to verify the species identification, and finally genome sequencing and phylogenetic inference aimed at providing a backbone within the darkest regions in the current genome-based insect tree of life. The resulting data will be used to study the diversification of insects through time, the evolution of insect genomes, and the co-evolution of insects and their symbionts. The project will involve methods development at the cutting edge of AI, computer vision and probabilistic machine learning. The project is a collaboration between researchers at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Linköping University, and also involves an advisory group consisting of additional researchers from Sweden and abroad. The successful candidate will play a key role in the project. The candidate will be responsible for project management including budget planning, economic and results reporting and other project administration tasks in collaboration with the administrative support staff at the museum. The candidate will coordinate and help lead research activities in the project together with the PIs, and we also expect the candidate to be actively involved in some of the research activities, from planning to publication. The work will involve travel, organization of project meetings, and outreach activities. We expect that administrative tasks will take up apr. half the working time and research takes the remaining time.

Application deadline: 12 December 2024

Anställningstyp: Permanent employment

• Independent research and publishing at a high international level in collection-based paleontology, systematics and evolution, stratigraphy, and paleoecology. Presentation of research findings at national and international conferences is required. • Supervising students at MSc and PhD level. • Teaching at graduate (including doctoral) and undergraduate levels (a few hours per year). • Applying for external research grants. • Processing and enriching the museums paleontological collections, including responsibility for overseeing selected parts of the collections. • Developing exhibitions in collaboration with the public division, and disseminating scientific knowledge to the public. • Participating in the museum's and the department's other activities, including administrative tasks. The position includes approximately 50% research, 30% collections management and 20% administration and popular-science outreach.  For the right person, there may be opportunities to develop leadership and personnel management skills in the future, depending on the needs of the organization.

Application deadline: 20 December 2024

Anställningstyp: Permanent employment