The Institute of Evolutionary Biology seeks a PhD student
The Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) is a joint Institute of the
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Pompeu Fabra University
(UPF) located in Barcelona city. IBE research is focused on the processes
and mechanisms that generate biodiversity and on understanding the
genetic basis of evolution. The IBE is a center member of the Barcelona
Biomedical Research Park (PRBB).

The Evolutionary Microbiology Lab
In our group we study the molecular mechanisms that facilitate adaptation
to changing environments and the limits of adaptation using a combination
of computational approaches, experimental evolution (of bacteria and
single proteins) and omics (sequencing, transcriptomics). The group is
part of the Biodiversity Program at IBE.

We are a small, but collaborative and dynamic group. The candidate will
benefit from a vibrant and interdisciplinary academic environment with
excellent opportunities for education, training and collaboration.

Project description
Environments change constantly, but bacteria can rapidly adapt to
stressful conditions. How can bacteria adapt so quickly? The candidate
will use experimental evolution to investigate how bacteria with
multipartite genomes adapt to two sources of stress: high temperatures
(close to the upper thermal tolerance) and nutrient scarcity. Evolution
experiments will be coupled with whole genome sequencing to unravel the
genetic changes underlying adaptation.

Candidate requisites
- The successful candidate should hold a master's degree in a relevant
  area such as evolutionary biology or microbiology and have a genuine
  interest in evolutionary biology
- Standard molecular biology techniques (microbiological culture, PCR,
  DNA and RNA isolation, cloning)
- Programming skills and experience analysing next-generation sequencing
  data are an asset
- Proficiency in English (oral and written)
- The candidate should be highly motivated, enthusiastic, curious, and
  able to work independently and as part of a team

What do we offer?
- A fully funded three-year PhD contract, funded by CSIC (Excelencia RyC-
  Max 20243MAX009)
- Salary: around 24.400  euro  gross salary
- Starting date: September/October 2025
- Location: Institute of Evolutionary Biology (Passeig Marítim de la
  Barceloneta, 37 - 49, Barcelona, Spain)

Application process
If you are interested in this position, please send your application (one
single PDF file) to Macarena Toll-Riera (macarena.toll@ibe.upf-csic.es)
with the subject line 'PhDs student position' and the following
documents: motivation letter describing your interest in the position,
CV, and contact information from two potential references.

Deadline for applications is 31st March 2025.

MACARENA HELENA TOLL RIERA <macarena.toll@csic.es>

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