"Open PhD position on Neotropical Fish Palaeontology and Systematics

We invite applications for a PhD position at the Evolutionary Morphology
and Palaeobiology of Vertebrates group in the Department of Palaeontology
of the University of Zurich. The PhD candidate will work on a Swiss
National Science Foundation supported project in the research group
around Prof. Dr. Marcelo S�nchez-Villagra (www.msanchezlab.net). The
PhD concerns the fossil record and evolutionary history of freshwater
fishes, particularly the catfish and cichlid clades. It will involve
taxonomic and systematic work, as well as studies of faunal dynamics in
deep time. The comparative anatomical work will involve CT- and surface
scanning for 3D modelling; there are fieldwork opportunities in South
America associated with the project.

The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated student of Life- or Earth
Sciences with a zoological or palaeontological background. Excellent
writing skills in English are required. Knowledge of at least the basics
of systematics, vertebrate anatomy and statistics are much desired. The
prospective student is expected to have received a master's degree or
equivalent by the start of the PhD and will hopefully have published or
be about to publish on her/his Masters. The student is to enrol in the
evolutionary biology graduate programme (www.evobio.uzh.ch/en.html).

The University of Zurich is one of the top research institutions in Europe
and offers an exceptional academic environment for research and study. The
Department of Palaeontology has state-of-the-art research facilities
in an international and stimulating academic environment. The Natural
History Museum of the University is closely tied to our department; it
offers opportunities to participate and develop skills in scientific
outreach activities. The city of Zurich, in close proximity to the
Alps, with a lake and river in which to swim in the summer, offers
conditions for an excellent quality of life. We offer a vibrant,
collaborative work environment and high-quality supervision. All former
PhD students graduated with excellent publication records and almost all
have consecutively moved on to postdoc positions at renowned academic
institutions. Our group has hosted PhD students from many countries
across the world.

Those interested should consult our website for publications and current
research projects. Find here some key publications related to the project:
Albert JS et al. 2020. Diversification of Neotropical freshwater
fishes. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 51:27-53
Ballen GA et al. 2022. A fossil fish assemblage from the middle Miocene of
the Cocinetas Basin, northern Colombia. Papers in Palaeontology 8: e1405.
Carrillo-Brice�o JD et al. 2021a. A historical vertebrate collection
from the Middle Miocene of the Peruvian Amazon. Swiss Journal of
Palaeontology 140:26.

To apply, please send a letter of motivation including information on
previous scientific work and publications if available (maximum of 2
pages), a CV, and contact details of two referees. Please ensure that
all those parts are combined into a single PDF-file. Together with an
electronic copy of the Masters-thesis, please send your application to:

Alexandra Wegmann (alexandra.wegmann@uzh.ch).

Deadline for applications is 17th January 2025, but applications will be
considered until the position is filled. Applicants should be prepared
to be interviewed in February 2025 and start in the Spring (northern
Hemisphere) of 2025. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to
contact us (www.msanchezlab.net; m.sanchez@pim.uzh.ch)."

Kind regards

Alexandra

Alexandra Wegmann <alexandra.wegmann@uzh.ch>

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