Post-doctoral Fellow

Post-doctoral Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences (Ref.: 520497), to commence as soon as possible. The appointment is for one year with the expectation of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability.

The Marine Futures Laboratory at The Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS), University of Hong Kong (HKU), is seeking applications for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow interested in studying intergenerational processes shaping physiological adaptations of tropical species to marine heatwaves. The research will involve fieldwork across Hong Kong in addition to manipulative laboratory experiments at SWIMS. The research project aims to gain better understanding of phenotypic and molecular mechanisms of adaptation to thermal stress associated with marine heatwaves and whether heat hardening in parents can benefit offspring. The project will use sea urchins as model species, and there is potential to expand the project to look at functional genomics in populations across Asia-Pacific. The project is a collaboration between Dr Bayden Russell ( https://www.marinefutures.org/ ) and Dr Juan Diego Gaitan-Espitia ( https://www.ibeerlab.com/ ). The position will be based at SWIMS ( https://www.swims.hku.hk/ ) and the main campus at HKU and travel between locations as well as field work within Hong Kong will be necessary.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Biology or related fields, or have submitted their PhD with the expectation that it will be conferred before commencement in the role. Proficiency in English, strong and collaborative communication skills is a must. They should have high motivation and strong interest in experimental marine biology; a background in eco-physiology, population genetics, functional genomics, quantitative genetics, molecular ecology, bioinformatics, evolutionary biology, or related disciplines is essential. Candidates with experience using molecular techniques including qPCR, RNAseq, Oxford Nanopore, and bioinformatic tools and pipelines for analyzing OMIC data, are highly encouraged to apply. A track record of publishing in top international journals is highly desirable.

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits.

The University only accepts online application for the above posts. Applicants should apply online and upload an up-to-date C.V., a motivation letter describing research interests, skills, and career goals, and contact details for 2-3 references. Review of applications will start from June 01, 2023 and continue until August 31, 2023 , or until the post is filled , whichever is earlier.

For further information, please contact Dr Bayden Russell (brussell@hku.hk)



The University is an equal opportunities employer and
is committed to equality, ethics, inclusivity, diversity and transparency

Advertised: May 12, 2023 (HK Time)
Applications close: Aug 31, 2023 (HK Time)