PhD fellowship in Invertebrate Nematology/ Integrated Pest Management

Bioforsk – the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research – is a national R&D institute under the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, with approximately 450 employees. The main areas of competence are linked to food quality and safety, agriculture and rural development, environmental protection and natural resource management. The R&D activities of Bioforsk are organized in seven research divisions, located in different regions of Norway.

Second announcement:

PhD fellowship in Invertebrate Nematology/ Integrated Pest Management

A 4-year PhD-fellowship is available at Bioforsk, Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Plant Health and Plant Protection Division, Entomology and Nematology Department, Ås, Norway.

The position is part of a new project entitled ‘Elements in integrated pest management of the invasive Iberian slug,Arion lusitanicus, in agriculture’. The main aim of the project is todevelop an Integrated Pest Management protocol that can be tested against the Iberian slug,Arion lusitanicus, in field grown crops (strawberries, vegetables and managed grassland).

The PhD student will focus his/her work on the biological component of IPM, by studying slug parasitic nematodes with emphasis on the commercially available nematodePhasmarhabditis hermaphrodita.The main aim of the PhD study will be to understand the basic biology and ecology of the slug parasitic nematode and the host-parasite relationship in the developmental stages of the Iberian slug. Experiments will be conducted in the laboratory and the field. Part of the work will involve the use and testing of molecular techniques.

The project is in collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway, Cardiff University, UK and University of Aberdeen UK.

The purpose of the doctoral fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The PhD-fellowship requires admission to the research training program at the University of Life Sciences, Ås (UMB). The applicant must have obtained undergraduate (cand.mag., i.e. B.Sc. level) and postgraduate (cand. scient. or M.Sc. level) degrees. This represents approximately five years of full time studies after completion of European Upper Secondary School/International Baccalaureate. Additional duties at the institute outside the scope of the PhD thesis will consist of 25 % of total time at a maximum.

We encourage applicants that enjoy working in a team, that are flexible, interested in research and with the ability to work independently and goal-oriented.

For further information please contact: Dr. Solveig Haukelandsolveig.haukeland@bioforsk.no, Dr. Arild Andersenarild.andersen@bioforsk.no, or Dr. Richard Meadowrichard.meadow@bioforsk.no.

Salary (annual): Doctoral Fellow (PhD/stipendiat) NOK 355 600-394 400. Membership inThe Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens Pensjonskasse) is included.

Deadline for application: 10 sept. 2009

The application including CV and transcripts should be sent to Bioforsk, Plant Health and Plant Protection Division, Høgskoleveien 7, N-1432 Ås, Norway, e-mail:plantehelse@bioforsk.no

Application papers will not be returned with the exception of original documents.

Further Scholarship Information and Application(DOC)