Company profile
The Swiss Ornithological Institute is a non-profit foundation dedicated to ornithology and the protection of birds. It monitors native birds, researches their way of life and advocates for threatened species. It looks after injured and orphaned birds, provides information and advice to the public, and runs a visitor center in Sempach. The Swiss Ornithological Institute currently has over 200 employees in all parts of the country.
Job description
In the bird migration unit, we focus on understanding the temporal and spatial patterns of bird migration by quantifying mass migration and characterizing individual bird movements using radar and other methods, and studying the movements of other taxa such as bats and insects.
To foster our understanding of migratory insect movements and their relationship to those of birds, we are looking for the following person from 1st of April 2025 or upon agreement,
Post-doctoral researcher (100%) in "Characterizing insect migration using vertical-looking radars"
The postdoctoral researcher will work within the MoveInEurope projectto investigate migratory insect movements across the western Palearctic and their interac-tions with those of migratory bird movements, using vertical-looking Birdscan MR1 data. MoveInEurope is an interna-tional scientific collaboration aiming at quantifying the biomass flows and movement patterns of aerial insects in Eu-rope, from regional to continental scales and over timescales from days to years, using radar data. We are particularly interested in identifying the atmospheric, climatic, and landscape/habitat drivers of migratory animal movements.
Your tasks
Your main duties include:- Analyse data from a network of vertical-looking radars across Europe to quantify bird and insect movements over time, and in particular the links between the two taxa.
- Establish the difference in type and timing of environmental and anthropogenic influences on both animal groups and what the implications of these differences may be for insectivorous birds under several future change scenarios.
- Publish your findings in scientific journals.
Your profile
- PhD in ecology, biology, remote sensing, or related discipline.
- Background in bird or insect (migration) ecology.
- Strong quantitative and statistics skills.
- Programming proficiency, preferable R.
- Experience with radar data processing is a plus.
- Working language is English.
We offer
We offer a diverse position with a lot of responsibilities in a diversified work environment. Furthermore, we offer family-friendly and flexible working times, good opportunities for further education and exemplary social benefits. This job is initially limited to 18 months. Workplace is Sempach.
Are you interested?
The Swiss Ornithological Institutes values diversity of staff. We therefore consider all qualified applications. Further information can be provided by Dr Birgen Haest, project lead of the MoveInEurope project, or Prof Dr Barbara Helm, Head of the Bird Migration Unit. We are looking forward to your application (motivation letter, CV, certificates) in a single PDF document submitted here over our application portal on our website by latest 31 January 2025. Other applications cannot be considered.
Job interviews are scheduled by invitation, most likely between 17 and 21 February 2025.
