3-year position (PhD student) available at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin on the skull morphology of early tetrapods and lissamphibians

This just in: 3-year position (PhD student) available at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin on the skull morphology of early tetrapods and lissamphibians.

Here: https://jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/jobposting/9e271366d5bb56cae21e1049d67071e32a9a9383

And attached.

Application deadline 30.10.2020

For further info please contact project coordinator Dr. Marylène Danto <Marylene.Danto@mfn.berlin<mailto:Marylene.Danto@mfn.berlin>>

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The Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science is an excellent and integrated research museum within the Leibniz Association. Its activities cover and tightly link the fields of collection-based research, development of collections and public engagement with science.

Position:	research assistant (PhD student) (f/m/d)
work schedule:	75% of the weekly working time (currently 29 hours and 33 minutes per week)
Duration:	External funding, Immediately/soon as possible for 34 month
Entgeltgruppe:	E 13 TV-L
reference number:	77/ 2020

Project description:

Throughout Paleozoic and Mesozoic stem- and crown-tetrapods, the skull morphology is remarkably divergent and extreme skull modifications (characterized by a frequent losses of bony elements), are observed among the different groups. The extreme end to this trend is exemplified in modern lissamphibians, in which only 19 out of the original 43 dermal skull elements of their early tetrapod ancestors are retained. In the present project, the skull morphology of a broad selection of early tetrapod and lissamphibians that are adapted to different lifestyles will be investigated to detect how and specifically why dermal bones are lost repeatedly and if this pattern evolved convergently in the different lineages of early tetrapods.

Responsibilities:

• Scientific research in the DFG funded project: “Evolutionary simplification of the dermatocranium in early tetrapods”
• Morphological examination of the dermal skull bones of numerous early tetrapods and lissamphibians in terms of shape variation (geometric morphometrics)
  
• Production of thin-sections of early tetrapods specimens (paleohistology)
  
• Examination of the extension and location of the jaw muscles in early tetrapods
  
• Publication of scientific results in peer-reviewed journals
  
• Attending and participating in international conferences
  

The project associated with this position will fulfill the requirements of a doctoral degree.

Requirements:

• Master’s (or comparable) degree in Biology or Paleontology
• Profound knowledge of early tetrapods and lissamphibians
• Basic knowledge of morphological (geometric morphometrics) and/or histological (paleohistology) methods are desirable
• Willingness to undertake national and international business trips
• Very good English language skills (written and spoken)
• Ability to work in a team, reliability and self-sufficiency

Special Notes:

In support of equal rights applications from qualified women are particularly welcome. Handicapped individuals will be given preference in cases of identical qualifications.

We look forward to receiving your application with the usual documents (cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates) by 30.10.2020, preferably via our online application portal.
For information on the application procedure, please contact recruiting@mfn.berlin.

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