AmazonFACE

The AmazonFACE programme addresses the overarching question: “How will climate change affect the Amazon forest, the biodiversity it harbours, and the ecosystem services it provides to humanity?” The central feature of the programme is a field experiment of unprecedented scope that will expose an old-growth Amazon forest to the CO2 concentration of the future in a research station near Manaus, Brazil using Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) technology. The program is coordinated by the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), co-coordinated by the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and developed by a network of Brazilian and international researchers based in the UK, EU and USA.

Homepage: https://amazonface.unicamp.br/

The research group coordinated by Dr. David Montenegro Lapola, from the Center for Meteorological and Climate Research Applied to Agriculture/CEPAGRI/UNICAMP (Campinas, Brazil), is offering one (1) postdoctoral position with a FAPESP scholarship in a project that investigates the impacts of high levels of atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) on Plant-Soil-Microorganism Interactions. The position is based jointly at Univesity of Campinas (UNICAMP) and the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) under the supervision of Dr. Sara Adrián (UNICAMP) and Dr. Lucia Fuchslueger (University of Vienna, Austria), and in close collaboration with Dr. Laynara Lugli (INPA, Brazil), Prof. Eiko Kuramae (NIOO-KNAW & Utrecht University, Netherlands), and Dr. Beto Quesada (INPA).

This postdoctoral position offers the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research on how elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) influences, in the long term, the taxonomic composition and functional traits of soil microbial communities, and microbial-mediated processes essential to forest ecosystem functioning. The successful candidate will lead field and laboratory research efforts and contribute to building a more integrated understanding of Amazon forest responses to climate change. The project also aims to evaluate the influence of eCO₂ on root–root-microorganism interactions related to plant nutritional strategies, such as mycorrhizal associations and root exudation, and their interrelation with belowground carbon allocation. The selected candidate will lead both field and laboratory research efforts and contribute to building a more integrated understanding of Amazon forest responses to climate change.

Desired profile:

• Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria for FAPESP postdoctoral scholarships: https://fapesp.br/bolsas/pd.
• PhD in Soil Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, Biology, Forestry Engineering, Ecology and Environmental Sciences or related
  areas.
• Experience in field and laboratory work, bioinformatics and statistics for microbiome and metabolism analysis.
• Strong knowledge and interest in ecosystem functioning and microbial ecology concepts.
• Proven track record of publications in international peer-reviewed journals.
• Ability to work in interdisciplinary and multicultural research teams.
• Motivation to contribute to high-impact scientific publications.
• Interest in mentoring graduate students.
• Fluency in English is required; Portuguese is desirable.

What we offer:

• FAPESP grant of R$ 12,000/month (net) + 10% for research-related expenses.
• 24 months, renewable for a third year, according to FAPESP regulations.

Location:

• The position is based jointly at UNICAMP and INPA. The research will involve extended periods at INPA for coordinating field campaigns, sample processing, and analytical determinations.

Send a FAPESP CV summary (https://fapesp.br/sumula), motivation letter, and contact details of three academic referees to amzface@unicamp.br, with the title “FAPESP Post-Doc Vacancy – SOIL MICRO”.