The University of Valencia is seeking a PhD candidate to study the stability of aquatic populations and communities under chemical stress as part of the national STABLE project.
About the PhD
The doctoral research, led by Dr. Andreu Rico, at the University of Valencia, will investigate how aquatic populations and communities respond to chemical stressors across different geographic locations: Spain, Ecuador, and Canada. The research will involve outdoor mesocosm experiments to study the environmental and ecological factors influencing community responses to contamination, as well as the trophic relationships that may be affected.
The PhD will be based at the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, with research stays of at least 3 months in Ecuador and Canada. The selected candidate will receive an FPI contract funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, with a duration of 4 years and an approximate start date of December 2026–January 2027.
Requirements
Applicants should have:
- A degree in Biology, Environmental Sciences, or a related field
- A master’s degree
- Experience in aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology is considered relevant
- Experience with R or similar statistical software is considered relevant
- A medium-high level of spoken and written English
The selection will assess the candidate’s academic and/or scientific-technical track record (50%) and their suitability for the research activities (50%).
How to apply
Interested candidates should send their CV and a brief text explaining their interest in the doctoral thesis to: andreu.rico@uv.es
Application deadline: 30 September 2026.