Postdoc of glacial rock flour amendment to soil for improved crop productivity

Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PLEN), Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen has a 2-year postdoc position open, from July 1st, 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter. Place of employment will be at Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.

Job description
The postdoc will be working within an on-going collaborative research centre, titled Centre for Geo-enhancing Biological Productivity with Glacial Rock Flour, funded by the Novo Nordic Foundation. The centre aims to assess the potential to use Greenlandic glacial rock flour (GRF) to enhance both agricultural and marine productivity while simultaneously sequestering CO2 through enhanced weathering. The centre is led by Minik Rosing at the Globe Institute at University of Copenhagen, but includes partners from Australia, Ghana, Greenland and other institutes in Denmark, including PLEN, where the current position is placed.

Our earlier work has identified that rapid weathering of GRF in active soil environments occur and we have identified that plant available potassium (K) and to some extent magnesium (Mg) is supplied to soils and plants from GRF. We have also demonstrated that although Silicon (Si) is not defined an essential plant nutrient, plants may also benefit from silicon supplied from the GRF by weathering.

The postdoc’s duties in in this part of the project will therefore include research on identifying the mechanisms for improved crop yields with application of glacial rock flour to agricultural fields, with a major emphasis on the plant nutritional benefits of GRF. Research objectives will be a) to quantify the yield and quality responses of some relevant Danish field crops to GRF on Danish soils, b) to investigate the mechanisms of GRF effects (direct and indirect) on nutrient availability to crops (especially K, Mg, Si and P interactions) and c) to study potential non-nutrient effects of GRF on soil quality and function for multiple purposes. Methodologies will include both field, pot and lab trials, and various soil and plant chemical analysis.

Description of the scientific environment
The postdoc will be hosted in the Soil Fertility research group (https://plen.ku.dk/forskning/plante--og-jordvidenskab/soil-fertility/), which focuses on soil fertility in agriculture, situated in the nexus of three main research topics: promoting circularity through resource recycling, appropriate nutrient management and reducing environmental impacts in agriculture. As mentioned above, the postdoc will also be part of the Centre for Geo-enhancing Biological Productivity with Glacial Rock Flour and be collaborating closely with other researchers in the centre.

Required qualifications
The applicants should hold professional as well as personal skills and qualifications as stated below:

• A PhD degree in plant, agricultural or environmental science, or related disciplines.
• Solid knowledge of soil biogeochemistry and the mechanisms that determine soil nutrient availability and interaction with plant nutrient demand, acquisition and physiology.
• Good technical skills and experience with plant experimentation under both field and controlled conditions, as well as modern plant and soil analyses and monitoring techniques.
• Competent on data management and statistical analysis, etc.
• Good record, considering your early career stage, of peer-reviewed scientific publications
• Good interpersonal skills, experience with collaborative work in larger multinational teams.
• Excellent English writing and speaking abilities.

Key criteria for the assessment of candidates

• Professional qualifications relevant to the position
• Scientific publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other professional activities
• Language skills

Further information on the Department is linked at https://www.science.ku.dk/english/about-the-faculty/organisation/. Inquiries about the position can be made to Prof. Lars Stoumann Jensen, lsj@plen.ku.dk, +45 2122 2039.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Terms of employment
The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

The application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include

• Cover letter, detailing your motivation for the application and how your background contributes to the project
• Curriculum vita
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• Research plan – description of current research focus and how you envisage research on this project can be designed (max 2 pages)
• Complete publication list
• Separate reprints of up to 3 particularly relevant papers

The deadline for applications is 10 May 2024, 23:59 GMT +2.

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/