Student or scientific assistant (m/f/d)

Friedrich Schiller University is a traditional university with a strong research profile rooted in the heart of Germany. As a university covering all disciplines, it offers a wide range of subjects. Its research is focused on the areas Light-Life-Liberty. It is closely networked with non-research institutions, research companies and renowned cultural institutions. With around 18,000 students and more than 8,600 employees, the university plays a major role in shaping Jena's character as a cosmopolitan and future-oriented city.

The German Centre for integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig seeks to fill the position of a

Student or scientific assistant (m/f/d)

in the project: "Citizen Science and Biodiversity Data"

commencing as soon as possible until 30 September 2021. Extent of work is flexible between 40 to 50 hours per month. The work place will be at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig in the city of Leipzig, but remote workplace options for students within Germany but outside of Leipzig may be arranged.

Research topic:

One of the biggest challenges for ecologists is assessing how species' populations and distributions are changing through time. Citizen scientists collect large amounts of data on species' occurrences and this data is being increasingly used in ecological research. Citizen science data varies in terms of sampling design and effort; hence, there can be many statistical challenges in making use of these data. A first step towards overcoming these challenges is understanding the variation within citizen science data. At iDiv, we have several projects working with citizen science data, especially within the sMon project - assessing biodiversity trends in Germany. These projects include protocols to assess the geographic bias of the available citizen science data and a survey of the decision-making process of citizen scientists. To assist our data processing and analysis, we offer a student/research assistant position at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research under the supervision of Dr Diana Bowler, the lead analyst on the sMon project (https://www.idiv.de/en/smon.html).

Your responsibilities:

• The main duty will be to support the analyses of our different projects. This will involve data processing of citizen science data as well as of citizen science questionnaire survey data. Task will involve data cleaning, formatting, exploratory graphs and preliminary statistics.
• You will also be asked to support other data-related tasks related to our citizen science projects.
• You will be fully integrated into the research activities of our working group. We welcome students interested in carrying out their MSc thesis in our lab.

Your profile:

• Enrolled as B.Sc. or M.Sc. student in biology, ecology, informatics or related relevant subjects
• Demonstrable programming skills in R with an interest in developing these skills further
• Experience in working with biodiversity data or similar big datasets
• Knowledge and practical experience of statistics (e.g., linear and general linear models)
• Ability to work independently
• Ideally experience of geospatial data

We offer:

• Work in a dynamic, international and interdisciplinary environment
• Opportunities to develop and advance scientific networks
• Cutting edge research in modern facilities
• Opportunity to carry out your BSc or MSc thesis project in our group (joint supervision with the university where you are enrolled as a student is possible)
• Attractive remuneration with regard to your qualification

Queries concerning the position should be directed to Dr. Diana Bowler ().

Submission deadline is 7 March 2021.

All applications should include

• cover letter in English describing motivation for the position and relevant experience
• complete curriculum vitae listing relevant skills and qualifications
• digital copy of degree certificates, if applicable
• digital copy of transcript of records
• two reference contacts

Candidates with severe disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.

Are you eager to work with us? Kindly send your application, quoting the vacancy ID 052/2021, via our application portal at https://apply.idiv.de. While we prefer applications via this portal, hard-copy applications may also be sent to: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research - iDiv (Halle-Jena-Leipzig), Diana Bowler, Puschstr. 4, 04103 Leipzig.

iDiv is committed to establishing and maintaining a diverse and inclusive community that collectively supports and implements our mission to do great science. We will welcome, recruit, develop, and advance talented staff from diverse genders and backgrounds.

Since all application documents will be duly destroyed after the recruitment process, we ask you to submit only copies of your documents.

For further information for applicants, please also refer to www4.uni-jena.de/Job portal (in German).

Please also note the information on the collection of personal data at

https://www4.uni-jena.de/en/jobs_information_collecting_personal_data-path-18,27.html.