PhD position in conservation genetics

Topic: Conservation genetics of the protected moth Graellsia isabelae
Location: A Coruna (NW Spain) and Orléans (France)

The PhD project is focused on Graellsia isabelae (Graëlls, 1849) a moth
(Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) distributed mainly in Spain, with a few small
populations in France and Switzerland. It is highly protected at both
national and international level. However, there is neither genetic nor
population data which would allow to set up a suitable conservation plan
for this species. The PhD student will use newly developed microsatellite
markers and DNA sequence data to define Evolutionary Significant Units by
studying intraspecific genetic variability, population genetic structure
and divergence.

The project is supervised by Dr Marta Vila and Dr Horacio Naveira,
University of A Coruna (Spain) and Dr Carlos Lopez-Vaamonde (INRA Orléans,
France). It is funded for 4 years by the Spanish Ministry of Education and
Science (FPI program, 2 years fellowship + 2 years working contract).
Salary for the first two years (fellowship, no taxes) is 13,440 euros per
year. The salary increases to 16,100 euros per year for the third and
fourth year (contract, before taxes). The project will be based in A
Coruna, while some important experiments will be performed in Orléans.

Requirements for the position: (i) high motivation, (ii) a good academic
record, (iii) fluency in both English and Spanish, (iv) driving licence,
(v) willingness to spend long periods of time abroad. A good level of
French, knowledge of population genetics as well as prior experience in
the field (e.g., capture-mark-recapture) and laboratory (i.e., DNA
sequencing, microsatellite genotyping) will be highly valued. Women are
especially encouraged to apply.

Please send applications with one page CV including contact information
for two references to Marta Vila (marta.vila.taboada@gmail.com). Please
write "PhD application" as the e-mail subject when applying. Use the above
e-mail address for any informal query about the position. Applications
must be received by October 31, 2007. Start of position: June-July 2008.