About this role
Do you want to contribute to the development of knowledge, insight and solutions that are relevant to conserve the world’s biodiversity today and in the future? We are looking for a PhD research fellow in Tropical Forest Ecology and Conservation. About the position Are you interested in how seasonally dry tropical forests are impacted by climate change and habitat destruction, and want to engage in research with skilled colleagues who share your interests? Maybe you can become our new colleague at the Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health at the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences. The position is available from fall 2026 for a three year time period, with the latest starting date in September 2026. This is an educational position that is primarily intended to give promising researchers the opportunity to develop academically and professionally through organised research training. It is a condition that the person who accepts the position applies for and is granted admission to the faculty’s doctoral programme in Ecology within three months of starting in the position. The doctoral programme includes relevant courses corresponding to approximately six months of study, a thesis based on independent research, active participation in national and international research environments, relevant research dissemination, a trial lecture and public defence of the thesis. Read more about organised research training at USN on our website. The PhD research fellowship is for a fixed term of three years with organised research training. Your immediate superior will be the Head of the Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Jørn Henrik Sønstebø and your principal supervisor will be Associate Professor Dr. Stefanie Reinhardt. You will be affiliated with the department’s research group EcoHub. During working time in Norway, it is a prerequisite that you live close by so that you can be present at, and available to, the academic environment at your workplace during ordinary working hours. The place of work will be at campus Bø, Midt-Telemark municipality. Additionally, you will have to spend two times approximately three months in Guatemala to conduct field work in seasonally dry tropical forests. About the PhD-project The person appointed will be affiliated with the research project “Tree growth in vulnerable tropical forests – impact of climate change and habitat destruction”, which is an international collaboration between researchers at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), the University of the Valley of Guatemala (UVG) and the University of São Paulo (USP). The project is supervised by Assoc. Prof. Stefanie Reinhardt (USN) together with Prof. Daniel Ariano (UVG), Assistant Prof. Giuliano Maselli Locosselli (USP), Assoc. Prof. Lærke Søndergaard Stewart (USN), and Assoc. Prof. Roland Pape (USN). The research project focuses on tree growth in seasonally dry tropical forests and mangrove forests in Central America. These ecosystems host exceptionally high levels of biodiversity. At the same time, they undergo severe land use changes and are particularly impacted by climate change. The project will study the impact of climate change and other human activities on tree growth by a dendroecological approach where core samples of trees are taken and then analyzed regarding age and variation in growth in response to a changing climate and human land use. By linking tree-ring data with ecological and environmental variables, the project will provide new insights into how climate change and land-use changes impact vulnerable forests in Central America. The projects methodological approach consists of a combination of extensive field work in seasonally dry tropical forests and mangrove forests in Guatemala which involves, among others, identification of vascular plant species, and taking tree-core growth increment samples, lab work related to preparing and analyzing the growth increment samples, GIS-work to derive important environmental parameters, and statistical data analyses (like, e.g., bootstrapped correlation and response functions, regression frameworks, multivariate statistics using R) Qualifications Requirements for the position: Master’s degree (120 ECTS credits) or equivalent qualifications in ecology or related areas when starting the PhD position. You have a solid methodological foundation in ecological data collection and analysis, such as field‑based sampling, quantitative ecological analyses, or handling of ecological datasets. This position requires good English language skills. International applicants must document this with a valid certificate from one of the following tests: TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT) IELTS – International English Language Testing Service Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic Advanced written and oral proficiency in Spanish (C1 level or higher). Applicants must hold a valid driver’s license, as basis to apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) before starting the PhD position, or hold a driver’s license valid in Guatemala. Meet the formal requirements for admission to USN’s doctoral programmes and the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences’ doctoral programme in Ecology no later than three months after starting in the position. For admission to the programme, the weighted average grade of B or higher is usually required. Relevant strengthening qualifications: Experience with relevant field work in tropical forests (preferably in Guatemala) and lab analyses, as well as familiarity with statistics (preferably R) and GIS tools (preferably QGIS). Identification skills of vascular plants in seasonally dry tropical forests of Central America. General familiarity with Guatemalan culture and nature is