Dr. Ilia Gelfand

Two Ph.D. Opportunities in Understanding Drought Biogeochemistry of N oxide emissions from Mediterranean soils

Degree Opportunity: Two Ph.D. students will be hired as part of the Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) project in collaboration between the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU, Israel).

Preferred start date: Spring 2021 for UTK (one Ph.D. position) and immediately for BGU, Israel (one Ph.D. position). Positions will remain open until filled.

Project Leads: Dr. Debasish Saha, Assistant Professor (Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science (BESS) Department, UTK); Dr. Sean Schaeffer, Associate Professor (BESS, UTK); Dr. Sindhu Jagadamma, Assistant Professor in (BESS, UTK); and Dr. Ilia Gelfand, Assistant Professor (BGU, Israel)

Project Description: The project will employ field, laboratory, and modeling methods in understanding the impacts of drought timing and intensity on soil N oxides (nitric and nitrous oxides) emissions from soil with different physical properties. The project will use advanced isotopic and molecular tools to gain deeper understanding of microbial N cycling processes in response to varying wetting-drying patterns.

Position Requirements:

Ideal candidate for the UTK location should have:

MS degree in soil science, ecology, environmental science, agronomy, or related fields
Knowledge of soil physics (water and gas transport) and coupled soil carbon-nitrogen-water biogeochemical cycling regulating soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Experience in field and laboratory studies on soil GHG fluxes
An ability to work independently to undertake hypothesis-driven research as well as working in a diverse team environment
A valid (non-probationary) US drivers’ license

Desirable Skills:

Experience in quantifying abundance of keystone N cycling genes
Experience in working with N¹⁵ isotope in studying soil N cycling/N₂O emissions
Strong background in statistical analysis using R or SAS, and experience in using DayCent for simulating GHG gases is a plus

Ideal candidate for the BGU (Israel) location should have:

MS degree in soil science, chemistry, ecology, environmental science, agronomy, or related fields
Experience in field measurements of GHG fluxes and soil properties
Willingness to learn new concepts and techniques

How to Apply: Interested candidates should contact Dr. Debasish Saha ([email protected]) for the Ph.D. position at the UTK (USA) site and Dr. Ilia Gelfand ( [email protected]) for the Ph.D. position at the BGU (Israel) site. Please include a copy of your transcripts, latest CV, and contact information of three references to your email.

Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry - applicants for a postdoctoral research associate and/or Ph.D. student positions

Laboratory of Environmental Biogeochemistry (https://tinyurl.com/Laboratory-of-Terrestrial-Biog) at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel is seeking creative applicants for a postdoctoral research associate and/or Ph.D. student positions to participate in projects aiming to understand soil N oxides (NO and N₂O) emissions in the Negev Desert, Israel. Specifically, we are looking for an individual eager to learn on or with good knowledge of soil carbon and nitrogen cycles and their interactions. Candidates should have strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills, and be able to work independently as well as part of a collaborative team. Ph.D. students are supported by full-tuition scholarships. Postdoctoral position requires knowledge of biogeochemistry or related discipline. The position is based at the Midreshet Ben Gurion campus of the Ben Gurion University of the Negev.

Questions and applications should be directed to Ilya Gelfand, [email protected]. Please provide: (1) a cover letter (2-page maximum), (2) a CV with publication list, (3) names and contact information of two professional references, and (4) one or two relevant publications (for a postdoctoral researcher position). Review of applications will start immediately.