(BIORESC – project financed under 6. EU Framework
Programme)

VACANCIES
Mammal Research Institute is seeking 2 Professors and 3 Post-Docs to join its
research team within 24 month fellowships between 2006-2010 under Marie Curie
Transfer of Knowledge project BIORESC. Preferred scientific profiles of researchers:
population/conservation genetics, ecological modelling, and GIS.

REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS
Successful candidates should have more than 4-year research experience (full-time
equivalent) since gaining a university diploma giving access to doctoral studies (Post-Docs, 3
positions, 24 months each) or more than 10-year research experience (Professors, 2 positions,
24 months each). They must be non-Polish citizens. At the start of their fellowship,
researchers may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in
Poland for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the start date.

The recruited fellows will:
(1) Join the on-going research projects at MRI PAS in the respective fields and widen
their scopes and methods with the new knowledge. This will yield joint publications, and
initiate further collaboration reaching beyond the time span of the BIORESC project;
(2) Deliver a series of lectures and seminars (one per months per fellow), and short
(one week) courses (one per year per fellow) for the staff, students, invited researchers, and
other guests of MRI PAS;
(3) Participate in long-term training of students at MRI PAS by supervising and cosupervising
their MSc theses and diploma papers.

Among the population and conservation genetics subjects, particular attention will
be given to analyses of polymorphism of molecular markers as microsatellites and
mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control regions and D-loop to investigate the genetic diversity
within and among populations of mammals.

The applications of GIS and remote sensing will include: satellite and aerial image
analyses and interpretation; development of spatially explicit ecological models with use of
GIS and satellite data on regional and global scale relating to species distribution and habitat
features; identification of areas of primary ecological significance and determining the
ecological corridors network.

In the field of ecological modelling we expect a candidate fluent in the use of a statespace
modelling approach; application of statistical population models in the analysis of
population dynamics, in particular, the dynamic age-structured modelling.

The fellows will receive allowances according to the rates set by the European
Commission. Basic salary for the more experienced researcher amounts to 5200 Euro/month
and for the experienced researcher 3500 Euro/month. Additionally, researchers receive
mobility allowance (444 Euro/month or 710 Euro/month if with family), career exploratory
allowance (2000 Euro), and travel allowance (750-1000 Euro/year).

The first fellowship (Post-Doc) will start in October 2006. The applications for these
should be sent not later than 31 August 2006 via regular post at Mammal Research
Institute, ul. Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland, with a note “Marie Curie
Application”. They should include:
(1) Motivation letter,
(2) CV,
(3) List of publications,
(4) Reference letter(s).
Additionally, electronic copy of the applications should be sent at an e-mail address to
Prof. Jan M. Wójcik: jwojcik@zbs.bialowieza.pl.

For other fellowships applications can be send during the execution of the project (2006-
2010) with the deadlines indicated in the table below. Mammal Research Institute strongly
encourages female researchers to take part in the application process in all its stages.

Position Application - deadline - Start of Fellowship - Duration of Fellowship
Post-Doc - 31.08.2006 - 01.10.2006 - 24 months
Professor - 31.11.2006 - 01.01.2007 - 24 months
Post-Doc - 31.03.2007 - 01.07.2007 - 24 months
Professor - 31.12.2007 - 01.07.2008 - 24 months
Post-Doc - 31.03.2008 - 01.07.2008 - 24 months

HOST ORGANISATION - MAMMAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences (founded in 1952)
employs 42 persons, including 21 researchers (5 professors, 9 postdocs, and 7 PhD students)
and 21 highly qualified technical staff (technicians, library, editorial office, administration).
MRI’s research profile covers all aspects of mammalian biology, ecology of animal
communities and forest ecosystems, conservation genetics, ecological physiology,
biodiversity, and environmental history. MRI PAS offers all the conditions necessary for a
successful transfer of knowledge: young, ambitious team, outstanding workspace (new,
functional offices and laboratories), vicinity to an outstanding research area (world-famous
Białowieża National Park, which has been granted a status of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere
Reserve, World Heritage Site, and the Diploma of the Council of Europe). MRI PAS has
many years of experience in international scientific cooperation that has intensified in the
recent years, when the Institute has gained a status of EU’s Centre of Excellence.

The Institute is a renowned educational centre in Poland in the field of ecology and
biodiversity, with experience in tutoring Polish and European students at the level ranging
from undergraduates to postdocs (with 2-7 students doing the thesis research at MRI PAS per
years). Since 2004, MRI PAS has been conducting the joint training of PhD students based on
a bilateral agreement with the Biology Faculty of the Warsaw University. The teaching
experience of MRI PAS has recently been strengthened by its status of the EU’s Centre of
Excellence BIOTER. Under BIOTER project, MRI PAS was organising (2003-2005) Summer
Schools of Ecology and Biodiversity (one week/year) for students from several European
countries (with 80-90 students participating in each edition of the School) and long-term (3-12
month) training of foreign students.

During the last 3 years, MRI PAS has organised (all in Białowieża):
• Three editions of Summer Schools in Ecology and Biodiversity, each for 80-95
students and 10-15 lecturers from over 20 countries;
• One international and one national conference in the field of biodiversity research;
• Three international thematic workshops (small rodent ecology, European bison
conservation, large predator – ungulate relationships);
• Three courses for own staff and invited young researchers (on procedures of
immobilising animals and collecting blood samples for research, on writing and
publishing scientific papers in English, and on applications of GIS).

In the same time span (3 years), MRI PAS:
• Participated in, or conducted, 5 international research projects (including 2 projects
within 5th FP);
• Hosted 50 foreign scientists from 12 countries (short visits);
• Hosted 2 foreign postdocs with long-term (1-2 years) fellowships (NATO, Fulbright
Foundation);
• Sent their staff members to foreign scientific institutes for a total of 52 short visits.
One postdoctoral researcher has left for the 2-year postdoc training in the UK in the
frames of Marie Curie - Intra-European Fellowship.

Twinning Agreements have been signed between MRI PAS and APERU (Aberdeen
Population Ecology Research Unit, Aberdeen, Scotland), and MRI PAS and Institute for Zoo
and Wildlife Research in Berlin, Germany. Bilateral agreements of cooperation were signed
between MRI PAS and, respectively, the Norwegian Institute of Nature Research - NINA in
Trondheim, Norway, University of Sassari, Italy, and University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Furthermore, MRI PAS collaborates with scientists from Eastern Europe (Czech Republic,
Ukraine, Russia, Belarus), among other, it conducts joint projects with the Institute of
Zoology, Belarussian Academy of Sciences in Minsk.

During the last 5 years, MRI PAS staff published 12 scientific books and over 90
papers. According to the Web of Science databases, in 2000-2005, the publications of the
MRI PAS staff were cited over 800 times in biological literature.

MRI PAS is located in Białowieża, eastern Poland, 250 km E of Warsaw. Its new
laboratory building (2,500 m2) was opened in 2002. It has a conference hall for 100 persons, a
seminar room, and a large room for students. In November 2006, another newly renovated
building will be opened, with additional laboratory space and accommodation facilities.

MRI PAS has three specialised laboratories:
(1) genetics (automated capillary DNA sequencer, thermocycler, spectrophotometer,
gel documentation and analysis system),
(2) ecophysiology (respirometry and calorimetry, gross body composition analyses
with TOBEC),
(3) Geographic Information Systems (with hardware and software - MapInfo,
ArcView).

MRI PAS has collected long-term (up to 50-year) data series on abundance of various
species of mammals in Białowieża Primeval Forest. There are specialised outdoor enclosures
and laboratory facilities for experimental studies on small terrestrial mammals. MRI PAS
possesses radio-telemetry equipment for tracking wild mammals, specialised equipment and
facilities for live-trapping and handling of wild terrestrial mammals of all sizes (from rodents
to European bison), and six vehicles used for field work. A large zoological library offers 350
journal titles and 7,000 books (mostly in English). The Collection of European Mammals
(skulls, skeletons, skins) contains 185,000 specimens. MRI PAS hosts the editorial office of
Acta Theriologica, well-known international journal devoted to all aspects of mammalogy.

Due to location of MRI PAS in a famous tourist place, researchers visiting the Institute
can easily find accommodation from high-standard hotels to houses and cosy cottages for
rent, all located within a walking distance from MRI PAS premises.

For more information concerning MRI PAS please visit our website:
www.zbs.bialowieza.pl