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Postdoc in Biogeography of Sociality in Lausanne (Switzerland)
Presentation
The Group of Prof. Cleo Bertelsmeier is proposing a Postdoctoral (Premier Assistant) position in Biogeography of Sociality at the Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
The research project is about the evolution and macroecology of social traits in ants, exploring the environmental drivers of different forms of sociality. Ants are an ideal study system to address these questions since there are more than 15,000 described species with known spatial distributions and their societies can vary for example in the number of workers, the number of queens, colony structure, worker polymorphisms and other traits. We will use both macroclimatic and emergent global microclimatic data to assess species’ climatic niches and test how they are linked to particular social traits.
The postdoc will join a friendly and dynamic team working mainly on macroecology, biological invasions, climate change, community ecology, and ant ecology. For more information, see https://wp.unil.ch/bertelsmeiergroup/
Job information
Expected start date in position: 01/10/2026 or to be agreed
Contract length: 1 year, renewable depending on funding availability
Activity rate: 100%
Workplace: Lausanne-Dorigny
Your responsibilities
We are looking for a postdoc in the field of biogeography and/or phylogenetic comparative analyses. Most of his/her time will be dedicated to research, but a contribution to teaching is expected, including the possibility of supervising master students. The job description stipulates:
70% Personal research
25% Participation to teaching activities and master student supervision
5% Maintenance of lab equipment or other institutional tasks.
Your qualifications
We are seeking to recruit someone with a strong interest and a PhD degree in biogeography, quantitative ecology or evolution, with skills in spatial analysis, phylogenetic comparative analysis, macroecology, climatic niche and diversity analyses. Experience with social insects (in particular ants) would be an advantage.
Interpersonal skills
Curiosity and willingness to discuss about social insect societies, and science in general
Creativity and the capacity to imagine novel solutions and take initiatives
Motivation and drive to carry out research independently and as part of a team
Good communication skills, ability to keep an open mind, ability to communicate your ideas to others, while taking into account constructive criticism
What the position offers you
We offer a nice working place in a multicultural, diverse and dynamic academic environment, with
opportunities for professional training. Possibilities of continuous training, a lot of activities and other opportunities to discover.
The Department of Ecology and Evolution in Lausanne University hosts research groups working on a
broad range of topics, producing a rich intellectual and social life. Although French is the common language in Lausanne region, the department research activities and seminars are conducted in English. The campus is located on the shore of the Geneva Lake, with the view on the Alps.
Contact for further information
For further information please contact Prof. Cleo Bertelsmeier: email: cleo.bertelsmeier@unil.ch
Your application
Deadline to apply: 22.06.2026
Formal applications should include:
- a cover letter detailing your research interests, experience and motivation for applying;
- your CV;
- a copy of your PhD certificate; (“The applicant must have received his/her PhD in the last 2 years or be about to obtain a PhD very soon)
- the names of two or three referees.
To receive full consideration, application documents should be uploaded online through the University of Lausanne recruitment platform.
Review of applications will begin immediately.
To apply:
https://career5.successfactors.eu/career?career%5fns=job%5flisting&company=universitdP&navBarLevel=JOB%5fSEARCH&rcm%5fsite%5flocale=en%5fUS&career_job_req_id=22822&selected_lang=en_US&jobAlertController_jobAlertId=&jobAlertController_jobAlertName=&browserTimeZone=Europe/Zurich&_s.crb=64KcX%2bc8qryjmXPrB2ADWKDo4TC7gJI%2bneS1cStNOCo%3d
Ant Nutritional Ecology, Post-Doc position, University of York.
We are hiring a team member for project “ARISE: Accelerating ReIntroduction of EcoSystem-Engineering Ant Colonies with Embodied AI”. This is an interdisciplinary project between the Department of Biology, the Department of Computer Science and the Institute for Safe Autonomy at the University of York, UK. The goal of the project is to increase the effectiveness of wood ant translocations, used to restore their ecosystem engineering functions to woodlands where they are lacking, by combining three cutting-edge techniques: drone-enabled microsampling of canopy aphid colonies; nutritional metabolomic analyses of ant-collected honeydew; and hyperspectral imaging with machine learning to remotely quantify aphid density and physiological state.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR
✅ Strong molecular biology background (e.g. metabolomics)
✅ Bioinformatics competence, to work with complex datasets
✅ Interest in restoration ecology / insect ecology
OPPORTUNITIES:
- Interdisciplinary project across ecology, molecular biology and computer science
- Exciting area of research being opened up by new techniques
- Collaborate with technical experts in cutting edge drone technology
- Participate in fieldwork in the UK
- Working closely with land managers for real world impact
Application Deadline: 12th May 2026
Full details and how to apply: https://jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/postdoctoral-research-associate-609537.html
For informal enquiries: please contact Elva Robinson elva.robinson@york.ac.ukPlease share with anyone who might be interested, or tag them below!
Postdoctoral Associate Position at Virginia Tech with Dr. Enakshi Ghosh
If you get excited about insects, immunity, and asking ecological questions that actually matter for conservation, this might be a great fit for you.
We are looking for a Postdoctoral Associate to join the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Our department works across agriculture, ecology, and global change biology, and we care deeply about doing science that connects mechanisms with real-world impact.
What is the project about?
You will be working on immune priming and disease dynamics in bumble bees. The big picture is simple but powerful: How do we make pollinators healthier and more resilient to disease?
The work sits right at the intersection of insect immunology, pollinator biology, and conservation ecology. You will combine lab experiments, colony-level work, and ecological thinking to understand how immune priming shapes pathogen resistance, immune function, and overall colony performance.
What will you actually do?
You will design and run experiments on immune priming in bumble bees, measure immune responses, pathogen resistance, and colony outcomes, explore how nutrition interacts with immunity, and analyze data and publish your work.
You will also collaborate with fantastic colleagues at Colorado State University (John Mola, Ruth Hufbauer, Ian Pearse), which means some travel and lots of good science conversations.
Beyond research, you will mentor undergraduate and graduate students, be part of an active, collaborative lab environment, attend seminars, workshops, and conferences, and grow as a scientist.
Who should apply?
You should have a PhD in entomology, ecology, evolution, immunology, or a related field, and experience in at least one of insect ecology, insect immunology, and pollinator biology
If you have worked with bees or social insects and have done immune assays or pathogen experiments, even better. Most importantly, you should be curious, collaborative, and excited about connecting mechanism with ecology.
More details here: https://jobs.apply.vt.edu/jobs/postdoctoral-associate-blacksburg-virginia-united-states-a7b61fc3-9839-48c2-8c02-b65c8ffa1797
Relayed from the North American IUSSI Section:
Honey bee positions (3 different ones!)
a. Postdoc at UNC-Greensboro with Kaira Wagoner
The University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG) has been awarded funding from NCInnovation to hire a Post-Doctoral Researcher specializing in honey bee microbiology and molecular biology. The Post-Doc will lead an innovative research project focused on honey bee gut microbiomes and their impact on colony health and behavior. We are looking forward to opening this position in early 2026. Please feel free to share this opportunity within relevant networks. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please email your questions and/or CV to Kaira Wagoner kmwagone@uncg.edu.
b. Postdoc at USDA-ARS Unit in Stoneville, MS with Pierre Laue and Weiqiang Zhang
See attached. The Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystem Research Unit of the AgriculturalResearch Service is searching for a postdoctoral research scientist to broadly address the impacts of honey bee stressors at cellular and landscape levels. The successful candidate will collaborate with Drs. Pierre Lau and Weiqiang Zhang to determine the mechanistic effect of bee stressors using honey bee embryonic cell lines and bees, test novel therapeutics aimed at improving bee health, analyze longitudinal colony monitoring data to identify and disentangle interacting stressors, and develop a proactive framework to predict and help prevent future mass colony loss events. For more information, contact pierre.lau@usda.gov
Lau and Zhang ORISE postdoc listing finalDownload
c. Field technician at USDA-ARS Baton Rouge Bee Lab
There is a new ORISE Technician position open in my lab at the USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Unit. This is a guaranteed one year position, with additional time contingent on performance and (likely) funding. The position will entail team and independent work conducting research with honey bees. We have several ongoing and new projects which primarily center around honey bee health, pest and pathogen management by honey bees and humans, and further collaborative research efforts. The listing can be found here: https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/USDA-ARS-SEA-2025-0151. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions (elizabeth.m.walsh@usda.gov)
Relayed from the North American IUSSI Section:
Graduate Student Position in Mizumoto Lab at Auburn University
The Mizumoto Lab at Auburn University is seeking a highly motivated graduate student (M.S. or Ph.D. track) to join their research team starting in Fall 2026.
Please see the attached pdf:
Two postdocs in the social evolution of African wasps
Dr Patrick Kennedy (University of Bristol, UK) and Professor Dustin Rubenstein (Columbia University, USA) are looking for two excellent field biologists to work on the social evolution of cooperation and conflict in Africa's most familiar wasps - the genus Belonogaster. You will undertake fieldwork across Africa, and you will be based at the University of Bristol's Social Strategy Lab in the UK. Apply by 11th January 2026.
Postdoctoral Field Manager ("Quantifying Hamilton's rule in the wild")
You will help to coordinate an international field team spanning three African countries (Cameroon, Kenya, and South Africa), investigating the evolution of cooperation and conflict by running field experiments with social wasps across Africa. Working with in-country field teams, you will collect field data on costs and benefits of cooperation in a powerful wild system.
Find out more here.
Postdoctoral Research Associate ("Understanding the evolution of castes")
You will investigate the evolution of behavioural castes in the social insects (‘queens’ and ‘workers’). You will run field experiments with social wasps in three African countries: Cameroon, Kenya, and South Africa. You will join an international team of postdocs, PhD students, and local field assistants, and combine a diverse range of techniques – including behavioural experiments in the field, CT scanning, and bioinformatics.
Find out more here.
Relayed from the North American IUSSI Section:
Honey bee circadian biology, University of Kentucky
Dr. Michael Tackenberg (Biology) and Dr. Clare Rittschof (Entomology) are recruiting a PhD student for a collaborative project involving honey bee circadian biology and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Kentucky. The candidate will matriculate through the Department of Biology and participate in a recently funded project investigating how the honey bee nervous system integrates combinations of day length and temperature cues to regulate visual sensitivity and activity patterns in changing environments. A competitive candidate will have some background in molecular biology, neuroscience, and/or animal behavior, as well as strong quantitative skills and interests. Participation in field work activities will be required, but no experience working with insects and/or honey bees is necessary to be selected for this position.
Dr. Tackenberg is a circadian neuroscientist whose research examines how genetic, molecular, and environmental factors impact circadian rhythms in a variety of study systems. Dr. Rittschof’s research incorporates perspectives from behavioral ecology, neuroscience, physiology, and genomics to study how environmental conditions and social interactions influence behaviors and life history characteristics in honey bees.
Please contact Dr. Clare Rittschof (clare.rittschof@uky.edu) and Dr. Michael Tackenberg (michael.tackenberg@uky.edu) to discuss your interests and fit and visit the UK Biology Graduate Program page for more information about graduate studies and how to apply.
Relayed from the North American IUSSI Section:
PhD position(s) in paper wasp social processing
The Jernigan lab at Wake Forest University (WFU) is recruiting PhD students for Fall 2026. The Jernigan lab studies the neurobiology, behavior, and development of social processing in Polistes fuscatus paper wasps. These wasps can recognize and discriminate individual social partners via color patterning present on their faces. Graduate student projects will be flexible depending upon the desires of the student and are open to any aspect of animal behavior or neuroscience. Currently funded projects focus on the impact of experience and development on behavior and the neural circuits processing social stimuli.
WFU is located in beautiful Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Winston-Salem is an affordable city with a moderate climate, easy access to nature, arts, and the amenities of a metropolitan city. Graduate students receive guaranteed full stipend support (5 years including summer funding and healthcare). The Biology Department and graduate program cover the full range of biology with 8 faculty (4 recent hires) specializing in the fields of neuroscience and behavior with plans for this number to expand in coming years. The deadline for graduate student applications is December 15th, 2025 and you can find more information about the program here: https://biology.wfu.edu/graduate/.
If interested in applying, please email Chris Jernigan (chris.jernigan@wfu.edu) with (1) a short introduction including your research interests and motivation for joining the lab and (2) your CV. Please share this ad If you have a trainee who may be interested.
PhD and Postdoc Positions – Cockroach Social Evolution
The Roach Lab at Ben-Gurion University (Israel) is recruiting one PhD student and two postdoctoral researchers to study how nutrition and temperature shape the evolution of sociality in cockroaches.
See the attached PDF for full details.
For any additional information, do not hesitate to contact Sofia Bouchebti at sofia.bouchebti@gmail.com.
For Early-Career African Researchers - a field course run by the British Ecological Society:
Ecology masterclass: Designing projects in the field
15-26 October, The Mpala Research Centre, Kenya
"Set in the heart of the Kenyan savannah, this exciting 10-day course provides practical training on how to design projects in the field and is a valuable foundation for building a career in ecology and conservation."
Teaching Level: MSc
Applications close on Friday, 15 August 2025.
https://tropical-biology.org/ecology-masterclass-2025/?dm_i=7RJK,13L2G,3XV6DO,2VZVV,1