Dear all,

Please consider this search to fill a postdoc position in our project. We
will appreciate it very much if you can spread the word to potential
candidates.

We are looking for a motivated post-doctoral candidate with a background in
mathematical biology, computer science or physics, willing to participate
in a recently granted coordinated project entitled “UNIQUE-PRIORITY:
Unveiling the dynamic equations for eco-evolutionary systems in the face of
environmental uncertainty and limited data" (sub-projects
PID2021-127202NB-C21 and PID2021-127202NB-C22).
Human society faces big challenges, and generates knowledge and new
possibilities at an incredible pace. We are in the age of “big data”, but
also in the age of the sixth extinction. However, without basic knowledge
we will not be able to successfully address these challenges. We believe
that the current lack of predictive power we see in the mathematical models
we use in the field of ecology stems from our inability to correctly
identify the dynamic structure of the system. The central goal of this
research project is to show across different examples that uncovering the
underlying dynamic structure of the system improves our ability to make
robust predictions.

The postdoc we are looking for should be motivated to work across different
systems using tools from mathematics, statistical physics, and computer
science. Some questions we would like to address assume a given interaction
structure, derive its theoretical predictions, and then develop solid
statistical methods to compare these predictions to data, at least
qualitatively. Other questions present a set of equally plausible
alternative hypotheses and then we are meant to develop a computational
methodological framework to compare alternative hypotheses and conduct
model selection in relation to the always limiting data at hand. In
particular, our project uses examples from consumer-resource
eco-evolutionary theory, metacommunity theory, dynamics of disease
propagation, and random matrix theory mostly in the context of generalized
Lotka-Volterra systems. We look for an open-minded postdoc in the field of
physics, computer science or mathematical biology with some background in
any of these topics.

The candidate will be involved in parameterizing and running simulations,
using machine learning techniques, optimization algorithms and big-data
analysis methods. Potential candidates should have a very strong background
in R language, experience in solving differential and difference equation
models, and knowledge in C, or a similar low-level programming language.
Experience with IBMs and random matrix theory will be valuable. The
candidate will work at the Center for Advanced Studies in Blanes (a nice
city in the northern coast of Catalonia) as well as at Technical University
of Madrid.

Although CSIC is a public institution, with little room to negotiate the
final terms of a salary, we still have some room for negotiation depending
on the career stage of the potential candidate. In any case, it will fit
well to the cost of living in Blanes (e.g., apartment rental is about
400-750€/month).

If you are interested, please send us your CV, and we will contact you back
for a personal virtual interview. This search will start in December 2022
until the position is filled. Tentative starting date: Spring/Summer 2023
at the latest.

Contact details:
David Alonso, [log in para visualizar]
José A. Capitán, [log in para visualizar]

-- 
Jose A. Capitan, PhD
Department of Applied Mathematics
Technical University of Madrid
Avda. Juan de Herrera, 6. 28040 Madrid

David Alonso, PhD
Theory and Computation in Ecology and Evolution
Center for Advanced Studies in Blanes (CEAB-CSIC)
C. Acces Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes