PhD student in forest restoration and ecosystem services

Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre

Third-cycle subject area:

Forest management

Description of the doctoral project:

Swedish society is debating the long-term capacity of even-aged conifer-dominated forestry to reliably produce biomass over the coming century, and simultaneously sustain the breadth of ecosystem services that society increasingly demands from forestlands. Alternative approaches to production forests, such as restoration of broadleaved forests are thus of growing interest. The increased use of such alternatives may enhance the overall resilience of Swedish forests to projected climate change, better balance the provision of forest ecosystem services, provide vital habitat for forest biodiversity, and thereby help ensure forest ecosystem services delivery over the coming century.

The EU Nature restoration Regulation and Sweden's national environmental goals, provide official recognition of the urgent need to restore and improve the ecological condition of forest ecosystems across Europe. Our goal with this project is to identify cost-effective paths forward for the regeneration and restoration of new mixed broadleaved dominated forests.

About the position:

We intend to contrast passive versus active pathways for restoring such diverse forests. To address such issues, we will use existing experiments, chronosequences, and survey-data for evaluating the effects from restoration on ecosystem services and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of international researchers. We are looking for a person who, as part of a PhD, will address these challenges, but we welcome those who bring specific research interests which can shape the ultimate direction of the PhD.

Requirements:

To meet the general entry requirements you must have been awarded a second-cycle (Master's) qualification, satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance 1993:100, Chapter 7, Section 39).

You must also meet the equivalent English language requirements as those necessary for the Swedish upper-secondary qualification Engelska B/6.

Your profile:

The applicant should by the date of admission to PhD studies have a Master's degree in forest science, biology, ecology or equivalent.You should have a strong interest in forest ecosystems and an interest in working with large data sets. A driver's license is a necessity for work duties.

Beneficial qualifications are research experience in forestry, ecology, and similar subjects. Experience in field-based forest research, transdisciplinary studies and ecosystem service assessments are also beneficial qualifications. Focus is given to your analytical and problem-solving abilities and your ability to work independently. Beneficial qualifications include the demonstrated capacity to express yourself in English, both orally and in writing.

About us:

SLU is one of the world's highest ranked universities in several subject areas and is ranked #1 in forestry (CWUR). At our centre we carry out research, teaching and dissemination of scientific findings with direct application to the sustainable management of forests. We have a multidisciplinary profile, with global relevance and specialized expertise on forests and forestry as complex socio-ecological systems. We closely collaborate with multiple stakeholders and conduct applied research in silviculture, forest ecology, pathology, policy and planning. We teach bachelor, Masters and PhD level courses addressing all of these subject areas.

Read more about staff benefits and life as an SLU employee on https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/

Read more about third-cycle courses and study programmes on http://www.slu.se/utbildning/program-kurser/forskarutbildning/

Form of employment / Funding:

Employment as a doctoral student (4-year programme)

Doctoral student's salaries are set following the local collective agreement. Salary progression is fixed.

Location:

Alnarp

Scope:

100%

Start date:

December 1, 2026 or according to agreement.

Application and selection:

Please submit your application using the link below. The deadline is 2026-09-14.

Read more about the attachments that your application should include at https://www.slu.se/en/study/programmes-courses/doctoral-education/how-can-i-become-a-doctoral-student-/application/

Selection among eligible applicants is based on the documents attached to the application, and is carried out with regard to the applicant's ability to complete the programme within the allotted time.

Academic union representatives:

https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 4,5 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.