PhD student in integrated ocean observing

PhD student in integrated ocean observing

The Department of Earth Sciences is Sweden's most comprehensive academic environment for research and education in geoscience. It offers a broad range of expertise that can contribute to solving important societal issues.

Earth is a dynamic and constantly changing planet. To understand how this planet works, our researchers seek answers in the field, through laboratory experiments and advanced models. Our research and education cover a wide range of disciplines, including rocks and minerals, weather and climate, the evolution of life, natural disasters, wind power and energy, environmental and water engineering, and sustainable development.

Our research combines natural sciences and technology with social sciences and is often interdisciplinary. More than 300 people from over 30 countries work at the department, both in Uppsala and at Campus Gotland.

Our six research divisions:

• Geophysics • Air, Water and Landscape Science • Mineralogy, Petrology and Tectonics   
• Natural Resources and Sustainable Development • Palaeobiology • Wind Energy

For more information see: www.uu.se/earthsciences

The PhD student position is at Campus Gotland in Visby within the research program Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRHU). Campus Gotland is an international campus in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Visby on the island of Gotland in the middle of the Baltic Sea. The successful candidate will join the Ocean Futures research group, led by Associate Professor Lina Mtwana Nordlund. The group conducts interdisciplinary research on marine and coastal social-ecological systems, biodiversity conservation, ocean observing, sustainable development, and the science–policy interface, working closely with government agencies, international organisations, and local stakeholders. 

The PhD position is part of the research project Measuring What Matters: Integrating Diverse Data for Holistic Ocean Observing, funded by Formas and conducted in collaboration between Uppsala University, the University of Gothenburg, Umeå University, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), and the County Administrative Board of Gotland. The project aims to advance the next generation of ocean observing by integrating biological, environmental, social, economic, and governance-related data to create a more holistic understanding of marine social-ecological systems. By linking research, environmental monitoring, and management, the project contributes to the development of a more integrated and societally relevant ocean observing system for Swedish marine waters.

Duties
The PhD student's research will focus on how marine observation and monitoring data can be integrated to support national and international environmental reporting, with particular emphasis on EU frameworks such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The work will include reviews and analyses of scientific literature, marine observing systems, monitoring programmes, and international frameworks such as the Global Ocean Observing System's Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs). The research will investigate how different types of observation variables could be combined to improve our understanding of marine ecosystem status, change, and resilience from a social-ecological systems perspective.

The PhD student will also contribute to the development of a decision-support resource for integrated ocean observing, designed to help researchers, government agencies, and other stakeholders identify which variables should be observed to address different knowledge and reporting needs. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with the project's academic and government partners and will include data analysis, scientific publishing, presentation of results at national and international conferences, and participation in the project's interdisciplinary activities.

Requirements
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in environmental science, marine biology/ecology, oceanography, sustainability or social-ecological systems
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

Very good communication skills in English, both spoken and written, are required.

Additional qualifications
Knowledge of or experience with topics related to ocean observing, environmental monitoring, coastal management, or marine governance is particularly desirable. Practical experience of fieldwork in marine environments, especially in the Baltic Sea region, is an advantage. Experience with interview-based research, stakeholder engagement, and the facilitation of workshops is also considered beneficial.

Experience working with interdisciplinary approaches and applying conceptual or analytical frameworks is highly valued. Experience in database development and management, as well as proficiency in working with data systems relevant to ocean observations and monitoring, is considered an asset. Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including experience with statistical analyses, are desirable. Documented creativity, initiative, and the ability to collaborate effectively both within and beyond academia are important merits. Proficiency in Swedish is advantageous. A valid driver's license and experience operating small boats are desirable.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date 2026-10-01 or as agreed. Placement: Visby

For further information about the position, please contact: Associate Professor Lina Mtwana Nordlund, +46701679981, lina.mtwana.nordlund@geo.uu.se

Please submit your application by 17 August 2026, UFV-PA 2026/2086.

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About Campus Gotland: Uppsala University Campus Gotland offers the best of two worlds: the full-scale university’s broad offering and weight and a unique, small-scale campus in an interdisciplinary research environment. Campus Gotland is a hub for the University’s research and education in sustainability. Find out what it’s like to live on Gotland.