PhD Position in Urban Ecological Data Analysis and Predictive Modelling

The Ecological Complexity Lab at Ben-Gurion University is seeking a PhD student to develop and implement analytical and predictive modeling frameworks for the Urban LTER project in Israel, in collaboration with Haifa University. The candidate will integrate large-scale ecological, climatic, and social datasets to analyze spatiotemporal patterns and forecast changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban environments. This work will contribute directly to evidence-based urban planning and conservation strategies. Applicants should have a background in ecology, data science, or a related field, with strong quantitative analysis and programming skills (e.g., R or Python).

Read this page to apply: https://ecomplab.com/team/join/

Starting date

We aim for the summer or fall of 2025.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a database that integrates heterogeneous datasets (biodiversity, climate, remote sensing, and social data).
• Develop and apply statistical models to analyze urban ecological data.
• Conduct spatial and temporal analyses to identify trends and ecological interactions.
• Collaborate with researchers from ecology, environmental science, urban planning, and data science.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences.

Required Expertise & Qualifications:

• MSc in ecology, environmental science, data science, geography, bioinformatics, computer science, or a related field.
• Strong background in statistical analysis and machine learning for ecological applications.
• Proficiency in programming (R or Python) for data manipulation, modeling, and visualization.
• Advnatage: Experience with spatial analysis and GIS tools (e.g., QGIS, ArcGIS, Google Earth Engine) is an advantage.
• Advantage: Experience with database management
• Strong quantitative skills, scientific writing abilities, and ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.