Postdoctoral position in quantitative evolutionary genetics of experimental evolution in plants

Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

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Presentation

To complete the team, a postdoctoral position in plant evolutionary biology is available in the research group of John Pannell in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Lausanne. The position is initially for one year, with the possibility of extension for up to five years.

Job information

Expected start date in position : 01.12.2026 / to be agreed

Contract length : 1 year, renewable depending on funding

Activity rate : 100%

Workplace : Lausanne - Campus de Dorigny

Your responsibilities

The successful applicant will investigate the quantitative genetics and genomics of rapid evolutionary change in sex allocation, mating systems and sexual systems in the annual plant Mercurialis annua. The project builds on a unique long-term experimental-evolution study that has been running for approximately 15 years. The experiment exploits the remarkable diversity of sexual systems found within Mercurialis, in which closely related species and natural populations vary in the expression of combined versus separate sexes. In our experimental populations, removal of males from initially dioecious populations led to the rapid evolution of male function in females and the breakdown of dioecy. Continued experimental evolution has subsequently produced striking further changes in sex allocation, including the emergence and spread of a novel, strongly male-specialised phenotype. The advertised position offers an unusual opportunity to study evolutionary transitions  n real time. We have extensive phenotypic and genomic data documenting evolutionary change through the experiment, together with stored material from successive generations that permits direct comparisons between ancestral and evolved populations. Resources are available for further experimental work with evolved populations and for genomic, transcriptomic and quantitative-genetic analyses. The project is running in parallel to a more recently begun experimental study of responses to selection under different regimes of admixture at and beyond species range margins; there will be opportunities to contribute to this research too, depending on the interests, expertise and creativity of the successful candidate.

For details of current research in the laboratory and a list of publications, see  https://www.unil.ch/dee/pannell-group .

Your qualifications

We are looking for an evolutionary biologist with a strong interest in using genomic, transcriptomic, quantitative-genetic and phenotypic data to address fundamental questions in evolution. Candidates should have a strong conceptual foundation in evolutionary biology, population genetics and/or quantitative genetics, together with skills in bioinformatics and statistical analysis. Particularly relevant expertise would include the analysis of whole-genome sequence data, population-genomic data, transcriptomic or gene-expression data, quantitative phenotypic data, or some combination of these. Experience in experimental design and the analysis of complex evolutionary experiments would be valuable. We are particularly interested in candidates who combine technical strength with conceptual curiosity: the experimental system provides considerable freedom to formulate and test new evolutionary hypotheses, and we would expect the postdoc to play an important role in shaping the direction of the research.

The successful candidate should also have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, an ability to work collaboratively, and an enthusiasm for contributing to the intellectual life of a diverse research group

What the position offers you

We offer a nice working place in a multicultural, diverse and dynamic academic environment. Opportunities for professional training, a lot of activities and other benefits to discover.

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Contact for further information

Informal enquiries should be sent to John Pannell (E-Mail schreiben) 

Your application

Deadline : 30.09.2026

Please, send your full application in Word or PDF.
Only applications through this website will be taken into account.

We thank you for your understanding.

Additional information

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance;
•    supporting early career researchers.

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