Summary: The Instituto de Biociências at Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship under the FAPESP Thematic Project “Biota Cerrado on Fire: Fire as a tool for management and restoration in the Cerrado in the Anthropocene.”
The project investigates how fire regimes and climate change influence germination and seed traits of Cerrado plant species. Given the Cerrado’s long evolutionary history with fire, this research aims to understand how altered fire patterns and rising temperatures may reshape plant regeneration and community dynamics in the Anthropocene.
Postdoctoral Fellowship – Fire, Climate Change, and Seed Germination in the Cerrado (FAPESP Thematic Project)
Summary Table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Title | How is fire and climate change affecting germination and seed traits? |
| Position | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| Supervisors | Dr. Alessandra Fidelis / Dr. Vânia Pivello |
| Host Institution | Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro |
| Department | Instituto de Biociências – Departamento de Biodiversidade |
| Fellowship | FAPESP Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Start Date | March 2026 |
| Application Period | 25 January 2026 – 10 February 2026 |
| Monthly Stipend | R$ 12,570.00 + 10% Research Contingency Funds |
Designation
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Research Area
- Fire ecology
- Plant ecology and regeneration
- Seed germination and seed traits
- Climate change impacts on savanna ecosystems
- Cerrado biodiversity and restoration ecology
Location
Instituto de Biociências – Departamento de Biodiversidade
Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Câmpus de Rio Claro
Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
(Fieldwork will involve travel to Cavalcante, Brazil.)
Eligibility / Qualification
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- PhD completed within the last 7 years
- Fluency in English
- Proven experience in germination experiments and seed trait measurements
- Strong knowledge of statistics and data analysis using R or Python
- Solid record of scientific publications
- Willingness to reside in Rio Claro and travel for fieldwork in Brazil
The position is open to both Brazilian and international applicants.
Job Description
The selected postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for:
- Establishing germination experiments using seeds collected in 2025
- Testing fire-related germination responses and measuring traits such as:
- Mean germination time
- Seed viability
- Percentage of empty seeds
- Designing and conducting experiments with increased temperatures to assess climate change effects on germination
- Measuring seed traits from existing collections
- Conducting field seed collection, including measuring seed production and traits
- Supervising undergraduate and graduate students
- Organizing, analyzing, and synthesizing long-term experimental data (collected since 2012)
- Writing and submitting scientific papers based on experimental results
How to Apply
Interested candidates must complete the Google Form application and upload the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A 2-page statement of research interests
- Names and email addresses of three referees
Application Form:
https://forms.gle/YQC4rPFVPdkJUSDW8
For institutional information:
Instituto de Biociências – Departamento de Biodiversidade
UNESP, Rio Claro, Brazil
Email: biodiversidade.rc@gmail.com
Last Date for Apply
10 February 2026
