PhD Scholarship

Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR), the Greenland Climate Research Centre (GCRC) and DTU Aqua invite applications for a joint PhD position investigating how glacial retreat affect the structure, functioning, and stability of Arctic fjord food webs.

The position offers an excellent opportunity to combine Arctic field ecology, laboratory analyses, quantitative trophic ecology, and ecosystem modelling while working in Greenland and Denmark. You will become part of an interdisciplinary research environment spanning GINR, DTU Aqua, and the wider EDGE project.

The PhD project focuses on two contrasting fjord systems near Nuuk, Greenland, which differ in their degree of glacial influence. It is part of the Independent Research Fund Denmark project “Fjords on the EDGE: Resilience of Greenland Coastal Food Webs in a Warming Arctic”.

The overall aim is to understand how changes at the glacier–ocean interface propagates through the coastal ecosystem, from primary production to benthic communities, fish, and marine mammals. In particular, you will investigate the relative importance of benthic and pelagic energy pathways for key consumers using stable isotope analyses and stomach-content data. These observations will be integrated into an ecosystem model to explore how deglaciation tipping points may alter food-web structure and ecosystem functioning.

The position is jointly hosted by GINR in Nuuk and DTU Aqua in Lyngby. You will be based in Nuuk during the first two years and at DTU Aqua in Lyngby during the final year. Fieldwork, courses, project meetings, and collaborations will take place at additional locations throughout the PhD. You will be enrolled as a PhD student at DTU Aqua and work closely with researchers at both institutions and with collaborators in the EDGE project.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your primary responsibilities will be to:

• Conduct fieldwork in Nuup Kangerlua and Ameralik during 2027, collecting benthic and pelagic samples.
• Prepare and analyse samples for stable isotope analysis and use isotope mixing models to quantify the relative contribution of benthic and pelagic food sources to key consumers.
• Conduct fish stomach-content analyses to characterise diets and trophic interactions.
• Integrate new observations with existing datasets to develop and parameterise an ecosystem model based on the StratE2E framework.
• Use the model to investigate how glacial retreat and associated changes in pelagic production may affect fjord food-web structure, functioning, and stability.
• Publish results in international peer-reviewed journals and present findings at scientific conferences and to relevant local stakeholders.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest in Arctic marine ecosystems and interdisciplinary research. You should have:

• A two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS) in marine biology, marine ecology, fisheries science, ecosystem modelling, or a related field, with good academic results.