ACAD has several postgraduate projects by reseach for students who meet the following criteria:

• Have a 1st Class Honours or MSc degree and high undergraduate academic record in either of the followign areas evolution, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics chemistry/biochemistry, paleontology, archaeology, or anthropology)
• Are highly motivated and enjoy independent and unusual research
• An interest in evolution and natural history
• Meet the English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements
• Must be an Australian/NZ citizen or permanet resident or in the case of International Students, must apply for an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. This award covers stipends (a living allowance) and in some cases tuition fee waivers.

If you meet the above criteria and are interested in any of our projects, please apply in writing and include your CV by email here.

International students are required to apply for an International Scholarship to be able to study in Australia. These scholarships are available to outstanding international students from any country, are highly competative and based on an excellent academic record, publications and any work experience. Prior to contacting our office, please read this website for information on how to apply. Both the Australian Department of immigration and the University of Adelaide expect international applicants to meet English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements. The ELP is based on high scores in IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). For further information please refer to the international entry requirements website here.

Closing date for International Scholarships is 31st of August of each year. The other alternative for international students to be able to study in Australia is to obtain sponsorship from their respective country.

Domestic Students (Australian/NZ citizens) are encouraged to apply for Australian Postgraduate Awards (APAs) (closing date is October 31st each year) where applicable, refer to this website for the application process >> http://www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/scholarships/postgrad/pgresearch/. The Australian Centre for Ancient DNA is able to provide alternative stipends in some cases should your APA application not be successful. These are referred to as Divisional Scholarships. Eligibility usually requires a minimum of a Second Class Honours degree or equivalent and applicants must be Citizens or Permanent Residents of Australia prior to the closing date. Scholarships are offered on the basis of academic merit and Faculties may also consider area of research when selecting recipients. These scholarships share similar conditions to APAs. Scholarships provide a living allowance of approximately AUD$23,728(2012) tax free per annum for up to 3 years and indexed annually. Major Round Application Form | Conditions of Research Award

A new post-doctoral position has become available to lead a 3-year Australian Research Council funded project 'A powerful new genetic view of the recent evolutionary history of humans and their diseases' which will use DNA from calcified oral microbial plaques to trace the evolution of a variety of human diseases, and the relationship to culture, diet, migration patterns and geography.

The role falls in the areas of Microbiology (medical/dental)/ Ancient DNA / Archaeology, and is situated within ACAD at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Adelaide

Salary (Appointment to either level will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.) (Level A) $68,751 - $73,800 per annum/ (Level B) $77,688 – $92,256 per annum

The project will use Next Generation Sequencing approaches to explore microbial diversity over the past 10,000 years, in one of the first studies of how human commensals have evolved through time and the potential disease consequences. Primary study areas are Neolithic Europe and the Americas, and international travel is likely.

We are looking for an unusually capable and motivated individual with wide interests who enjoys challenging and unusual research, and has the ability to work closely with archaeologists and museum personnel as well as dental microbiologists and evolutionary biologists. Expertise in microbial evolution, genetics, archaeology, bioinformatics, and natural history are key requirements. Evidence of strong independent research and writing/publishing skills are also essential.

The successful applicant will have been awarded a PhD at the time of taking up the appointment, and will have a strong record of publishing papers throughout their career, preferably in high profile journals.

Enquiries of an academic nature can be directed to Professor Alan Cooper, Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, email here.
The position is Fixed-term for three years starting as soon as possible.

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the University's Job page here where the application process, inlcuding selection criteria will be posted from 14th February onwards.

Projects for 2012 are listed below with an additional listing found here:

1) A 3 year, Australian Research Council funded project is available at the University of Adelaide, Australia. The project will analyse genomic DNA extracted from frozen seeds and bones preserved in Arctic permafrost for over 100,000 years to perform a detailed genetic analysis of how plants and animals respond to climate change over short time intervals. Specifically, we will ask whether the response is to adapt genetically, or shift ranges – as is generally assumed. We will use powerful new genomics methods to generate unprecedentedly large amounts of neutral and coding data, and apply advanced population genetics analyses to perform the first detailed analysis of how species adapt across time and space. This project promises to provide unique views of the potential of plants and animals to adapt to climate change, and the use of ancient samples to provide detailed views of genomic evolution.

Project supervisor: Prof. Eric Dechaine, Western Washington University. Contact email here.
Co-Project supervisor: Prof. Alan Cooper, University of Adelaide, South Australia. Contact email here

2) New genomic approaches for Biodiversity studies of Soils, Water, Forensics, Grasses and Antarctic biota
A number of PhD positions are available in a large-scale project (ARC Linkage in the field of Environemental Genomics) to apply high throughput sequencing approaches to the analysis of environmental samples and develop a new range of methods to perform biodiversity surveys, taxonomic discovery, and environmental impact reports. The project will employ multiplexed PCR, 2nd/3rd Gen Sequencing, Bioinformatics and Phylogenetics to develop novel systems for rapid and accurate biodiversity assessment. Key topics within the project are the analysis of Australian soils, natural and re-use water supplies, Australian native grasses, Antarctic biota, and forensic material. A strong molecular Biology and bioinformatics background is required. The project is a $1M Australian Research Council-industry partnership.

Environmental Genomics of freshwater systems (in association with South Australian Water) The water project, which is part of a $1M Australian Research Council-industry partnership as per above will involve environmental genomics approaches to the following areas:

• Development of new microbial tools for assessing stream and river health and for measuring water quality;
• Characterisation of microbial communities in drinking water and recycled water distribution systems to improve understanding and more effective management of the processes within these systems;
• Characterisation of microbial communities in desalinated water, with a focus on the identification of organisms associated with membrane fouling and the development of early warning systems to detect these organisms.

3) Evolutionary Bioinformatics:

This project will apply the latest evolutionary bioinformatics methods to the study of ancient and modern DNA generated through new genomics and 3rd Gen sequencing data. Study species include a wide range of ancient humans, domestic animals, environmental samples, and broader evolutionary projects such as marsupial evolution, and extinct species such as thylacines, mammoths and other megafauna. The datasets will include genomic sequencing projects, SNP arrays and multigene phylogenies.

4) Ancient human DNA and Domestication genomics:

Several project opportunities are available to work with ancient humans, animals and plants. These projects will use advanced new genomic techniques to study ancient populations and species, and focus on evolutionary history, archaeology/anthropology, and the study of domestic/commensal animals to trace human movement, and identify and analyse genetic loci under selection. The methods used will include SNP and capture array approaches, and a strong expertise in molecular biology and bioinformatics is required. Recent studies have examined Neolithic farmers in Europe, pre-Columbian South Americans, and bovids, chickens, pigs , and rats from around the world.

Expressions of interest from applicants with strong graduate marks, a good TOEFL score, and a background in evolution/bioinformatics/molecular biology are encouraged to contact the following supervisor and provide your CV/resume: Prof. Alan Cooper.