PROJECT OVERVIEW
We are seeking a highly motivated individual to pursue a 4-year PhD in Plant Ecology and Biogeography at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB-CSIC), funded by the FPU grant of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
The project: Climate change and plant distribution disequilibrium
As the planet warms rapidly, many plant species are in places that are not climatically suitable. Likewise, because of the slow migration process of many species, many places have recently become climatically suitable yet not colonized.
Leveraging global-scale plant, climate, and remote sensing datasets, this project will apply cutting-edge methods in species distribution modeling, functional trait analysis, deep learning, and multivariate time-series analysis. We seek to understand what the drivers of current disequilibrium in species distribution are and pursue ways in which novel ecosystems could enhance stability and biodiversity under climate change.
OBJECTIVES
As a PhD candidate, you will be free to craft together with the supervisor the exact research questions to be develop but these should largely encompass:
• Quantifying climatic disequilibrium across thousands of plant species worldwide.
• Identifying the drivers of climate disequilibrium.
• Exploring opportunities for stable and biodiverse ecosystems under climate change.
RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
You will work with:
• Access to millions of georeferenced plant records and largescale plant databases (BIEN, GBIF, sPlot, GFBI).
• High-resolution climate time-series (CHELSA) and remote sensing products (Landsat, Sentinel-2).
• High-performance computing (CSIC HPC cluster “DRAGO”).
• Opportunity to conduct international research stays in partner labs (e.g., Denmark, Netherlands, Germany or China).
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications:
• MSc in Ecology, Biogeography, Environmental Science, Plant Sciences, or related fields.
• Strong skills or interest in data science, GIS, R/Python, remote sensing, or ecological modeling.
• High motivation to work on global change ecology, plant biodiversity, and ecosystem dynamics.
• Interest in collaborative, international, and interdisciplinary research environments.
CONTRACT
4-year PhD contract funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FPU grant).
JOIN US
• Be part of a dynamic international research team spanning Europe, Asia, and North America.
• Located at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB), a joint CSIC and Natural History Museum center, embedded in a vibrant ecological research hub.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Application instructions will be available once the official call opens (via the Spanish Ministry of Science). In the meantime, express your interest by sending the following to Dr. José María Serra-Díaz (pep.serra.diaz@csic.es):
• A brief motivation letter.
• Your CV (highlighting coding, ecological modeling, or spatial analysis experience)
• Academic transcripts (optional at this stage)
• Contact info for at least one reference.
Deadline for Expression of Interest: October 31, 2025
We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and gender-balanced research environment. Applications from underrepresented groups are highly encouraged.
Further information
Project Title: The Role of Disequilibrium on Niche and Biodiversity Effects Over Ecosystem Trajectories (DISECO)
Location: Institut Botànic de Barcelona (CSIC – Spanish National Research Council), Spain
Duration: 4 years
Start Date: Early 2026
Supervision: Dr. José María Serra-Díaz pep.serra.diaz@csic.es
Host PhD Program: Ecology and Terrestrial Biodiversity, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)