Position as Student Assistant

Long term effect of microplastic pollution on an amphipod
8h per week, 6-12 months, "As Soon As Possible"

Environmental pollution with plastics, especially microplastics, has attracted considerable interest from the research community as well as the wider public. It remains largely unclear however, what the impacts of environmental plastic pollution for organisms are. Principally, the current lack of data from long-term exposures to microplastics severely hampers risk estimations. To address this knowledge gap, we are conducting full life cycle exposure experiments (including offspring generations) with amphipods. To help maintaining the experimental amphipod cultures in our aquarium facility, we are looking for an assistant.

Your position

• Prepare food, involving collection of leaves and cutting of standardized leaf disks


• Weekly recovery of leaf disks and data recording (to estimate feeding rates)


• Help with preparation of microplastics and other materials for experiments


• Assist with general maintenance of aquaria (e.g. keeping glass clean)


• Regular monitoring of water quality

• An interest in ecotoxicology, and ideally in the topic of microplastic pollution


• Careful and accurate working is crucial


• Willingness to work with live animals (but no sacrificing needed)


• You are a student registered at the University of Basel or FHNW (mandatory)

Your profile

• Opportunity to gain experience with hands-on experimental research in the area of toxicology, i.e. the standardized collection of data to monitor animal behavior in response to microplastics
• Learning and exploring the techniques required for amphipod culturing; these animals are commonly used for ecotoxicological assessments and techniques are thus relevant in a wider context
• Opportunity to conduct experiments independently

Application / Contact



Interested? Please contact:

Gabriel Erni Cassola, Dr.

MGU, Department of Environmental Sciences

University of Basel,

Vesalgasse 1

4051 Basel

E-mail: gabriel.ernicassola@unibas.ch



With a short motivation statement and availability to start.

www.unibas.ch