Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Chair of Hydrobiology and Fisheries (PKKH)
Workload: 1.0
Starting date: 01.01.2026
Duties and responsibilities
- Research and development at an international level in the field of aquatic ecology, focusing specifically on the functioning of the microbial loop under various conditions and identifying the organisms involved.
- Teaching and research on the relationships between microbial loop organisms (heterotrophic flagellates, ciliates, amoebae) and higher trophic levels, including fish juveniles.
- International-level scientific research on changes in the species composition of protozoa, multicellular zooplankton, and fish larvae in water bodies, the feeding of metazooplankton and fish larvae on microbial loop organisms, and the interrelationships between these processes.
- Conducting research and developmental activities at an international level (in various climate zones) to understand the behaviour of aquatic food chains under different environmental conditions and their impact on the productivity of water bodies.
- Teaching in Estonian on courses such as Fish Diet (3 ECT) and Applied Hydrobiology (18 ECT).
- Supervising students and faculty.
Up to 40% of the total workload involves teaching at one or more levels of higher education, supervising bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students, preparing teaching materials and methodological resources, supervising staff involved in teaching subjects in the current field, and enhancing the skills and knowledge necessary for teaching and research.
At least 40% of the total workload involves research and development at an international level (equivalent to at least two doctoral theses over the past five years), supervising the research of younger academic researchers, applying for and implementing research projects, developing cooperation with researchers from other universities and research institutions, disseminating research results, and seeking application opportunities in collaboration with the public and private sectors, as well as enhancing the skills and knowledge necessary for research.
The remaining work time is divided between organizational and administrative tasks, including participating in the work of the university’s collegial decision-making bodies and committees, participating in the work of external academic and administrative bodies and committees, actively providing advice related to their field, popularizing their field, and organizing scientific conferences and seminars.
Required education level
Doctoral degree or an equivalent qualification in the field of Hydrobiology
Required experience
- Teaching experience in higher education, including supervising master’s and doctoral theses.
- Knowledge of teaching materials and methodologies.
- Recognized research at an international level in the relevant or closely related field, with a volume comparable to at least two doctoral theses.
- Experience participating in international research and applied projects.
Required Language skills
- English language proficiency at level C1 – advanced level (understands complex texts; expresses ideas smoothly and precisely; writes structured and meaningful texts)
- Estonian language proficiency at level B2 – upper-intermediate level (understands more complex texts; communicates fluently and actively; writes clear texts on various topics)
- An academic staff member with an indefinite employment contract who does not speak Estonian must acquire Estonian language proficiency at the B1 level (CEFR) within three years and at the B2 level within five years.
