PhD position in Mass-extinction Research 982 views

The Department of Earth Sciences at Utrecht University is seeking a highly-motivated, high-potential applicant for a PhD position to work within the research project “Deadly LIPs: Volcanogenic phytotoxic pollution during the end-Triassic extinction” funded by NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research).

Tasks and responsibilities:

• The PhD candidate will document the extent of mutagenesis prior to, during, and following the end-Triassic extinction event using available core material from Germany, Poland and Denmark, as well as fresh core material from the UK through an ICDP-funded drilling project.
• The PhD candidate will be actively involved in the drilling operation and post-drilling sample acquisition. In addition to extensive microscope work, samples will also be investigated with organic and inorganic geochemical techniques.
• Fieldwork in New Zealand aims to determine the global reach of CAMP volcanism. In addition, sampling of mercury polluted sites is foreseen to examine mutagenesis in living ferns as a means to groundtruth deep time records.
• The project leader and daily supervisor will be Dr. Bas van de Schootbrugge.
• During the project, the PhD candidate will also collaborate with TNO, the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Research.
• The project will involve active collaborations with specialists from numerous international institutions, including stratigraphers, inorganic geochemists, terrestrial palynologists, and plant biologists.

Qualifications:

• Applicant must hold an MSc degree (at the start of the contract) with an appropriate background in Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and/or Biology, with a passion for microscope and laboratory work, and an interest in challenging fieldwork.
• Prior experience with palynological analyses is desirable but not required, while a solid understanding of deep time processes is.
• Applicant must possess positive social/verbal/communication skills, determination, willingness to travel abroad, eagerness to develop multidisciplinary skills, and ability to share and explain results to other research disciplines.
• Applicants should have excellent written and spoken English skills.

Duration: full-time position initially for one year; may be extended to a total period of four years.

Application:

• Apply online
• Evaluations and interviews are planned soon thereafter. The intended starting date is August 1, 2019, or as soon as possible thereafter.