School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Salary: £37,099 - £40,521 per annum
Start Date: 1 November 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter (within 2-3 months of this date)
Fixed Term: 30 months (2.5 years)
Full-time: 36.25 hrs per week
We are looking to
recruit a Post-doctoral Research Fellow to join our UKRI-funded project “Taking Earth’s volcanic pulse: understanding global volcanic hazards by
unlocking the ice core archive”. This exciting opportunity will apply innovative
techniques and protocols to extract new information on the source, style, and
climate impact of past volcanism from ice core records. This role is focused on
cryptotephra records which will be used to pinpoint the geotectonic setting and
source of past eruptions.
The overarching goal of
this research project is to radically improve records of large magnitude volcanic
events. This is critical for improving societal resilience to future eruptions,
but also explores exciting interdisciplinary questions about whether past
episodes of human societal upheaval were triggered by explosive volcanism. The polar
ice cores represent the finest time-resolved archive of recent volcanism, yet
for most of these eruptions we have no idea which volcano was responsible, nor
confirmation that the event was stratospheric and had a global climate impact.
The St Andrews Volcanic Eruptions and Impacts Group is directly addressing
these challenges and have developed novel procedures to extract and chemically
analyse ice core cryptotephra using our newly established and state-of-the-art laser
ablation and electron microprobe facilities. The successful candidate will be
responsible for mounting and performing geochemical analysis on ice core cryptotephra
samples from Greenland and Antarctica. They will lead subsequent data processing
and interpretation of these results, integrate them with isotopic analyses that
will be done in tandem, and publish these findings in high-quality international
journals. The project will likely involve sampling visits to ice core repositories
(in UK and Europe) as well close collaboration and networking with a wider of
team of international project partners.
Strong candidates will
have technical expertise in microanalysis by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM),
Electron Microprobe (EPMA) and/or Laser Ablation ICP-MS, and it would be
desirable to have expertise in volcanology and geochemical analysis. The postdoctoral
researcher would join a dynamic cohort of researchers within the School of
Earth & Environmental Sciences. They would be encouraged and supported to
attend international conferences and develop their personal and scientific
career via the University’s professional development programmes.
Informal enquiries can
be directed to Dr Will Hutchison, wh39@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Applications
are particularly welcome from people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic
(BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented
in research posts at the University.
Equality,
diversity and inclusion are at the heart of the St Andrews experience. We strive to create a fair and inclusive
culture demonstrated through our commitment to diversity awards (Athena Swan, Carer
Positive, LGBT Charter, Race Charters and Stonewall). We celebrate diversity by
promoting profiles of BAME, LGBTIQ+ staff and supporting networks including the
Staff BAME Network; Staff with Disabilities Network; Staff LGBTIQ+ Network; and
the Staff Parents & Carers Network. Full
details available online: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/hr/edi/
Closing Date: 29 September 2023
Please quote ref: AR2854NK
Further Particulars: AR2854NK FPs.doc
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Salary: £37,099 - £40,521 per annum
Start Date: 1 November 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter (within 2-3 months of this date)
Fixed Term: 30 months (2.5 years)
Full-time: 36.25 hrs per week