Research Fellow in Organic Geochemistry

Job Purpose

A postdoctoral research position in organic geochemistry, with a focus on paleoclimate reconstruction, is now available based within the research group of Dr Tom Dunkley Jones. The successful applicant will work as part of a NERC-funded team focused on generating new organic biomarker proxies for Eocene temperatures (GDGT- and alkenone-based) and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (alkenone-based). New analyses will be undertaken on sediments recovered from a core taken from the Rockall Trough in the NE Atlantic. These sediments host exceptionally well-preserved organic biomarkers and carbonate microfossils.

The researcher will take the lead in organic biomarker extraction and analysis and be expected to be at a level to work independently to undertake GC-MS, GC-FID and GC-IR-MS analyses. They will also be required to assist in the preparation and analyses of samples for carbonate-based proxy determination, including stable isotopes of oxygen and carbon, trace metals and boron isotopes (with Co-I Gavin Foster, University of Southampton). They will work together with a team of Co-Is to undertake detailed statistical analyses of modern proxy calibrations and proxy-proxy comparisons for the Eocene system. These numerical analyses will be supported by Co-Is Ilya Mandel and John Veitch from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham. The researcher will also be expected to actively engage with climate modellers and other Earth System scientists within the Deep-time Model-data Intercomparison Project (DeepMIP; www.deepmip.org) and the Past Earth Network (PEN; www.pastearth.net).

The researcher will be expected to disseminate research results through outstanding publications in leading journals, conference presentations and outreach activities. Further duties will involve co-supervision of undergraduate student projects, and contributing to the training and mentoring of doctoral researchers and research assistants. Funding will be available for the researcher to undertake relevant training courses and present work at both national and international conferences.

The researcher will join an active and growing community of paleoclimatologists within the broader Geosystems research group of the School.

Person Specification

• First degree in area of specialism and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• High level analytical capability in organic geochemistry, with experience in the analysis of organic biomarkers for paleoclimate proxy data generation
• Either some experience of inorganic geochemical analyses or a willingness to be trained in these techniques
• Good level of numerical and data analysis skills
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly in both written and oral form
• Ability to assess resource requirements and contribute to broader management/administration of the project