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PhD position -Applicability of bacterial membrane lipids as environmental proxies in lacustrine settings

Paris, France
Category
Logistics
This PhD thesis will be funded for 3 years in the framework of the French National Research Agency project “ALPINE” (2023-2027).
The PhD candidate will work in the “Biogeochemistry” group of the METIS laboratory (Sorbonne Université, Paris) and the EDYTEM laboratory (Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Chambéry).
The thesis will be supervised by Dr. Arnaud Huguet (METIS) and Dr. Pierre Sabatier (EDYTEM).
Description
Abstract of the project :
A better understanding of past climate variations and their interactions with geosphere and biosphere is essential to apprehend future climatic changes. Most of the available paleoenvironmental proxies were developed and used in oceanic environments. Nevertheless, it is essential to have reliable proxies which can be applied to continental archives, both terrestrial and aquatic. Some specific organic compounds – 3-hydroxy fatty acids (3-OH FAs), produced by Gram-negative bacteria – could be used as such temperature and pH proxies based on recent studies in soils. Nevertheless, these molecules and their source microorganisms have not been studied in detail in lakes yet. It is now essential to obtain accurate information on the
adaptation of 3-OH FA source microorganisms to temperature/pH changes in lakes to potentially developing robust and universal (paleo)environmental proxies.
The main objectives of this work will be to investigate the applicability of 3-OH FAs as new temperature and pH proxies in lakes and to concomitantly compare these new proxies to the existing ones (e.g. GDGTs). To this aim, the source(s) of microbial lipids in lakes will first be assessed. We then envision to develop calibrations between temperature/pH and distribution of
microbial lipids in surface lacustrine sediments previously collected worldwide. Last, these calibrations will be applied to long-term paleoenvironmental reconstructions from two alpine lacustrine cores covering the last 14,000 years.
Tasks
The PhD candidate will be in charge of the sampling, lab work, data collection and analysis.
Requirements
The candidate will have a MSc degree in geosciences, analytical chemistry or environmental chemistry. Skills in organic geochemistry would be a plus. The candidate should be motivated by laboratory experiments and field campaigns. He/she should have good skills in English.
Applications
Applications should include a detailed CV and a cover letter and should be made before the 4th of June 2023.
Application deadline
Further information
For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Arnaud Huguet
(arnaud.huguet@sorbonne-universite.fr) or Dr. Pierre Sabatier (pierre.sabatier@univsmb.fr).
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD in paleoecology - Liverpool, UK

Liverpool, United Kingdom
Category
Logistics
3-year full-time fully-funded PhD studentship (deadline to apply 4th June)
Funding available for all students (UK, EU & International Students)
Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, UK
Supervisor: Dr Jennifer Clear.
Email: clearj@hope.ac.uk for enquiries and how to apply
Description
Quantifying the nature and scale of human-mediated environmental
and land-cover change in the UK over millennia

People have been influencing natural landscapes in the UK for
millennia. These climate-sensitive ecosystems have experienced a
range of land-use pressures including; deforestation, agricultural
development and increasing influx of pollutants. Ecosystems under
pressure become more sensitive to climate-driven disturbance
dynamics such as droughts, flooding, fire and pests. It is predicted
that these climate-induced disturbance events will become more
frequent, increasing the vulnerability of these environments.
Peatlands and forests are important carbon sinks susceptible to
erosion. Ecosystem management is important to regulate these
natural ecosystem services and there is a shift towards
environmental stewardship including upland and river rewilding for
natural flood management, and rewetting of peatlands and
expansion of forests for increased carbon storage.
To further understand ecosystem functioning and potential risk of
landscape change, we need better regional coverage in available
data. Palaeoecology data is available as a past analogue for past
environmental conditions, land-use change and ecosystem recovery.
In particular, Bronze age forest landscapes may provide an analogue
for rewilding upland Britain, but past records remain poorly
resolved. The key challenge for this PhD student is to fill the gaps
and test these hypotheses.
The aim of the project is to quantify local, regional and national
anthropogenic-driven environmental change and land-use history
under varying scales of human-mediated influence.
● Objective 1 - Reconstruct local and regional land-cover
change for upland NW Britain using a multi-proxy
palynological approach
● Objective 2 - Integrate those reconstructions to build a
better spatial and temporal pattern of environmental change
and land-use change across the UK
● Objective 3 - Model environmental and ecological thresholds
to then explore future risk scenarios with each validated
against past observations.
This PhD will incorporate palaeoecological fieldwork, laboratory
analysis, data collection, meta database analysis and modelling. Key
proxies will include pollen analysis (vegetation), charcoal (fire),
geochemistry (flooding), heavy metals and nutrient cycles
(pollutants) across ecological thresholds spanning the Neolithic,
Bronze Age and Iron Age establishment of agriculture and industry.
Other key environmental records may include biological pathogens
and water quality indicators (testate amoebae and diatoms).
Tasks
This PhD will incorporate palaeoecological fieldwork, laboratory
analysis, data collection, meta database analysis and modelling. Key
proxies will include pollen analysis (vegetation), charcoal (fire),
geochemistry (flooding), heavy metals and nutrient cycles
(pollutants) across ecological thresholds spanning the Neolithic,
Bronze Age and Iron Age establishment of agriculture and industry.
Other key environmental records may include biological pathogens
and water quality indicators (testate amoebae and diatoms).
Requirements
Candidates should have or expect to achieve:

A Masters degree with Distinction from a UK university OR;
A Masters degree with Merit from a UK university, including a Distinction grade for the Dissertation [or equivalent] OR;
An equivalent qualification from outside of the UK – equivalency to be judged by Liverpool Hope’s Registrar.
Where an applicant holds a Masters Degree from a UK university that does not offer awards with Merit, Liverpool Hope’s Registrar will confirm that the profile of marks satisfies or exceeds our requirements.

Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are prerequisites of any successful application. International applicants must produce appropriate IELTS or TOFEL score. Please refer to International Unit website at www.hope.ac.uk/international for more information.
Applications
more details available at https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CZJ157/vice-chancellors-phd-scholarships-three-year-full-time-mode-only

or apply directly here https://pgr.hope.ac.uk/ (students are strongly encouraged to email the PI (clearj@hope.ac.uk) before submitting their application)
Further information
Email clearj@hope.ac.uk for further information
Contact email
Click here to see the email address
One of the lakes in the Newer Volcanic Province to be studied.

PhD position - Bremen, Germany

Bremen, Germany
Category
Logistics
Research Assistant (m/f/d) for a period of 3 years at the University of Bremen, Faculty 08 at the Institute of Geography (GEOPOLAR working group), supervisor: Bernd Zolitschka
Position will start: Sept. 1, 2023
Remuneration group TV-L 13 to the extent of 75 % of the regular weekly working time

Description
This position is funded through the DFG project "Regional reconstruction of water availability to extend instrumental hydroclimatic records into the Late Holocene - a high-resolution investigation of calendar year-dated natural archives from maar lakes in the Newer Volcanic Province, south-eastern Australia". The lacustrine sediment records to be investigated offer ideal conditions for the reconstruction of regional water availability as well as of short-term climate fluctuations during the last millennium. The project work will be carried out at the University of Bremen and in international cooperation with universities in Adelaide (Australia), Bern (Switzerland) and Gdansk (Poland).
Tasks
The range of tasks includes sediment descriptions as well as carrying out sedimentological and geochemical analyses on sediment cores, which will be recovered during a fieldtrip at the beginning of the project. The creation of a time scale with different methods forms another important aspect for these investigations. Evaluation and visualization of collected data are placed in the context of regional and of southern hemispheric climate dynamics. Particular attention will be paid to recording data related to the regional water availability (droughts, floods) and integration with the Late Holocene climate development (Little Ice Age, Medieval Climate Optimum, El Niño Southern Oscillation). This investigation aims at producing a cumulative dissertation, the results of which will be published in scientific publications and presented at national and international conferences.
Requirements
Master's degree in physical geography, geosciences or related disciplines
Basic knowledge in the fields of sedimentology and palaeoclimatology are an advantage
Productive working style, team skills as well as motivation and interest in working in an international and multidisciplinary research environment
Good command of written and spoken English
Applications
Applications with the usual documents (informative cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates) should be sent electronically in one PDF-file by 31.05.2023 to fb08.bewerbung@uni-bremen.de quoting the reference number A72/23.
Further information
Please direct any queries to Prof. Dr. Bernd Zolitschka, University of Bremen, e-mail: zoli@uni-bremen.de.

This advertisement is also available only via https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/university/the-university-as-an-employer/job-vacancies-1/job/2382?cHash=a86ba79cdf83b2a79cebc6e37506cc6e.
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD, palynological/palaeoecological research - Göttingen, Germany

Göttingen, Germany
Category
Logistics
At the University of Göttingen -Public Law Foundation-,
Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Pflant Sciences - Department of Palynologie/Klimadynamik, there is a position as:
Scientific Researcher (PhD student)(all genders welcome)
Pay group 13 TV-L/ in part-time 65% to be filled. Starting date is 7/1/2023. The position is limited to 06/30/2026.
Description
Comparative Legacies of Human Land Use in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Tasks
We are looking for a scientist to conduct palynological/palaeoecological research including pollen, spore, charcoal and different biomarker analyses and the interpretation of multiproxy data in order to obtain a detailed reconstruction of anthropogenic impacts on vegetation and environmental changes in southern Brazil during the Holocene.
This position is in collaboration with:
Bournemouth University, Faculty of Science and Technology, UK (Dr. Philip Riris), Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena (Dr. Patrick Roberts)
and the University of Göttingen, Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics (Prof. Dr. Hermann Behling).
Requirements
Requirements are a Masters in biology, palaeoenvironmental science or related disciplines, knowledge and theoretical or practical experience in palynological and biomarker or isotope methodologies, knowledge of subtropical/tropical pollen flora, experience in multivariate data analysis, knowledge in the interpretation of multiproxy data, and data processing software. Teamwork, very good English skills, and willingness to work in an international research environment is expected.
Applications
Please upload your application in one pdf file including the usual documents until 4/28/2023 on the application portal of the university using this link: http://obp.uni-goettingen.de/de-de/OBF/Index/72967. For more information get in touch with Hermann Behling directly via E-Mail: Hermann.Behling@biologie.uni-goettingen.de, Tel. 0551 39 25728 .
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD, Dynamic range shifts in Arctic plants and animals – combining ancient DNA analyses and species distribution modelling - Potsdam, Germany

Potsdam, Germany
Category
Logistics
PhD position “Dynamic range shifts in Arctic plants and animals – combining ancient DNA analyses and species distribution modelling” (m/f/d)

This position is limited to 3 years. The salary will be paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Service of the Federation (Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes, TVöD Bund), up to salary level 13 (66%). The place of employment will be Potsdam.

All doctoral candidates will be members of AWI's postgraduate program POLMAR or another graduate school and thus benefit from a comprehensive training program and extensive support measures.
Description
Rapid warming in the Arctic is expected to cause biodiversity change. However, we are lacking basic understanding on how quickly different species adapt and will shift their distribution poleward. This knowledge gap hinders our ability to make precise predictions about the future state of the Arctic. As part of the advertised PhD project three key questions will be addressed: How can we learn from past species specific dispersal pattern inferred from proxy data to better understand and predict future change? How fast can Arctic species shift their distribution northwards to track preferred climate and ecological niches? Which arctic areas should we protect now to safeguard the long-term survival of arctic biodiversity?
Tasks
- Investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of past Arctic animal and plant species using proxy data (mainly sedimentary ancient DNA and pollen records)
- Simulate past species specific dispersal and northward movements and provide validation via proxy data records
- Apply species distribution models to predict future dynamics and inform optimisation tools for biodiversity protection
Requirements
- Master’s or equivalent degree in biology, physics or geology (or related disciplines)
- Knowledge in data handling using R (or other syntax based languages) and basic statistics. Experience with species distribution modelling and handling of big data sets is of advantage
- Knowledge in molecular genetics and bioinformatics is of advantage
- Very good spoken and written English and ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment
- Great willingness to present and publish research results on international conferences and in international scientific journals

Additional skills and knowledge
Willingness to conduct and support fieldwork in the high Arctic
Applications
We look forward to your application!
Please submit your application by April 5th, 2023 exclusively online.
Reference number: 23/61/D/Geo-b
Application deadline
Further information
Please contact Prof. Dr. Ulrike Herzschuh (Ulrike.Herzschuh@awi.de; +49 331 58174-5601) or Dr. Simeon Lisovski (simeon.lisovski@awi.de; +49(331)58174 5635) for further information.

View the job advert online: https://jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/1308/Description/2
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD, Past carbon accumulation in blanket bogs - Maynooth, Ireland

Maynooth, Ireland
Category
Logistics
Fully funded 4 year PhD available to start from June-September 2023 supervised by Dr Lisa Orme. The position is based in the Geography department at Maynooth University as part of the ICARUS Climate Research Centre.
Description
The PhD position is part of the PCARB project (Investigating the past climate influence on the carbon accumulation rates of Irish blanket bogs). The research will develop three records of past carbon accumulation rates from coastal, upland and mountain blanket bogs in Ireland. To enhance our understanding of the causes of past carbon accumulation variability, the project will also develop a suite of reconstructions showing past peatland vegetation, surface wetness and peat humification at each site.

Tasks
The research tasks will include organising and conducting fieldwork to core blanket bogs, laboratory and microscope analysis, statistical analysis of results and presentation of the results in a thesis/publications. Additional tasks will include presentation of results at conferences, public outreach and undertaking training and development.
Requirements
The ideal candidate will have a degree in geography, geology or a related discipline (2:1 or higher). Experience of research on palaeoclimate, sedimentology, peatlands or other related topic desirable but not essential. Interest and enthusiasm about the topic and conducting research are a must. Candidates should be interested in and comfortable doing fieldwork on peatlands and in conducting laboratory and microscope work. Fluent oral and written communication skills in English are required.
Applications
To apply please email a C.V. and cover letter outlining your suitability and interest in the position to Lisa Orme (lisa.orme@mu.ie) by midnight on the 31st March 2023. Interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place in May.
Application deadline
Further information
For any questions on the position please contact Dr Lisa Orme (lisa.orme@mu.ie).
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD, AMOC - Bonn, Germany

Bonn (18 months, then St Andrews, UK), Germany
Category
Logistics
Duration of award
Up to 3.5 years. The student will be expected to spend approximately the first half (21 months) of the award term at the University of Bonn and the second half (21 months) at the University of St Andrews. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

Value of award
The funding comprises a scholarship equivalent of a full-fees award and stipend for a period of up to 3.5 years. It is expected that the student will spend half of the scholarship term at the University of St Andrews and half at the University of Bonn:

For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarship will comprise a full fees award and a stipend paid at the current UK Research Council rate (£17,668 each year in 2022–2023).
For the period spent at the University of Bonn, the scholarship will comprise a monthly maintenance grant of €1,500. The University of Bonn does not charge any tuition fees, but students must pay a so-called social contribution once per semester (currently €315 per semester).
Description
A new proxy for ocean circulation and its impact on rapid climate change Project description

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) plays a fundamental role in transporting heat from the tropics to NW Europe. The finding that AMOC can rapidly weaken, resulting in major cooling in the Northern Hemisphere, remains one of the most fascinating yet enigmatic results in the study of past climates, with critical lessons for our rapidly warming world. The potential impacts of a future shutdown in Atlantic overturning are closely informed by these changes in the past, as recently highlighted in the IPCC’s AR6. However, despite its critical importance, our ability to reconstruct past changes in ocean circulation remains rudimentary.
To advance our understanding of changing ocean circulation and its impact on the carbon cycle and climate, we need new ways of reconstructing past ocean circulation. In this project we will develop a brand-new circulation proxy, based on redox sensitive elements in fossil foraminifera shells, which can vary based on the strength of the circulation. Preliminary data highlight the potential to obtain a remarkably clean and coherent record of change of overturning circulation over rapid millennial climate change events, supporting the use of this novel proxy.
Tasks
This PhD project will use both new geochemical measurements and novel modelling approaches to probe the potential of this proxy for ocean circulation.
A first step will be the creation of a test dataset in modern samples. Sites have been chosen to span a wide range of current speeds and sedimentary redox conditions and have nearby geochemical measurements in bottom waters. The student may also have the option to supplement these data by participation in a research cruise. In parallel, we will compare these redox sensitive elements in sediments with additional elements (e.g. Si, Al, K) that we predict will undergo some shared and some distinctive sedimentary processes. This, alongside sequential leaching and in situ analyses of foraminiferal shells, will allow us to better constrain the processes leading to enrichment of redox sensitive elements in shells.
To build a quantitative understanding of the operation and limitations of the proxy, the project will then examine the controls on redox sensitive elements in a sediment biogeochemistry model. This is a well-established tool for the examination of sedimentary element cycling and will be expanded to incorporate novel elements. Having established a robust framework of understanding, we will then apply this exciting new tool to address fundamental questions about the control of ocean circulation on CO₂ and climate. An initial target will be the rapid climate and CO₂ change events of the last ice age, although there will be flexibility to pursue topics of greatest interest to the successful student.
Requirements
Qualifications
Very good Bachelor's, ideally Master's degree, in Geology, Geosciences, Environmental Sciences or a related discipline. Interest in paleo-environmental research, geochemical lab work, scientific writing and presenting, and collaboration within an international team. Previous experience with geochemical data and/or laboratory analyses is an advantage.

Language requirements
Good English skills in speaking and writing. Knowledge of German is a "personal advantage" for this post, but will not be considered in the selection process.

Geographical criteria
No restrictions.

Domicile for fee status
No restrictions.

Level of study
Postgraduate Research (Doctoral).

Year of entry
2023–2024 academic year.

The successful student will initially spend 18 months at Bonn, where they will work with Professor März as part of the Environmental Geology group. The student will work on compilation and examination of sediment core, pore water, and seawater data. They will also initiate work with the sedimentary redox model to examine mechanistic controls on redox elements in sediments.

The student will then move to St Andrews, to take advantage of the state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in Rae’s and Burke’s research groups that will allow them to make new analyses to test hypotheses emerging from their modelling. With improved understanding of the fundamentals of the proxy, they will then make analyses on sediment cores spanning the rapid climate change events of the last ice age, to better understand the critical role of ocean circulation.

It is expected that the student will begin the degree at the University of Bonn. The student may start their degree at any point in the academic year 2023-2024 prior to a final entry date of May 27, 2024 subject to agreement with the supervisory team.
Applications
Applicants should submit their application to the co-supervisors by March 31, 2023. Please send your application to Dr James Rae and Dr Andrea Burke (St Andrews) and Professor März (Bonn) at the following email addresses:

Dr James Rae: jwbr@st-andrews.ac.uk
Dr Andrea Burke: ab276@st-andrews.ac.uk
Professor März: cmaerz@uni-bonn.de

Your application should include the following:

Statement why you are the right candidate for the project (max. 800 words)
CV
References(s) - CONTACT INFO FOR REFEREES (important to avoid having them submit the references themselves)
Other (please specify): Academic transcript

Please indicate in your application that you wish to be considered for this Global PhD Scholarship St Andrews and Bonn (reference Rae-Burke-Maerz).

Terms and conditions

Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions. These are applicable during the St Andrews duration of the award; please consult the partner institution for their terms and conditions relating to scholarships.
Application deadline
Further information
The project will be managed jointly between the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at St Andrews and the Institute for Geosciences at Bonn. The student will be supervised by Dr James Rae and Dr Andrea Burke (St Andrews) and Prof. Dr. Christian März (Bonn).
Informal enquiries regarding this scholarship may be addressed to the co-supervisors:
• Dr James Rae: jwbr@st-andrews.ac.uk
• Dr Andrea Burke: ab276@st-andrews.ac.uk
• Professor Christian März: cmaerz@uni-bonn.de
For further information, please visit Joint Doctoral Program St Andrews and Bonn and Global Doctoral Scholarships – St Andrews and Bonn.
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD position, peatland ecology (among others) - Montréal, Canada

Montréal, Canada
Theme
Category
Logistics
A fully funded 4-year PhD positions is open immediately in the Atmosbios Lab, based in the Département de géographie at Université de Montréal, under the supervision of Drs. Oliver Sonnentag and Kyle Arndt (Woodwell Climate Research Center).

Full funding for the PhD students is available through Graduate Research Assistant Fellowships. Funding is also available to cover costs for skills workshops, national and international scientific conferences, and field gear. Additional stipends and scholarships are available to apply for from both institutional and national sources, including recruitment awards for students with high GPAs.
Description
Start of the PhD program at the Université de Montréal is May or September 2023. We are looking for a talented student with interests in ecosystem greenhouse gas balance, soil biogeochemistry, peatland ecology, and Canada’s northern permafrost region.
Tasks
The project will focus on the use of eddy covariance techniques to assess the greenhouse gas and energy balances of northern permafrost peatlands affected by wildfire. Field research will be conducted in the southern Northwest Territories (Scotty Creek, destroyed by a late-season wildfire in October 2022, scheduled to be rebuild in March 2023), supported by the Woodwell Climate Research Center through the Permafrost Pathways project. The project will also be part of Can-Peat; a Canada-wide network for understanding the future carbon balance of peatlands. There is flexibility, and it is encouraged, for the students to focus on specific aspects of interest under the overarching themes
Requirements
Applicants are expected to hold, or soon complete, an MSc degree (or equivalent) in atmospheric sciences, physical geography, soil science, environmental science, or similar fields. Previous experience with eddy covariance instrumentation and data handling is favourable. Proficiency in spoken and written English is needed, and, ideally, some French language skills for the position at Université de Montréal. The Atmosbios Lab and the Woodwell Climate Research Center are committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome people of any ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or ability to contact us about the positions.
Applications
For further information and to apply, please send a letter of interest to oliver.sonnentag@umontreal.ca (Atmosbios Lab) and karndt@woodwellclimate.org (Woodwell Climate Research Center). Include resume/CV describing your skills and education, university transcripts and names of two referees. Positions will remain open until filled.
Application deadline
Further information
For further information and to apply, please send a letter of interest to oliver.sonnentag@umontreal.ca (Atmosbios Lab) and karndt@woodwellclimate.org (Woodwell Climate Research Center). Include resume/CV describing your skills and education, university transcripts and names of two referees. Positions will remain open until filled.
Contact email
Click here to see the email address

PhD Research Fellow - Oslo, Norway

Oslo, Norway
Category
Logistics
Position as PhD Research Fellow in Climate and Environmental Sciences available at the Meteorology and Oceanography Section (MetOs), Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Starting date no later than October 1, 2023.

The fellowship period is 3 years. A fourth year may be considered with a work-load of 25 % that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

We offer:

• Salary NOK 501 200 – 544 400 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Career development programmes
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

Description
Climate and environmental impacts of volcanic eruptions in the extratropics

Extremely large volcanic eruptions are among the most violent geologic hazards and sudden climate cooling events on modern Earth, but their impacts on atmosphere, ocean, and environment are barely known. Climate model studies for such large eruptions in the northern and southern extratropics are rare, information that would be crucial for deciphering their atmospheric, oceanic, and environmental impacts in the past.

The PhD Research Fellow will run a state of the art volcano aerosol chemistry-climate model, systematically varying eruption source parameters (i.e., volatiles, altitude, season) for past eruptions in the northern and southern hemisphere extratropics, to constrain the uncertain volcanic forcing and the climate and environmental response. Different initial ocean-sea ice states will be set-up, which are crucial for the model response. The model data will be analysed and compared with available and pilot paleo proxy data and with other available model runs. The climatic impacts will be assessed, both on the atmospheric and oceanic circulation. Funding for field campaigns to the volcanic vents in New Zealand and Japan will be sought, to collect data and to inspect the eruption episode scenarios. National and international collaborators with volcanology and paleo climate proxies (i.e., ice cores, pollen) expertise exist and scientific exchange visits are planned. The PhD Research Fellow will exchange hers/his work at international workshops and conferences and with the VolMIP and PAGES communities.

The PhD Research Fellowship is financed by UiO and will be embedded with existing research groups at MetOs (e.g., VIKINGS, CompSci, Rough Ocean).
Tasks
The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see:

http://www.uio.no/english/research/phd/

http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/
Requirements
Qualification requirements:

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Climate or Environmental Sciences or in re-lated fields fulfilling the grade requirements
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Candidates with research experience and background in volcano climate or climate modelling will be given priority.
• Technical skills in programming as well as in graphical and statistical tools (e.g., python, Fortran, Matlab, R) are mandatory for this position.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English are required (see grade requirements).

Candidates without a Master’s degree have until 30 June, 2023 to complete the final exam.

Additional qualifications:

• Experience in paleo climate and/or ocean-sea ice, aerosol chemistry climate, earth system modelling.
• Experience in analysing related observational or paleo proxy data.
• Experience in running climate or related models on HPC.
• The PhD Research Fellow should be interested to work in a cross-disciplinary research field and team, be willing to exchange with national and international project collaborators including potential research stays abroad and possible field campaigns to New Zealand and Japan.
• Knowledge of a Scandinavian language will be advantageous, opening the possibility of an additional 25% position teaching.
Applications
How to apply:

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records
• Documentation of English proficiency
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system (please follow the link “Apply for this job”
https://www.jobbnorge.no/jobseeker/#/application/apply/239437).
Foreign applicants are ad-vised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English.

Applicants may be called in for an interview.
Application deadline
Further information
Contact information:

For further information please contact: Kirstin Krüger, phone: +47 228 55811,
e-mail: kkrueger@geo.uio.no, Joseph LaCasce, phone +47 228 55955, email: j.h.lacasce@geo.uio.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Ole Rustad, e-mail: ole.rustad@mn.uio.no

Deadline: February 28, 2023

https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/239437/phd-research-fellow-in-climate-and-environmental-sciences (University of Oslo; jobbnorge.no)
Contact email
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2 x PhD positions - Saclay/Grenoble, France

Saclay, France
Category
Logistics
There are two fully-funded 3 year-PhD positions as part of the Toward Beyond-EPICA (ToBE) project funded by the french National Research Council:

- 1 PhD project (PhD #1) to be mainly based at the LSCE, Saclay (Supervisors: A. Landais and M. Casado)
Signal preservation in the deepest part of the EPICA Dome C ice core and application to paleoclimate reconstruction from 600 000 to 800 000 years ago

- 1 PhD (PhD #2) project to be mainly based at the IGE, Grenoble (Supervisors: F. Parrenin and E. Capron)
Reconstruction of carbon cycle-climate interactions between 600 and 800 thousand years ago from the analysis of the air trapped in the deep ice of the EPICA Dome C Antarctic core
Description
PhD #1: Signal preservation in the deepest part of the EPICA Dome C ice core and application to paleoclimate reconstruction from 600 000 to 800 000 years ago

Variations of past climatic and environmental conditions can be retrieved from ice and air bubble composition of ice cores from East Antarctica over the last 800 000 years (EPICA Dome C ice core). A new ice core project should provide records covering the last 1.5 million years (Beyond EPICA ice core). In the deepest part of the ice cores lies the oldest part of the record. The analysis of the deep ice is tricky because the ice layer thinning tremendously affect the temporal resolution: the last 200m of the EPICA Dome C ice core (only 6% of the length of the core) includes 200 000 years of climate record (25% of the age span covered by the core). Moreover, under the influence of (1) elevated temperature, nearly reaching the melting point, and (2) because of the age of the deep ice, diffusion phenomena, extreme growth of the ice crystals, and migration of chemical species within the ice itself can affect the recorded climatic signal.

In the ice itself, preliminary studies showed that the diffusion length can reach several dozens of cm at the bottom of the EPICA Dome C ice core, limiting the interpretation of the water isotope signal. In the gas trapped in the air bubbles (such as O2, N2, CH4 et CO2), diffusive exchange can affect the precision of ice core dating, as well as the reconstruction of pass greenhouse gases concentration. These diffusive effects are still only poorly constrained despite studies of multiple environmental tracers in multiple deep ice cores. One of the main causes is that the resolution at which these cores have been analysed was not high enough to compensate the high levels of thinning the ice underwent. To retrieve a high-quality climatic signal, it is necessary to compensate for both the thinning by increasing the resolution, and for the diffusion by increasing the precision.

PhD #2: Reconstruction of carbon cycle-climate interactions between 600 and 800 thousand years ago from the analysis of the air trapped in the deep ice of the EPICA Dome C Antarctic core.

Many uncertainties remain on the future and past interactions between climate and the carbon cycle, as well as their impact on the different components of the Earth system. In this context, paleoclimatology provides useful information. The Quaternary climate (last 2.58 million years, Ma), is punctuated by warm periods called interglacials, each of them lasting between ~5,000 and ~30,000 years. These interglacials are characterized by reduced ice cover on the Northern Hemisphere continents and alternate with cold periods, called glacials, associated with large ice caps in the Northern Hemisphere. The cyclicity associated with this succession of glacial-interglacial periods changed during the Middle Pleistocene Transition (occurring between ~1.2 Ma and ~700,000 years ago) from ~41,000 to ~100,000 years. Interglacial periods provide relevant information in the context of global warming as they offer a series of natural laboratories to study the processes within the Earth system for a wide range of warm conditions.

Analyses of the ice and the air trapped in the bottom of the EPICA Dome C (EDC) Antarctic ice core could identify several particularly-interesting interglacial periods between 600,000 and 800,000 years ago: Marine Isotope Stage 15 (MIS 15), MIS 17 and MIS 19. MIS 15 and MIS 17 stand out from the climate variations of the last 800,000 years because of the particular pattern of polar warming during these periods, while MIS 19 is the best analogue for understanding the interactions between the carbon cycle and climate change in a context of natural forcings because of its similarity in orbital configuration to the current interglacial. Finally, these 'old' interglacials occur in an intriguing context where glacial-interglacial cyclicity is no longer ~41,000 years but not yet ~100,000 years. However, the study of the 800 000-600 000-year time interval remains globally limited as few Antarctic ice cores record this old period while the analysis of the deep ice in the EDC core that covers this time-interval remains challenging. Thus, we still lack a precise determination of the sequence of events between climate change, carbon cycle variations and orbital forcing during the MIS 15, MIS 17 and MIS 19 interglacial periods and the deglaciations that precede them.
Tasks
PhD #1: In this Phd thesis, various climatic and environmental tracers will be retrieved from the deepest 200m of the EPICA Dome C ice core which covers the period from 600 000 to 800 000 years before today. Specifically, we will study the elementary and isotopic composition of O2 in the air trapped in the ice as a dating approach, as well as the water isotopic composition in order to reconstruct the high frequency temperature variations. In collaboration with the Institute of Geosciences and Environment (Grenoble, France), we will study how the diffusion and thinning processes affect the greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) concentration. This PhD project include an analytical part of ice core analysis, as well as interpretation of the results using simple models of the diffusion processes on the ice core signal. The results obtained on the EPICA Dome C ice core will then be generalised to the Beyond EPICA ice core currently being drilled.

PhD #2: In close collaboration with our colleagues at the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (Saclay, France), this PhD project proposes to study several climate and environmental tracers measured in the air trapped in the last 200 m of the EDC ice core over the period 800,000-600,000 years. In particular, it will rely on new measurements of ice air content, O2/N2 ratio, and O2 isotopic composition (δ18Oatm) with the goal of producing a new dating of the EDC core over this time interval. New millennial- and sub-millennial scale measurements of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations (CO2 and CH4), carbon isotopes (δ13C of CO2), and impurities will provide unique sequences of events between climate variations, carbon cycle changes, and orbital forcing during these 'old' interglacials and the preceding deglaciations. These new data will be compared to existing millennial-scale data on more recent interglacials (MIS 5, MIS 7) to refine our understanding of interglacials in the context of the last 800 000 years.


This project consists of (1) an analytical part of data acquisition from the analysis of ice core samples with innovative methods developed in the framework of the national analytical platform PANDA, including a new optical spectrometer for the measurement of CO2 and δ13C of CO2, (2) an analytical part of the new records for dating purposes involving the PALEOCHRONO dating model developed at the IGE (3) an interpretation part to identify the carbon sinks and sources that modulate the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and the changes in the carbon cycle from simple models and finally (4) a synthesis part to propose new reference climate sequences between 800 000 and 600 000 years ago.
Requirements
PhD #1: This project targets a student interested by paleoclimate studies with strong basis in Physics and/or Geosciences. Strong teamwork skills will be required with collaborations outside of LSCE in France or abroad. A proficient English level is needed (French optional). This project is funded by the ANR project ToBE, with strong links with the european project Beyond EPICA.

PhD #2: We are looking for a student highly motivated by the study of climate and paleoclimate with a strong background in physics and/or geosciences. This PhD project requires the ability to work as part of a team and to collaborate with teams outside IGE, in France and abroad. A good written and spoken English is required. This project is funded through the project ToBE by the French National Research Council (ANR) and it has some strong interaction with the European Project Beyond EPICA Oldest Ice Core.
Applications
Application deadlines are March 31st, 2023 and interviews are expected to be held the third week of April 2023. To apply, candidates must send a resume, cover letter and the names of two references.
Application deadline
Further information
PhD #1:
Supervisors: Amaëlle Landais (amaelle.landais@lsce.ipsl.fr) and Mathieu Casado
(mathieu.casado@lsce.ipsl.fr)

PhD #2:
Emilie Capron ; emilie.capron@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
Frédéric Parrenin ; frederic.parrenin@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
Contact email
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