Doctoral student in environmental science - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Introduction text:

One of the largest marine environmental challenges presently is deoxygenation, i.e. decreasing dissolved oxygen concentrations in the world oceans, caused especially by increased temperature and stratification. In coastal zones, additional processes such as human-induced eutrophication as well as circulation changes are also major contributors to the decrease in oxygen concentration in bottom waters and expansion of hypoxic zones. The present-day anthropogenically-induced environmental changes in coastal settings have created a need for a context to understand the severity and potential outcomes of such changes. This context can be derived from paleoenvironmental records during periods when comparable events happened in the past.

Work description:

In the Baltic Sea region, several periods of warmth and large environmental change have occurred since the most recent glaciation, and there is evidence that these periods were also marked by deoxygenation. Reconstructing past oxygenation conditions is difficult because few quantitative proxies exist for oxygen levels, and there are currently many efforts to improve and develop better proxies for past oxygenation of bottom waters. Recently, we have focused on Mn/Ca in benthic foraminifera as a potential proxy variable for low oxygen conditions.

In this project we plan to use a combination of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) - and synchrotron-based methods to analyze Mn concentration, distribution, and speciation and other trace elements in foraminiferal shells.

The objectives of this work are: 1) to quantitatively reconstruct marine environmental conditions, focusing primarily on bottom water oxygenation in the Baltic Sea region, during periods of warming and large environmental change and 2) improve the tools we use to reconstruct past environments by using a combination of experimental work and synchrotron - and plasma based methods.

Principal supervisor in the project is Dr. Helena L. Filipsson, co-supervisors are Dr. Nadine Quintana Krupinski and Prof. Per Persson.

Qualifications:

The applicant is expected to hold a Master of Science degree (or equivalent) in Earth Sciences/Geology, Oceanography, Environmental Sciences, Chemistry or Biology, with a strong focus on marine sciences or significant experience in ICP analytical methods. Documented experience and interest in micropaleontology and paleoceanography and advanced geochemical methods (ICP analytical methods and/or synchrotron methods), together with experience of scientific publication in English, are strongly desired. Ability to work well independently and with others is a necessity, as are strong communication skills. Ability and interest to participate in field work at sea and in stake-holder communication is an advantage.

We offer a full-time PhD position for 4 years with Swedish social security benefits. The research subject is Environmental Science, the position will be located at the Department of Geology. The PhD students in Environmental Science are located at different departments at the Faculty of Science. The PhD education will thus include interactions with other PhD students across subjects and departments. The application for the advertised position must include:

• Letter of interest which describes the applicant’s background, interests and ambitions in relation to the project (one page).
• CV comprising date of birth and complete listing of BSc and MSc grades and previous employers (if applicable).
• A PDF file (or link for downloading) listing publications including Master’s or Bachelor’s theses.
• Name and contact details to at least two references.

Eligibility
Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who- have completed a second-cycle degree- have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or- have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

Type of employment
Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.