Researcher in Palaeolimnology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Subject description

Extensive sulphur emissions from major volcanic eruptions in historical time, for example Laki 1783-84 and Tambora 1815-16, are known to have caused severe societal problems (poisoning, crop failure, cold winters, and famine), but their direct impacts on the environment are poorly known. Detailed studies of well-dated annually laminated (varved) lake sediments can provide increased insight into the environmental impacts of such colossal eruptions, which take place on average once per century. As part of an ongoing VR-funded project, we aim at estimating the extent and duration of the effects of some well-documented massive volcanic sulphate deposition events during recent centuries on lake ecosystems, catchment vegetation and soils in Scandinavia. A combined palaeoecological and geochemical approach is applied to frozen samples of varved sediment records from Sweden and Finland. Highly resolved Fe and S speciation analyses of the sediments based on synchrotron radiation analysis (X-ray absorption spectroscopy) form an important part of the project.

Work duties

• Participation in age determination and subsampling of frozen sediment sequences based on documentation and varve counting
• Preparation of frozen sediment samples for synchrotron radiation-based analyses in the cryostat at the Balder beamline of the MAXIV laboratory
• Analysis and interpretation of data obtained by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) for characterization of Fe and S speciation
• Leading of scientific publication of XAS data integrated with other results produced within the project, primarily diatom data

Qualification requirements

Applicants must have:

• A PhD or equivalent research qualification of relevance to the position
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English
• Experience of documentation and subsampling of annually laminated (varved) lake sediment records by handling of freeze cores in freezer compartments
• Experience of geochemical analysis work based on X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) for characterization of Fe speciation (preferably also S speciation) in lake sediments. Previous experience shall include matching of XAS data against reference spectra representing different Fe model compounds (preferably also S model compounds)

Assessment criteria and other qualifications

Previous experience of scientific publication of studies based on XAS analysis of lake sediments will be considered an asset.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Terms of employment

Fixed-term employment from 2021-06-15 until 2022-06-14.

The position is a full time employment (100%). 

Contact person: Dan Hammarlund (dan.hammarlund@geol.lu.se).

The Univeristy applies individual salary setting, feel free to state your salary claims in your application. 

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and be compiled into a PDF-file containing:

• a CV, including a list of publications
• a general description of past research and future research interests (no more than two pages)
• contact information of at least two references
• a copy of the doctoral degree certificate, and other certificates/grades that you wish to be considered