Category: Job Positions

2 year postdoc: Atmosphere Microbial Habitability Modelling (Marseille, France)

The Aix-Marseille University is seeking a 24-month Postdoc to work on a Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)-funded project ‘The atmosphere: a living, breathing ecosystem?’. The project is a collaboration involving the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in Marseille (France), the University of Guelph (Canada), Monash University in Melbourne (Australia) and Arizona State University in Phoenix (USA). The position is under the supervision of Dr. James Bradley.

The overall aim of the project is to resolve the composition, capabilities, and activities of atmospheric microbes at a global scale, to distinguish whether the atmosphere exhibits structure and microbial activity characteristic of a true ecosystem, or if it is simply a passive dispersal medium for microorganisms.

Deadline:  Friday 10th May 2024

For more info, click here.

Informal inquiries should be made to Dr James Bradley.

Student Internship Opportunity at Okayama University (Japan)

The Institute for Planetary Materials (Okayama University, Japan) has opened the annual Misasa
International Student Internship Program (MISIP) for advanced undergraduate (3rd to 4th year) and Master’s students majoring in earth sciences, physics, chemistry, materials sciences, or related fields.

Students (who have a strong interest in a career pursuing scientific research) from either within or outside Japan, regardless of nationality, are eligible to apply.

Travel expenses and daily living expenses will be covered, and
accommodation in the Misasa Guesthouse, close to the Institute, will be provided.

Total number of Participants: 8-10.
Internship dates: July 2nd (Tue.) to August 8th (Thu.), 2024.

Last Date of Application: 24th March 2024 23:59 JST (15:59 CET).

Details can be found >> here <<.

For More details contact: Dr. Tak Kunihiro.

Postdoc opportunities: Mars Sample Return (University of Oslo, Norway)

The University of Oslo’s Centre for Planetary Habitability has announced two new postdoctoral opportunities related to Mars Sample Return.

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Earth and Planetary Sciences (257508)
    On establishing a Mars Sample Return (MSR) Analogue Sample Library (ASL) of terrestrial sample materials relevant for the MSR Campaign directed jointly by ESA and NASA (apply here)
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Planetary Sciences (257624)
    On deciphering the planetary rock record to explore evidence and fate of water on terrestrial planetary objects from the surface mineralogy and morphology (apply here)

Deadline:  Thursday 29 February 2024

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

Job advert: Spaceflight Detector Characterisation Engineer (Open University)

The Open University is recruiting for a Spaceflight Detector Characterisation Engineer position. The position is funded by the UK Space Agency, for an initial duration of one year, with an expectation of continued funding subject to availability.

Applications are invited to join their group and undertake laboratory-based analyses of detectors planned for use in future spaceflight instrument opportunities.  The role holder will help develop a new detector test facility at the Open University, undertake the detailed characterisation of new detector technology, and perform the relevant analysis of data collected to assess the performance of the detector under various environmental conditions.   

Details on the role and how to apply can be found here.
For further information, please contact Manish Patel.

Deadline:  Friday 8 March 2024 (noon UK time)

PhD project “FLow / ExocUbe expeRiments of Life bioSignaturEs preservation in saLts” between Paris and Bordeaux (France)

PhD position starting in autumn 2024 offered between the National Museum of Natural History in Paris (PI A. Kish) and the Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry of Bordeaux (PIs A. Cario and S. Marre), for the project Fleur de Sel (FLow / ExocUbe expeRiments of Life bioSignaturEs preservation in saLts).

The project aims to study the conservation of biosignatures in halites, combining in situ approaches (ExocubeHalo – ISS) and in the lab using microfluidics (developed at ICMCB).

This PhD project will be co-funded by both CNES and PEPR Origines (French Research Agency), thus, the application process is in two stages: first on the CNES website (the deadline is March 15th, click here), and then the successful candidate will be selected for the other funding of the project.

For more details, click >>here<<

3-year postdoc position in Origins of Life research at the Aix-Marseille University (France)

The aim of this position is to built, under the supervision of Pr. Grégoire Danger and in collaboration with Dr. Robert Pascal, Dr. Louis Le Sergeant d’Hendecourt, and Dr Vassilissa Vinogradoff, a chemistry lab dedicated to prebiotic chemistry
experiments.

The research will be carried out within the ASTRO team at the Physique des Interactions Ioniques et Moléculaires (PIIM) laboratory of the Aix-Marseille University
in France. This team is part of the Origins Institute of the Aix-Marseille University.

Application Deadline: February 15th, 2024
Starting date: June, 2024
End Date: June, 2027

>> Click here << for details on the role and how to apply.

For further information, please contact Grégoire Danger.

Funded Mars PhD studentship at the CNRS in Orléans (France)

The objective of the project “Study of the degradation of biosignatures under Martian irradiation” is to evaluate the effect of irradiation of galactic cosmic rays during several billion years on fossiliferous Mars analog rocks and the protective effect of different minerals on molecular biosignatures. This is highly relevant for the ExoMars mission to estimate the depth at which various biosignatures of interest may be preserved, depending on the mineral matrix.  These samples will be exposed to proton irradiation at the CEMHTI Pelletron (CNRS, Orléans), where the PhD student will have direct access to the accelerator.

For more details on the position, click >>here<<
For more information about the topics and the co-financial partner, contact PI Frédéric Foucher

>> Deadline: 15th of March 2024 <<

UK Space Agency-funded Mars PhD studentship at the Open University (Milton Keynes, UK)

Full 4 year funding for this studentship has already been obtained from the UK Space Agency – It will provide an early-career scientists with the key scientific and analytical skills relevant to the NASA/ESA Mars Sample Return initiative – It involves the isotopic investigation of samples that are known to be derived from the surface layers of Mars – Provides an opportunity to develop new analytical techniques relevant to martian meteorites and returned martian samples.

Details on the project can be found >>here<<, and details on how to apply for this studentship are given >>here<<

>> New deadline: 15th of March 2024 <<

Interviews will take place the week commencing 25th March. For informal discussions about the project please contact Richard Greenwood

UK Space Agency-funded Mars PhD studentship at Imperial College (London, UK)

This studentship will investigate Kasei Vallis, the largest outflow channel on Mars and one of the largest channels in the Solar System, and is believed to have been formed by catastrophic megaflooding. The student will use the latest, high-resolution orbital remote sensing datasets to construct a detailed geological history of Kasei Valles, which could provide essential insight into the drying climate of Mars. The student will also become affiliated with and provide operational support to two ongoing Mars orbiter missions: the Colour and Stereo Science Imaging System (CaSSIS) onboard ESA’s TGO and the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) onboard NASA’s Mars MRO.

The project is ideal for a student interested in geomorphology, sedimentology, and planetary surfaces.

Please note that this project is separate from our other STFC projects and is guaranteed funding.

For details on the project, click >> here <<

Informal enquires are welcome to Joel Davis

>> Deadline: 1st of March 2024 <<

PDRA in Mars atmospheric research at the Open University (UK)

The Open University is recruiting for a PDRA position in Mars atmospheric research. The position is funded by the UK Space Agency, for a duration of three years.

Applications are invited from the community to join their group and undertake research using the latest data from the NOMAD instrument on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission.  The role holder will undertake an exciting combination of retrievals from instrument observations with global climate modelling studies to understand the behaviour of trace gases in the atmosphere of Mars. 

>> Click here << for details on the role and how to apply.

For further information, please contact Manish Patel

Deadline:  12 February 2024 (noon GMT)