Category: Job Positions

Postdoctoral positions in metabolism and heredity at the origin of life at University College London (UCL, UK)

The Centre for Life’s Origins and Evolution (CLOE) at University College London (UCL) is seeking 24-month Research Fellows.

The project is funded by a BBSRC sLoLa grant entitled “Origins of Biology: How energy flow structures metabolism and heredity at the origin of life.” These fellowship positions could focus on experimental work, exploring the non-enzymatic synthesis or aqueous polymerization of small molecules relevant to protometabolism at the origin of life, or more theoretical work exploring the effect of models of heredity with selection at the level of the protocell.

Posts availability: from January 2024, funded for 2 years with possibilities for extension.

>> The deadline is January 8th 2024 <<

Interview Date(s): January 2024.

This role is an open-ended contract with a funding end date of 30.01.2026 in the first instance.

>> Click here for more info about the post <<

Funded PhD studentships at the Natural History Museum in London (UK)

There are several PhD projects available at the Natural History Museum, for a September/October 2024 start. These projects are in the fields of meteorites, mineralogy, and remote sensing.

STFC projects: (up to 2 studentships)

UK Space Agency project: (guaranteed funding)

>> Deadline: 4th of February 2024 <<

Full details of the application process, supervisors, and associated universities can be found on all the project pages.

Fully funded PhD studentships at the University of Stirling (Scotland, UK)

Fully funded PhD studentships in the realm of astrobiology and Mars exploration are available within the Earth and Planetary Observation Research Group at the University of Stirling.

  1. Preservation of Organic Carbon Compounds and Potential Biosignatures by Reactive Iron Minerals on Mars (guaranteed funding from the UK Space Agency).
  2. Carbon sequestration processes in the rusty carbon sink (competition-funded through UKRI NERC DTP Iapetus).

>> Start of programme: 1st of October 2024 <<
>> Deadline: 5th of January 2024 <<

Please contact Dr Christian Schroeder for further details and how to apply.

Fully funded PhD project at Dublin City University (Republic of Ireland)

Novel Biosignatures for Microfossil Interpretation

About the lab
The ProtoSigns Lab led by Dr. Seán Jordan in the School of Chemical Sciences at Dublin City University is at the forefront of pioneering research in the fields of Geobiology and Astrobiology. Their mission is to expand the experimental space for protocells, further our understanding of the origin of life on Earth, and develop innovative biosignatures for microfossil interpretation from Earth and beyond.

Position Overview:
This project aims to create a semi-automated microfluidic system, allowing for the rapid study of protocell formation, stability, and silicification under various environmental conditions. The resulting microstructures will undergo a suite of state-of-the-art analyses to generate a database of physical and chemical control data which will be statistically interrogated to identify novel biosignatures. The biosignatures will then be verified by applying them to geological microstructures from early Archean (ca. 3.5 billion years old) and Devonian (ca. 400 million years old) deposits. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of novel biosignatures and their application to microfossils from the early Earth and
potentially elsewhere in our Solar System.

Application deadline: 20th November 2023
Start date: 8th January 2024 (or as soon as possible thereafter)

For inquiries and to submit your application, please contact Dr. Seán Jordan

>> More details about the project can be found here <<

The Two-Body Problem in USA Academia

Are you considering applying for a faculty position in the USA this year? Facing a two-body problem? Worried if you should include this information in your application package, or during the interview?

The Earth Science Women’s Network will be hosting a webinar on November 7th, 2023, at 2:00 pm Eastern Time (19:00 UTC) to answer all these questions and more. A panel of assistant/associate professors within multiple earth science disciplines will share their experiences and “lessons learned”. This workshop is geared towards graduate students and post-docs considering an academic career in the USA.

The panel includes:

  • Rachel Bernard – Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, Amherst College
  • Alexandria Johnson – Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University
  • Katherine (Kat) Allen – Associate Professor, School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine
  • Maria Rugenstein – Assistant Professor, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University

There will also be an opportunity to network with our speakers after the panel discussion.

> Click here to register <

If you have any questions about ESWN’s events, you can email them at events[at]eswnonline[dot]org

Postdoctoral position in Atmosphere Microbial Habitability Modelling at Queen Mary University of London (UK)

The Earth Surface Science group at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) are seeking a 24-month PDRA to work on a Human Frontier Science Project (HFSP) funded project ‘The atmosphere: a living, breathing ecosystem?’. The project is a collaboration between QMUL’s School of Geography, the University of Guelph (Canada), Monash University (Australia) and Arizona State University (USA). The team aims to resolve the composition, capabilities, and activities of atmospheric microbes at a global scale, with the overall goal 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.

The PDRA will develop theoretical modelling approaches (including bioenergetics calculations, power-based ecosystem modelling) to investigate the potential habitability and ecological structure and function of microbial communities in the atmosphere. The initial focus for the PDRA is to model the habitability and ecological processes occurring in Earth’s atmosphere, and then to translate the tools and knowledge generated to the atmosphere of other planetary bodies or exoplanets.

Application Deadline: 25th August 2023
Interviews are expected to be held in early September 2023

>> Click here for more info about the post <<

Fully funded PhD project at the University of Leicester (UK)

Developing a habitability index for Earth’s biosphere

Planet Earth has been continuously habitable for over 3 billion years. During that immense time the Earth has been subject to considerable environmental perturbation, resulting from both intrinsic and extrinsic forces. These range from the smaller-scale, such as solar radiation changes from orbital forcing mechanisms, to the very large scale, such as an asteroid strike. The biosphere has shown considerable resilience to environmental perturbation and provides the only quantifiable measure of habitability available to us in the Cosmos.

In this project, the group seeks to examine and quantify the response of the biosphere to different levels of perturbation.

>> More details about the project can be found here <<

Supervisors: Mark Williams, Tom Harvey, Sergei Petrovskiy and John Maltby
Contact: Mark Williams (mri@le.ac.uk)

Project manager position for the EU MSCA Doctoral Network “TALENTS”

TALENTS is a European research network that bridges fundamental geosciences with industry applications to help build a low-carbon future.

Their joint research focuses on continental rifts, which are key regions for geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage, for new resources such as native hydrogen but also high-risk human habitats due to geohazards such as earthquakes and volcanic activity.

TALENTS fuses research and training at 18 beneficiaries and academic partners that are among the world leaders in the study of rift systems and 11 companies that are actively involved in the energy transition. 12 talented doctoral researchers are at the core of the network and will be hosted by partners in Germany, France, Italy, UK, Greece, Switzerland, Norway, and the Netherlands.

4️⃣ Four years full time

📅 Start date is 1st January 2024

:hourglass_flowing_sand: deadline for application is August 31st 2023

:point_right: More details on the call can be found here

PhD Opportunities In Interdisciplinary Space Sciences and Planetary Research in Austria

The Young Researcher Program YRP@Graz welcomes applications for PhD positions. YRP@Graz is jointly supported by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Graz University of Technology, and the University of Graz.

The application process has two stages designed to decrease selection biases:

  • Stage 1: applications are submitted through an anonymised questionnaire (deadline: July 7)
  • Stage 2: selected applicants are invited for an interview.

Expectations for the candidates:

  • Early-career researchers who are interested in an interdisciplinary exchange based on a solid university education in at least one subject of natural sciences or engineering.
  • Candidates who would like to actively join the YRP@Graz initiative, helping to develop the tradition of the involved institutes.
  • Excellent researchers who have the courage to cross scientific borders in a responsible way and to support the international societies with their research.
  • Team players who aspire to continue their skill development, as well as to support the research location Graz.

>> Details about the offered projects can be found here <<

New position for working with SERENA ion sensors at the IAPS (Italy)

Data analysis and laboratory tests for the characterization of the ion sensors of the BepiColombo/SERENA experiment

The BepiColombo SERENA experiment includes four sensors (MIPA and PICAM ion sensors, ELENA energetic neutral atom detector and STROFIO mass spectrometer) and a System Control Unit (SCU). Only the ion sensors can perform scientific operations during the cruise phase that will last up to 2026. Essential activities to be done in this phase are:

  • development of tools for data analysis, and optimization of the scientific product definition of the two SERENA ion sensors, PICAM and MIPA, for maximizing the scientific results during the whole mission (cruise and nominal phases);
  • laboratory activities for inter-calibrations between the two ion sensors and checking the System Control Unit performances. The spare and demonstration models available on the ground will be used for laboratory measurements to reproduce the flight observations.

:one: one year with a possible extension for other years.

:hourglass_flowing_sand: deadline for application is June 23, 2023

:point_right: the call can be found on the IAPS page

:heavy_plus_sign: For more details please contact Anna Milillo