Postdoctoral position in Marine Geophysics and Marine Geoarchaeology

The SeisLab Aarhus research group at the Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark, invites applications for a postdoctoral position in marine geophysics and marine geoarchaeology. We are searching for a motivated and engaged researcher with experience in marine geophysics to be part of a newly started research group studying late Quaternary and Holocene processes and landscape evolution.

The postdoctoral position is a fixed-term full-time position for 2 years and 9 months with possibility of 3 months extension if funding allows.

The postdoctoral work will be part of the international ERC Synergy Grant project SUBNORDICA, where scientists in the fields of geology, geophysics, and archaeology work together to develop methodologies for finding submerged stone age settlements in deeper water settings such as the North Sea. The research group is leading a work package where the focus is on the palaeolandscapes in the eastern North Sea. Other members in the group work on sea level modelling, probabilistic inversion of geophysical data, and automated prediction of archaeological sites from geological and archaeological parameters.


Job description

The postdoctoral position will focus on palaeolandscape modelling to generate palaeotopography and palaeocoastlines using both legacy and new geophysical, geotechnical and geological data primarily from the Danish and German EEZ. The post doc will be responsible for the interpretation of marine seismic and acoustic data. Specific tasks include synthesizing existing interpretations across the eastern North Sea, as well as generating new results from seismic mapping and data integration. The candidate will further study the role of critical topographical elements such as the Dogger Bank and the Elbe Palaeo Valley and how such may have influenced the landscape evolution and in turn the habitation of Doggerland.

The position provides possibilities for offshore field work and participation in joint research expeditions in the North Sea and surveys in the Baltic Sea. It is also expected that the postdoc takes part in coordination and organization of various research group activities and contributes to supervision and teaching at the department as a co-supervisor of (under-) graduate students and as guest lecturer. Within the SUBNORDICA project’s framework, there is considerable freedom for the postdoctoral researcher and the candidate will be working closely together with other post docs and senior staff involved in the research group and the larger SUBNORDICA project.


Facilities

All laboratory facilities at the Department of Geoscience will be available for the research project. This includes the acquisition, processing and interpretation facilities at SeisLab Aarhus for both multi- and single channel marine seismic and acoustic data, Aarhus University’s research vessel Aurora, as well as an advanced sediment core laboratory.


Qualifications

The qualified applicant will have a PhD degree in geoscience or related fields. Candidates should have a background in high-resolution marine seismic and acoustic methods and have experience with marine geophysical data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. A good record of offshore field work experience is beneficial. The ideal candidate will further have experience with the shallow subsurface of the North Sea or other similar settings, and have some insights into sediment cores and marine geoarchaeology. Experience with seismic interpretation and GIS software is required while experience with numerical modeling and programming is beneficial.

The candidate is expected to have well-documented research experience with academic publications and presentations at conferences and meetings. The applicant should also have effective organizational skills, with previous project management being beneficial, and be able to work collaboratively as part of a team. Oral and written English skills are required.
 

Deadline

The deadline for applications is 15 February, 2025. We expect to conduct interviews in late February, and the selected candidate will be able to start 1 April 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.


Application

The application must include the following:

• Cover Letter, including motivation for applying and information on how the candidate’s qualifications and experience will aid the project
• Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications
• PhD certificate or a statement regarding the expected date of completing of PhD studies
• One page statement of research goals
• Contact information (name, position, institution, email) for three references

We refer to the faculty’s guidelines for applicants.


Place of work and area of employment 

Your place of work would be the Department of Geoscience, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments. 

The Department of Geoscience prioritizes diversity and a good work environment, as this is a prerequisite for conducting progressive research. At the department, we have a diverse and international research environment, with skilled employees and access to modern and well-equipped laboratories.
 

Contact information

For further information, please contact Associate Professor Katrine Juul Andresen, email: [email protected]. 
 


Application procedure

Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.

Letter of reference

If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.

If you wish to add a referee after you have submitted your application, you must send this person’s details (name, job title, place of work, and email address) as well as the name of the position you have applied for to: [email protected]

Formalities and salary range

Natural Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.


Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/