Institute of Geological Sciences
Starting date: 1 April
Fully-funded for 4 years
Tasks
As a key member of a team of researchers, your primary role will be to conduct fundamental research, data acquisition, and data analysis using advanced imaging techniques. We offer flexibility in how you achieve the project's goals, allowing you to tailor your focus based on your skills and interests. Your responsibilities will include:
- Obtaining high-resolution data from sediment cores.
- Running laboratory incubation experiments to understand the stability of sedimentary signals.
- Participating in fieldwork.
- Applying advanced data science approaches, including supervised and unsupervised pixel clustering and neural networks, to uncover unique "fingerprints" of past cold and warm climates.
The project is structured into three main work packages to guide you from initial data acquisition to final fingerprinting. A research assistant will support you with the imaging methods and/or data science aspects of the project.
Requirements
We are seeking a highly motivated and curious candidate with a Master's degree in Earth Sciences or a related field. We strongly encourage applications from diverse academic backgrounds, especially those with experience in:
- Biogeochemistry
- Limnology
- Sedimentology
- Environmental research
- Ecology
- Hydrology
- Data science
- Image processing
While data science experience is a plus, a passion for hands-on analytical work, fieldwork, and a willingness to learn advanced data science techniques are most important. We value strong analytical skills and a collaborative spirit.
Your profile should reflect that you are an independent, curious, creative, and ambitious team player who enjoys interdisciplinary science and is eager to learn and master new skills.
You should possess:
- Interest or experience in advanced imaging techniques.
- Interest or experience in data science.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively to formulate and tackle research problems.
- Proficient written and oral communication skills in English.
We are committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in geology and especially encourage applications from underrepresented groups.
We Offer
- An exciting, interdisciplinary project with a unique focus on bridging paleoclimatology and cutting-edge data science at the Institute of Geological Sciences and the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern.
- A stimulating and supportive research environment that acknowledges multi-dimensional diversity.
- Access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities at the University of Bern (XRF, μXRF, HSI) and our collaborators at MARUM, University of Bremen MSI.
- Opportunities for international collaborations, conferences, and workshop participation.
- Professional and personal development through specialized training in data science.
- A supportive framework designed for the success of a PhD student, including assistance from a research assistant and independent, complementary projects to ensure reproducibility and generalization of datasets.
- Integration into the Sedimentary Geochemistry unit of the Institute of Geological Sciences. For more information, please visit: Sedimentary Geochemistry.
- Enrollment in the renowned OCCR climate sciences graduate school. A competitive SNSF-funded PhD student salary starting at about 50,000 CHF gross annually for up to 4 years.
Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.