Utrecht University, Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Earth Sciences

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The Department of Earth Sciences conducts teaching and research across the full range of the solid Earth and environmental Earth sciences, with activities in almost all areas of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, biogeology and hydrogeology. The department hosts a highly international tenured staff of over 50 scientists and more than 110 PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers. Our research programme spans four intertwined themes: Climate & Life, Earth interior, Earth materials, and Environmental Earth Sciences. We house or have access to a wide variety of world-class laboratories and high-performance computational facilities.

About Utrecht
Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands with a population of nearly 360,000 and forms a hub in the middle of the country. Its historical city centre and its modern central station can easily be reached from our campus in Utrecht Science Park by public transport or by a 15-minute bicycle ride. Utrecht boasts beautiful canals with extraordinary wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water, as well as a broad variety of shops and boutiques.

Homepage: https://www.uu.nl/geo/aw

The Department of Earth Sciences at Utrecht Univeristy is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate with a MSc in Earth Sciences, Physical Oceanography, or other appropriate field, for a study in numerical modelling of Mediterranean circulation in the geological past.

How the overturning circulation of the Mediterranean Sea responds to variations in forcing (tectonics and climate) is a fundamental question that potentially has global significance given that Mediterranean circulation has elements in common with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. It is also a highly relevant question for the countries bordering the sea in view of our warming climate.

In this NWO (Dutch Research Council)-funded project we will exploit the paleoceanographical record of the late Quaternary which provides an exceptional dataset on e.g. water properties, intensity of intermediate and deep-water formation and strait flow. You will design and execute experiments with dynamic box models and evaluate their results using the available data. The geometrically simple box model is chosen because it can be run following the evolution of circulation and water properties through time, thus doing justice to the transient nature of the processes at play. The analysis will focus on the role of:

• the Strait of Sicily;
• the properties of the inflowing waters; and
• sea-level variation.
  You will be based at the Department of Earth Sciences where you will be part of a vibrant PhD community and where expertise in both paleoceanography/paleoclimate and numerical modelling is amply available.

A personalised training programme will be set up, reflecting your training needs and career objectives. About 20% of your time will be dedicated to this training component, which includes training on the job in assisting in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes of the department.

Qualifications
You must have completed your MSc degree in Earth Sciences, Physical Oceanography, or a related discipline by the time the position starts. We seek candidates that have a keen interest in working on the interface between marine geology and physical oceanography. The ideal candidate:

• has knowledge of and experience with numerical modelling applied to Earth’s processes, using programming languages such as Python, MATLAB or R;
• has a solid basis in physics – specific knowledge regarding physical oceanography or (geophysical) fluid mechanics is an asset;
• is trained in the concepts of sedimentary geology required for this project: aspects of sedimentology, stratigraphy and paleoceanography;
• is willing and able to interact with specialists in the various disciplines that come together in this project.

Due to the international character of our department, good command of spoken and written English is essential. We highly encourage applicants from all members of our community and of diverse backgrounds to join us.

Terms of employment

We offer:

• a position for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

For informal information (not for applications), please contact Dr Paul Meijer (associate professor and project leader) at p.meijer@uu.nl.

To apply follow this link to the corresponding vacancy on our own website and follow the guidelines there. Include the following information in your application:

• your curriculum vitae, including any courses taken that are relevant for the position;
• a letter that clearly demonstrates your motivation for the position;
• the (e-mail) addresses of at least two possible referees. No reference letters need to be submitted in your initial application. If you are short-listed, we may choose to contact your referees.

We aim for a quick selection procedure after the application deadline of August 15. The preferred starting date is 1 October 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Note that international candidates that need a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. This will be arranged with help of the International Service Desk of our university. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility, but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. Unfortunately, we must warn that it is a tight market at the moment. In case of general questions about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal.

Online screening may be part of the selection. Commercial response to this ad is not appreciated.