Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Palaeoclimatology

Fixed term for 2 years

Reporting to Professor Stuart Robinson, the Department of Earth Sciences seeks a Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) to join a team of researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Oxford on the NERC-funded PaleoGradPhan project. This project aims to understand how, and why, climatic gradients on Earth have changed during the Phanerozoic. This will be achieved through the comparison of extensive climate model simulations with a broad array of proxies for past temperature, rainfall and/or ocean circulation.

The post holder will be responsible for reviewing, collating and interpreting marine and terrestrial palaeoclimate data from specific time intervals of the Phanerozoic. They will lead on comparing their findings with outputs from Earth system model simulations, in close collaboration with other members of the project team at the University of Bristol.

The postholder will work in close collaboration with the PIs and PaleoGradPhan Team to identify a small number of periods of major changes in Phanerozoic climatic gradients that are suitable for detailed data synthesis. 

They will be responsible for compiling a database that contains all available published quantitative and/or qualitative proxy estimates of palaeoclimatic variables from marine and/or terrestrial environments, across the specific time periods agreed with the rest of the PaleoGradPhan team.

The postholder will also review and synthesise other relevant palaeoenvironmental and palaeoceanographic proxies for variables such as ocean circulation, atmospheric pCO2 etc. for the same time intervals.

The post is available to start immediately and will ideally be filled by June 2024.

About you

You will hold, or be close to completion of, a PhD/DPhil in a relevant field (e.g. palaeoclimatology, palaeoceanography, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, sedimentary geochemistry) together with experience relevant to the objectives of the project.

You will also possess sufficient specialist knowledge of palaeoclimatological proxies to work within established research programmes and demonstrate a working knowledge of one or more relevant palaeoceanographic and/or palaeoenvironmental proxies commonly used in deep-time studies. 

You must have the ability to manage your own academic research and associated activities and excellent communication skills including the ability to write for publication, present research proposals and results, and represent the research group at meetings.

For further details of the role please see the job description.

The deadline for applications is midday on Tuesday 20th February, 2024.

You will be required to upload a CV and a Supporting Statement or cover letter describing your fit to the role as part of your application. Please do not attach any manuscripts, papers, transcripts, mark sheets or certificates as these will not be considered as part of your application.

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and ethnic minority candidates, who are under-represented in research posts in the Department.