Assistant Professor, Geobiology, ASU

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) invites applications for an Assistant Professor with expertise in geobiology and/or biogeochemistry. Anticipated start date is August 2018. 

We desire a candidate who (1) addresses fundamental questions in the interdependence of biological and geochemical processes on Earth and other habitable planets, and (2) can develop collaborations with other closely affiliated research programs in SESE (possibilities include astrobiology, geochemistry, ecosystem dynamics, hydrology, geodynamics, planetary science, and surface processes). 

We are interested in individuals showing capacities to bridge research in biological and geological processes. Examples include combining the geologic and genomic records to reveal the history of geobiological processes, harnessing molecular methods to track energy and material flows in active ecosystems, and theoretical developments related to the origin and evolution of life. 

The successful candidate will be expected to conduct research in biological and geochemical processes, teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and participate in service activities in the school, college and university.

Minimum qualifications:

• PhD in Geobiology or related field by the time of appointment.
• Established publication track record in Earth or planetary geobiological research.
• Demonstrated expertise in research methods that reveal biological and geochemical interactions.
• Demonstrated potential to establish a vigorous, externally-funded research program.
• Commitment to quality teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Desired qualifications:

• Research expertise: We are interested in individuals showing capacities to bridge research in biological and geological processes. Examples include combining the geologic and genomic records to reveal the history of geobiological processes, harnessing molecular methods to track energy and material flows in active ecosystems, and theoretical developments related to the origin and evolution of life.
• Demonstrated success meeting the educational needs of diverse student populations and engaging in scientific outreach to diverse communities.

SESE brings together Earth and space science into one school, breaking traditional disciplinary boundaries to investigate the biggest questions. SESE combines the strengths of science, engineering, and education, to set the stage for a new era of exploration. See https://sese.asu.edu for more information.

To apply, please submit the following materials as a single PDF file: 1) a cover letter that includes a description of the applicant’s research and teaching interests and experience, and indicate the Job number 12117 in your letter; 2) a current CV; and 3) the names, email addresses, institution, title, and telephone numbers of three references. Email the PDF of these application materials to sesenewfac@asu.edu.

Initial deadline for receipt of complete applications is November 20, 2017. 

More info here: https://sese.asu.edu/about/opportunities/faculty-positions.

PhD Fellowship in Paleontology/Macroevolution at the University of Pennsylvania

http://www.laurensallan.com/phdposition

A PhD fellowship in Paleobiology is available in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, starting in Fall 2018. Prof. Lauren Sallan seeks a graduate student to address major questions about evolution using the fossil record. These include: how global change has affected life over time, how life evolves at high levels (macroevolution), how ecology shapes evolution long-term, the relationships of living and dead animals (phylogeny), and the origins of living biodiversity. While research in the lab has focused on fishes, any suitable group of fossils may be used.

Potential thesis topics include, but are not limited to: the long-term effects of mass extinctions (e.g. the end-Devonian and end-Ordovician), the roles of predation and competition in marine ecosystem evolution, ecological characteristics of evolutionary radiations past and present, the effects of long-term climate and environmental changes (e.g. the Late Paleozoic Ice Age) on biodiversity, and major transitions in early vertebrate evolution (e.g. origin of jaws, invasion of land). The student can also develop a novel project that addresses similar questions using quantitative, phylogenetic and/or descriptive methods.

This is fully-funded fellowship with stipend and tuition support guaranteed for the length of the PhD. Applicants are encouraged to contact Prof. Sallan (lsallan@upenn.edu) for more details. Additional information on the fellowship is available on the departmental website: www.sas.upenn.edu/earth. Applications for entry in Fall 2018 are due January 15, 2018, with interviews in February. Applications to graduate school at Penn must be submitted online at https://www.applyweb.com/upenng/

Assistant Professor- Sedimentary Geology- UT Austin

 

The Department of Geological Sciences in the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant Professor level in Sedimentary Geology. We are especially interested in a colleague who is able to combine quantitative, field-based studies of sedimentary systems with expertise in broader, interdisciplinary research areas that include, but are not limited to, paleoenvironmental reconstructions, geochemistry, numerical modeling, remote sensing, taphonomy, rock-properties, natural resources, and seismic interpretation. The successful applicant will contribute to a diverse, research community within the Jackson School of Geosciences by building an innovative, externally funded research program that will complement and unite existing strengths. The ideal candidate would be able to lead and facilitate collaborations among researchers, students, and faculty members in the department and university. In addition, the candidate will contribute to the multidisciplinary teaching community in the Department of Geological Sciences through education that includes teaching, mentoring, and advising of our diverse graduate and undergraduate student bodies; candidates with an interest in experiential learning and teaching field skills are encouraged to apply.

As part of the Jackson School of Geosciences, the Department of Geological Sciences has over 50 faculty and a community of research scientists with a broad range of specialties, as well as access to outstanding research facilities and support. The department has one of the largest combined graduate and undergraduate enrollments of any Earth science program in North America and is located in a thriving metropolitan area with a dynamic, multicultural community of over 1 million people. The department is interested in building a culturally diverse intellectual community; we strongly encourage applications from all under-represented groups.  The University of Texas at Austin is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to diversity at all levels.

Applicants should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, 2-page statements of research and teaching interests, and contact information for at least three references. Submit electronic copies of these materials online at apply.interfolio.com/45292. For questions related to the search, please contact dgs@jsg.utexas.edu. 

Review of applications will begin November 17th, 2017 and continue until the position is filled.

NHMLA Collections Study Awards

The next deadline for submissions for NHM Los Angeles Collections Study Awards is coming up on Sunday, October 1st. Details of the award, including eligibility guidelines, review criteria, and the application can be found here: https://nhm.org/site/research-collections/grants

Awards are made in either partial or full support of travel, lodging, and incidental costs while visiting the NHM collections. Individual award amounts can vary, but typically range from $500-$1000, with a maximum of $1500. Prospective applicants should also be reaching out to relevant curators and collections managers (see below) about their proposed collections work prior to submitting an application.

Invertebrate Paleontology - Austin Hendy (ahendy@nhm.org)
Vertebrate Paleontology - Sam McLeod (smcleod@nhm.org)
La Brea Tarpits - Aisling Farrell (afarrell@tarpits.org), Gary Takeuchi (gtakeuch@tarpits.org)

Types of projects funded in the past include the collection-based biodiversity, morphologic, and paleoecologic, and taxonomic investigations.

Integrative Collections Director Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Closing date: 10/15/2017

Description:

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) seeks a motivated individual with a background and passion for natural history and the management of collections to fill a new and exciting position, Director of Integrative Collections. The Museum’s research, education, archives, and library collections have been consolidated under one functional area, and we are in search of a leader to guide this new branch. The successful individual will help craft a vision to raise the profile and accessibility of DMNS’ collections, while leading a highly skilled team that provides professional collections management, and support for research, education, and Museum programming. The ability to do collections outreach and communicate the value of our collections is an important component of this position. Information about the Museum’s collections can be found here: https://www.dmns.org/science/integrative-collections/

Essential duties:

·       Provides strategic leadership for collections staff by providing opportunities for career growth and continuing education by building networks with museums for training in collections management.

·       Awareness of pan-Museum strategy and initiatives and ability to communicate that vision to the staff and integrate into the department.

·       Inspires staff to excellence, by providing timely feedback and rewarding exceptional performance.

·       Provides vision for team collaboration within the department and across the museum.

·       Works with curators to ensure strategic growth of the collections, deaccessions, and repatriation are within parameters of DMNS collection policies.

·       Evaluates, develops, updates and oversees the implementation of collections management policies and the long-term collections plan and submits for approval through the appropriate channels.

·       Ensures proper utilization and methodology of collection databases.

·       Assists with logistics of collection acquisitions that are relevant to the mission of the museum.

·       Oversees grant administration, budgets, and projects in accordance with museum procedures to improve the care, growth, access, and use of collections.

·       Oversees implementation of innovative approaches for increasing accessibility and use of the collections.

·       Serves as a Museum public spokesperson for the collections, and provides professional expertise as needed to other areas of the museum and the media in a timely and professional manner.

Requirements:

·       Master’s degree in earth sciences, life sciences or social sciences is required; PhD preferred.

·       7 years’ experience in managing natural history collections.

·       5 years’ experience utilizing a collection database.

·       5 years’ experience managing professional level staff required.

·       5 years’ experience securing and administering grants and budget management required.

·       Some travel will be required.

·       Some evening and weekend work required.

·       Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office suite required.

Ideal candidate will:

·       Have a PhD preferred in earth sciences, life sciences, or social sciences.

·       Be a leader that can inspire their team.

·       Be a visionary that can increase community and research exposure to our collections.

·       Have public speaking and experience working with media.

Core values:

·       We love science.

·       We are curious, creative and playful.

·       We cultivate relationships with each other, diverse communities, the environment and for our future.

·       We think critically and act with empathy.

This is an exciting opportunity to play an integral part in the continued success of the Museum, with 450+ full-time and part-time employees and more than 1,800 volunteers. We are building on our already solid foundation with a strong vision and solid strategy to recreate and redefine how we engage our community that loves, understands, and protects our natural world.

Application Instructions:

Please submit your cover letter and resume by October 15, 2017. Resumes will not be accepted after this time.

Applications may only be accepted electronically via the Museum’s website: http://www.dmns.org/about-us/jobs-and-internships/jobs/

Grad/Undergrad internship at the AMNH

The Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History is offering 1 part-time (18 hours per week), 1-year internship for a graduate or undergraduate student in geology, invertebrate paleontology, life sciences, museum studies, or related fields (~October 30, 2017 start). The intern will participate in an NSF-funded project to image and geo-reference specimens in the Invertebrate Paleontology department at AMNH. A summary of the NSF-funded project can be found here.

The intern will work with collection management staff to curate, image, geo-reference, catalog, and database specimens. A stipend will be provided as support over the internship period.

Required Qualifications:
Applicants should be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree course, or be a recent graduate of a degree course in invertebrate paleontology, life sciences, museum studies, or related fields. Ability to work with paleontological research collections, ability to perform tasks requiring physical strength and high manual dexterity, proficiency in the use of Mac and PC based software, good organizational, excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to work independently. Experience working in museum collections a plus.

Interested parties should apply online:
careers.amnh.org/applicants/Central?quickFind=52586

Applications must be received no later than October 9, 2017

Graduate Student Projects - UT Austin

Howdy Y'all,

For once I am posting about a job that I know about! I am looking for several new graduate students to join my lab and work on two different geobiological projects. The first is a study of Early Jurassic exceptional fossil deposits from black shales. The student would start with the taphonomy of the Ya Ha Tinda Lagerstätte, but then would be encouraged to expand that work to similar environments or similar time intervals. The second is a project in Morocco looking at the Early Jurassic Oceanic Anoxic Event and its effect on marine communities, specifically the reefs. This 4-D study of community collapse will have a number of facets that a student could explore during their thesis. See more detailed project descriptions below, interested students should contact me directly at Martindale<at>jsg.utexas<dot>edu.

I am hoping to find students who could start in the fall of 2018, although there is the possibility of starting sooner as a research assistant. I do have a strong preference for PhD students with a background in research (either a job/internship, undergraduate research experience, or preferably an MSc), but will look at all applications.

Faculty positions at Yale (Geochemistry and Climate)

The Department of Geology & Geophysics at Yale University invites applications for two faculty positions:

1.  A tenure-track Assistant Professor appointment in the broad area of climate sciences, relevant fields include (but are not limited to) the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere and ocean, climate change, paleoclimate, and the dynamics of planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres.
2. an open-rank faculty appointment in the broad area of geochemistry, relevant fields include (but are not limited to) geochemical cycling, biogeochemistry, geomicrobiology, cosmology, planetary evolution, petrology, and Earth surface processes.

Applicants should submit a letter of application, a curriculum vitae including a full list of publications, a statement of research, a statement of teaching interests, and four confidential letters of reference. Applications that arrive before November 1, 2017 will receive full consideration. For information regarding Yale Geology and Geophysics, visit our web site at http://earth.yale.edu. Applications should be submitted online at:

• http://apply.interfolio.com/44518 (for the Climate Sciences listing)
• http://apply.interfolio.com/44519 (for the Geochemistry listing)

Yale seeks candidates with outstanding prospects for research, scholarly leadership, and teaching excellence who will complement the existing strengths of the Department. A successful applicant will develop and implement independent, externally-funded research programs, teach and advise students, and facilitate interdisciplinary research.For information regarding Yale Geology and Geophysics, visit our web site at http://earth.yale.edu. Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Yale values diversity among its students, staff, and faculty and strongly welcomes applications from women, persons with disabilities, protected veterans, and underrepresented minorities.

PhD Student Lund, Sweden, post-extinction oolites

During the Phanerozoic, life on Earth underwent several biotic crises including five major mass extinctions and several tens of relatively minor extinctions. In the marine environment some of these biological turnovers are related to substantial changes in carbonate production and unusual carbonates (oolites) formed in their early aftermath. The sedimentology and geochemistry of these unconventional carbonates will be studied in the field and laboratory in order to better understand changes in seawater chemistry in the aftermath of extinctions. Applications are invited for a four-year PhD-studentship at the Department of Geology, Lund University, to investigate post-extinction oolites from different time intervals in Earth history and from different locations, but with a main focus on those related to the end-Permian mass extinction.

The successful candidate will undertake a study of post-end-Permian extinction oolites from different paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental settings and of post-extinction oolites from the end-Silurian and end-Triassic periods as well as normal oolite deposits from time-periods without known extinctions as a background comparison. After sampling in the field (Austria, Turkey) and in collections, oolites will be carefully described using FE-SEM-EDX; stable isotope ratios; trace element analyses through LAICP-MS. The goal is to improve our understanding of the reason(s) for the unusual and widespread deposition of oolites after several extinction events. The outcome of this research could potentially help us to better define the most important threat for the marine life during major extinctions and better explain linkage to the associated perturbations of the carbon cycle through climate change. The four-year studentship is sub-divided into three years of research and one year of PhD courses. The PhD student is expected to take an active part in the institution’s teaching program and will be involved in basic educational tasks. Departmental duties such as assistant teaching up to 20% of full time are allowed, and are compensated through extension of the position.

The successful candidate is a highly skilled and dedicated earth-science student who is committed to state-of-the art research. He or she is expected to hold a university degree (MSc or equivalent) in sedimentology, geochemistry or equivalent. Documented experience in fieldwork and in laboratory activities with focus on mass spectrometry/ICP-MS is desirable. Documented experience in scientific writing, such as publications, essays or equivalent, in English is essential.

Last application date 2017-10-01
Link to ad http://lu.mynetworkglobal.com/what:job/jobID:164496/

Researcher, Invertebrates and Plants, NHM London

This is an opportunity for early career palaeontologists who do specimen-based research to join a world-class institution with a unique scientific mission and public profile. We particularly welcome applications from holders of externally-funded fellowships. The successful applicant(s) will join a science group that includes 300 scientists, in an institution that hosts some of the largest, most significant scientific collections in the world. The Museum is also home to a suite of advanced analytical and imaging facilities, and active programme of collaborative postgraduate research training, and offers the opportunity to communicate science to national and international audiences.

Applications are open for early career researchers in invertebrate palaeonology or palaeobotany who use their expertise to address fundamental questions concerning the evolution of life on Earth. Successful applicant(s) will join researchers within the Division of Invertebrates and Plants, who have a world-class reputation in applying 21st century tools to existing historical and new collections of fossils to tackle a range of key scientific challenges.

Application is open to scientists who will use and enhance our collections of fossil invertebrates and plants through actively growing the collections and enhancing the scientific value of existing ones. We are particularly interested in palaeontologists with a multidisciplinary skill set and expertise in one or more key areas, which include, but are not limited to, palaeoecology, palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental change, morphometrics, molecular phyologenetics, and evolutionary patterns and processes.

The successful candidate(s) will complement and extend our expertise and will be able to form strong collaborations with colleagues in Earth and Life Sciences. They will have a track record of funding and potential to attract funds from a range of sources. We are currently enhancing our research through the development of collaborative research centres in the fields of “Oceans: Past, Present and Future”, and “Life in the Anthropocene”, and we are especially interested in applications from candidates who may contribute towards these. The primary role is to undertake independent and collaborative scientific research, support postgraduate training, and engage with outreach activities organised by the NHM Public Engagement and Development teams.

Salary: Up to £54,494 depending on experience
Location: London
More information here:  https://careers.nhm.ac.uk/templates/CIPHR/jobdetail_328.aspx

Faculty Position (Lecturer) St Andrews (Scotland)

St Andrews is currently advertising a permanent faculty job in Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lectureship (Assistant Professor) level, closing end of September. The position is broadly within the Environmental Earth Sciences, including climate dynamics, environmental mineralogy, and earth system modelling. If you are interested in the position, or know someone who might be, please feel free to contact Head of School Prof Tony Prave (ap13@st-andrews.ac.uk).

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Earth Surface Processes - reference AC3873ML
University of St. Andrews - School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Closes 30th September
Start Date: On or before 1 January 2018, or as soon as possible thereafter

The School of Earth & Environmental Sciences invites applications for a tenured, Lectureship-level (assistant-professor equivalent) appointment, from individuals that utilize applied, field-based, or theoretical approaches to address fundamental questions about the processes controlling Earth’s surface environment. We particularly welcome applicants that could expand our core research and teaching strengths in geology, paleoclimate, geochemistry, and economic geology into a modern environmental context. This could be in fields including (but not limited to) hydrogeology, environmental mineralogy, earth system modelling, climate dynamics, and global environmental change.

The successful candidate will complement our vibrant research groups in Global Change, Solid Earth & Planetary Science, Geobiology & Earth System Evolution, Economic Geology & Energy and Earth Surface Processes, and will be able to develop an externally funded, innovative and impactful research programme. The successful candidate will additionally be expected to contribute skills-transferable and research-led teaching to our degree programmes, including the BSc in Environmental Earth Science.

Our work is complemented by collaborations with researchers in the Schools of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics & Statistics, and Physics & Astronomy, and the Environmental Change research group in the School of Geography & Sustainable Development. We also engage with the Scottish Oceans Institute, the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, the European Marine Biology Research Centre, the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland, and the Centre for Advanced Materials.

More information about the School can be found at http://earthsci.st-andrews.ac.uk/ and informal enquiries should be directed to Prof Tony Prave (ap13@st-andrews.ac.uk).