Researcher in Historical Geology and Palaeontology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Earth Sciences of Uppsala University is one of the most complete such academic departments in Europe. Our research focuses on subjects that range from the Earth’s core to the atmosphere, on scales from submicroscopic structures in minerals to the formation of mountains and oceans. We have teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels. Our courses offer a wide range within the geoscience area and several of the department's programs have received the highest rating in evaluations by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (Högskoleverket) and the Swedish Higher Education Authority (Universitetskanslersämbetet). For more information about the department, please visit: www.geo.uu.se. You will also find us at www.facebook.com/geouppsalauniversity.

Project/duties:

Reassessing the rise and phylogeny of Cambrian organophosphatic shelly lophotrochozoans using molecular fossils.
This project aims to reassess the phylogeny of Cambrian organophosphatic lophotrochozoans by comparing shell ultrastructure and indigenous biomarker composition – a powerful new innovative approach to interrogate Cambrian fossils.

A new custom-built femtosecond laser micropyrolysis gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer instrument and other state-of-the-art analytical facilities available in Sydney, permit extraction of indigenous organic biomolecules directly from pristine fossil organophosphatic shells from the exceptional Cambrian successions, mainly in Sweden, Australia and China. Detailed comparison of shell ultrastructure and isolation and characterization of organic molecules from pristine organophosphatic shell layers provides a pioneering new way to assess homologies and affinities in disparate lophophorate groups, opening up future opportunities to include biogeochemical data to test prevailing models of lophophotrochozoan phylogeny. The applicant must be willing to undertake training on the custom-built femtosecond laser micropyrolysis gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer which will be a key instrument for this project. The applicant must be willing to travel to Sydney, Australia and work in the Organic Geochemistry Laboratory at Macquarie University, where most analyses will be completed.

Qualifications:
Applicants require a PhD degree in palaeontology, zoology or geochemistry, with specialist expertise in one or more of the following: biogeochemical analyses of biominerals, shell structure characterization, isolation and analysis of biomarkers, hydrocarbons and other macromolecules.

Fluency in spoken and written English is required. The applicant should be interested in informing other people about your work; the ability to cooperate and work in a team environment is crucial.

Additional qualifications: 
A publication track record in palaeontology, zoology or geochemistry. Applicants should preferably have practical and hands-on experience with one or more of the instruments used to characterize shell ultrastructure, crystallography and composition, such as Raman Spectroscopy, Electron Microprobe, SEM, TEM, EBSD and/or FTIR spectroscopy. Working knowledge of pyrolysis systems (e.g. either Flash or MSSV pyrolysis) is desirable. 

Salary: Individually negotiated salary.
 
Starting date: As soon as possible, upon agreement.

Type of position: Temporary full time position, 100%, for a period of 12 months.

For further information about the position, please contact:

• Lars Holmer, professor. Tel. +46 18 471 2761, e-mail: lars.holmer@pal.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 1 March 2019, UFV-PA 2019/499.

If you are an international candidate, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus.

In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.