Postdoctoral Research Associate in Glacimarine Sedimentology
- Durham University
- Full Time
- Durham
- £37,999 - £40,247 per annum
Job Description
Working at Durham University
A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.
As one of the UK's leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career.The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.
We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it's also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.
Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.
We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page
The Role and Department
The Department of Geography at Durham comprises 68 academic staff (approximately equally divided between physical and human geography), a graduate school of around 100 research students, around 40 taught postgraduate students and more than 650 undergraduates. The Department is well supported with technical staff, including a cartography unit, and administrative staff.
The Department was ranked joint first for research quality among UK geography departments in REF2021 and third for research power. With 54% of work assessed as being in the highest category, it produced the largest number of world-leading (4*) publications in the country. The most recent QS rankings for Geography placed Durham 14 th overall in the world, with over a decade in the top fifteen, and 3 rd for citations in the discipline. The department is recurrently ranked in the top handful of programmes in the UK by various league tables; in 2023, we were ranked 3 rd in the Complete University Guide.
Our aim is to sustain and support hubs of leadership in geographical scholarship - broadly conceived. We will maintain our reputation for theoretical and conceptual innovation so that we are shaping and leading debates globally.
We work across every continent and most major oceans, and embrace the full diversity of methods and data available to the discipline
The RoleApplications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Sea Level, Ice Sheets and Climate research cluster in the Department of Geography at Durham University, working with Professor Colm O'Cofaigh for three years. The successful candidate will have expertise in glacial and glacimarine sedimentology and glacigenic sedimentary environments, as well as in the analysis of marine sediment cores, geochronologic data and marine geophysical data for the purposes of ice-sheet reconstruction. The candidate will be working with existing datasets from a number of different glaciated continental margins. There may also be opportunities for joining a research cruise during the period of the post. The job will entail analysis of a range of sedimentological and marine geophysical datasets, writing papers for publication and helping to contribute to grant proposal development and conference presentations. The post is fixed term for 36 months from 1st January 2025
Key responsibilities:
- To analyse and interpret existing marine sediment cores and marine geophysical data.
- To work collaboratively to develop new sedimentological and marine geophysical datasets.
- To use these data to develop reconstructions of past glacier and ice sheet history (mostly, but not exclusively, the Greenland and British-Irish ice sheets).
- To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
- To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
- To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
- To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
- To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
- To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
- To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
- To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
- To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
- To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
- To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
- To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.
This post is fixed term for 36 months.
The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:
- 30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 42 days per year.
- The University closes between Christmas and New Year - please include or delete if not applicable.
- We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
- No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
- There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
- Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
- Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
- The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community
- Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
- A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax ...
