Utløpt

PhD position in Arctic Geology (sedimentology) at the University Centre in Svalbard

Arbeidsgiver
UNIS
Stillingstittel
PhD position in sedimentology
Frist
15.04.2015
Ansettelsesform
Fast

PhD: Regional Geometry and Sedimentology of the Lower Palaeogene basin

The Department of Arctic Geology of the University Centre in Svalbard has a vacancy for a PhD position for four years within bedrock geology.

The Department for Arctic Geology (UNIS) presently consists of 4 professors, 3 associate professors, 11 adjunct professors, 4 Post Doc and 10 PhD students. Additional information about the Arctic Geology department can be found at www.unis.no.

Description of the vacant position
This 4 year PhD position is focusing on establishing the regional geometry and sedimentology of the lower Paleogene basin in Svalbard and N Greenland.

The Lower Paleogene succession on Svalbard has been investigated several times, often with respect to prediction and documentation of coal seam distribution and quality in the lowermost coal-bearing Firkanten Formation. This formation is the economically most important geological succession on Svalbard. Paleocene coal is mined by both Russians and Norwegians, and accounts for 90% of all produced coal on Svalbard ever. Most publications on the subject are, however, either focusing on small parts inside the Central Tertiary Basin (CTB), or are assuming the size of the early Paleocene coal basin to be more or less the size of the present distribution of CTB deposits. Results of most of these studies are present as unpublished theses, reports and internal data in Store Norske Spitsbergen Kullkompani AS (SNSK) archives and conclusions drawn previously are manifold and are often not in agreement. No attempts have been made to integrate, review and publish these data and studies, and neither to expand the interpretations from the onshore basin to a regional perspective towards the north Atlantic and North East Greenland. In addition data from coal petrological analyses carried out within Store Norske has been underutilized although they contain important paleoenvironmental information.

The objective of the project is to achieve detailed understanding of the paleoenvironment prior to and during early stages of foreland basin development in the early Paleogene. The project utilizes industry data available from SNSK in addition to subsurface data, and field data from likely age equivalent strata in NE Greenland. The aim is to integrate a comprehensive review of existing subsurface, core and outcrop data with new investigations of field and seismic data to provide a more robust regional geological model. Data from coal analyses can also be integrated into the study.

The PhD study will combine published and unpublished data with new field data to develop an overview of the factors that led to the formation of the successions during the Paleogene. It will be an aim to determine the topography after the upper Cretaceous hiatus and the original extent of the basin, describe the regional distribution of facies and discuss facies trends in relation to tectonic movement and basin development. The PhD study will include sedimentological field work in Svalbard and NE Greenland. Other methods will involve drill core analysis, seismic analysis, review of publications, review of unpublished data. Coal analyses and possible dating can be carried out with collaborating institutions and some of this data already exist. 

Qualifications
The successful candidate must hold a Master degree or equivalent in geology with demonstrated experience with sedimentology (outcrop and/or core data) and stratigraphy/basin analysis/coal geology. The applicant should (i) have strong problem-solving and analytical skills, ii) good communication skills including fluent written and spoken English and ability to collaborate, (iii) ability to work independently including being responsible for organizing field work and for collaboration with partners in the project.

Admission to the doctoral programme at one of the Norwegian mainland universities is a condition of employment in the position as PhD student. The final plan for researcher education shall be approved and a contract signed with the mainland university at the latest six months after commencement. The application will be prepared by the candidate and the supervisors.

Employment Conditions and Salary
The employment contract is of 4 years and includes mandatory duties of 25%. The successful candidate must live in Longyearbyen. He/she is expected to contribute actively to on-going scientific activities in the department. It is also expected that the Ph.D. student takes an active part in the advancement of his/her field of research, and he/she must also be willing to contribute to the development of UNIS in a more general sense.

All salaries are set in accordance with the Norwegian government's University salary scale. PhD candidates are paid in salary steps 50, which is a gross salary of NOK 429 400.-. As a resident in Svalbard an annual allowance of NOK 32 000.- (Svalbardtillegg) will be added to the salary. A Social Security contribution of 2 per cent, to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, will be deducted from the salary. Income tax on Svalbard is 8 per cent, plus 8,2 per cent toward National Insurance coverage.

Selection and appointment
An expert committee appointed by the Managing director of UNIS will evaluate the qualifications of the applicants. The Committee will review the applications in detail and summarize their assessments in a written report. This report and the derived recommendations form the basis for interviews, which will be summarized by the expert committee. They report to the Appointment Committee and Director of UNIS, which makes the final appointment. As UNIS would like to increase the percentage of females in academic positions, women are especially invited to apply.

Application and further information
A more complete description of the project and other inquiries about this position may be directed to:

Associate Professor Maria Jensen, UNIS Email: maria.jensen@unis.no, phone: 79 02 33 26.

Professor Snorre Olaussen, UNIS Email: snorre.olaussen@unis.no, phone 79 02 33 49.

Professor William Helland-Hansen, University of Bergen Email: william.helland-hansen@geo.uib.no, phone: 55 58 33 97

Please apply online by using our application form found at www.unis.no/vacancies. In the end of the form, please attach copies of academic records and other documentation you find relevant for the application.

Deadline for application is 15th of April 2015

You can request to have your application kept from public access cf. the open files act § 25. The request must be explained. UNIS will determine if the application will be kept from public access or not, based on the explanation and the regulations from the open files act. If the application will not be excepted, the candidate will be contacted.

Om arbeidsgiveren

UNIS is a state-owned limited company with four of Norway’s universities represented on the board. UNIS is located in a modern working environment in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and is well equipped with both technical and scientific equipment and laboratories. The institution has an infrastructure for both marine and terrestrial field research on Svalbard. The studies at UNIS are marketed internationally and all classes are offered in English. Approximately half of the staff and students are from abroad.

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Vei 231-1, 9170 Longyearbyen
Bransje
Forskning, utdanning og vitenskap
Stillingsfunksjon
Forskning/Stipendiat/Postdoktor

Nøkkelord

Arctic Geology, sedimentology, University Centre in Svalbard, bedrock geology

Spørsmål om stillingen

Kontaktperson
Maria Jensen
Stillingstittel
Førsteamanuensis
Telefon
79 02 33 26
Kontaktperson
Snorre Olaussen
Stillingstittel
Professor
Telefon
79 02 33 49
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Vei 231-1, 9170 Longyearbyen

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FINN-kode 56941943
Sist endret 27. mar. 2015 10:40

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