Doctoral Researcher/PhD candidate (f/m/d) for 3 years on the topic of “Submarine gravity flows…

The MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen is offering – under the condition of job release – a position for one

Doctoral Researcher/PhD candidate (f/m/d) for 3 years

on the topic of “Submarine gravity flows entrained by ocean circulation”

German federal salary scale 13 TV-L (67 %)

The position has a duration of three years and aims at obtaining a doctorate degree within this timeframe. The estimated begin of the project is March 2023. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

The employment is fixed-term and governed by the Act of Academic Fixed-Term Contract, §2 (1) (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz – WissZeitVG). Therefore, candidates may only be considered for appointment if they still have the respective qualification periods available in accordance with § 2 (1) WissZeitVG.

Project background

Turbidity currents are underwater sediment density flows that transport vast amounts of sediments to the deep sea. These processes are very powerful and can pose a hazard for seafloor infrastructure, but are crucial for ecosystems because they transport nutrients to deep waters. The processes that control the interaction between downslope turbidity currents and alongslope ocean currents and their related sedimentary products are still not well constrained mainly due to the lack of direct measurements in natural environments and of process-based studies. This project will implement a multidisciplinary approach that combines the analysis of geophysical observations of asymmetric submarine channels, using multibeam bathymetry and seismic data, with in situ flow measurements from moorings, as well as with numerical modelling, in order to be able to link particular geometries of channels with specific flow types. This approach will permit to identify the typical morphosedimentary and architectural characteristics of submarine channels formed by the interaction of turbidity currents and ocean currents, and to be able to differentiate them from other processes that could form similar asymmetric channels. The results of this project will improve palaeoceanographic reconstructions based on the sedimentary record and will permit to predict particle transport and accumulation in submarine canyons, channels and adjacent areas, which would have important implications for deep-marine ecosystems, distribution and fate of pollutants and carbon burial.

The PhD candidate will be based at the MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, which is a Research Faculty from the University of Bremen, Germany. Research stays of several months are also planned at IFREMER (Brest, France) and at the National Oceanography Centre (Southampton, United Kingdom) in order to work together with project partners on measurements of natural flows and numerical modelling.

Job description

• Analysis of geophysical observations of asymmetric submarine channels, using multibeam bathymetry and seismic data
• Analysis of in situ flow measurements obtained from moorings
• Numerical modelling of the interaction between turbidity currents and ocean currents
• Presentation of research results at international conferences
• Publication of research results in peer-reviewed international scientific journals
• Writing a doctoral dissertation (PhD thesis)

Qualifications and experience needed

• MSc degree, Diploma or equivalent in Geosciences, Geophysics, Oceanography, Environmental sciences or related discipline
• Experience in sedimentary and/or oceanographic processes
• Experience in working with and analysing large datasets
• Experience in programming is a plus
• Good spoken and written academic English
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate with a diverse team

Benefits

PhD students at MARUM are expected to be part of the graduate school GLOMAR (https://www.marum.de/en/education-career/GLOMAR/about.html ). They are supervised by a team of experienced scientists, and benefit from a large network of fellow PhD students from all over the world. GLOMAR offers a training programme with expert courses that account for the diversity of fields in marine sciences, and soft skills training to complement the education of PhD students.

The University of Bremen follows a diversity strategy. It strives to increase the number of women in the academy and strongly encourages applications from female candidates. International applications and applications from candidates with a migration background are explicitly welcome. Disabled persons with the same professional and personal qualifications will be given preference.

Application process

Applications should include a letter of motivation (outlining the interest in the project, the qualification and the experience of the candidate), a CV, copies of degree certificates with grades, and contact details for two referees.

Applications should be submitted with the reference number A278/22 by October 28th, 2022 to:

Prof. Dr. Elda Miramontes
MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences
University of Bremen
28359 Bremen, Germany

or electronically as one PDF file to emiramontes@marum.de

For further inquiries you can also use the above e-mail address.