PhD fellowship in Ice and Climate

The project

The overall vision of the Green2Ice project is to determine when Greenland was ‘green’? using basal ice and sediments from ice cores to date the presence of ice and then to model the evolution of the ice sheet over the last million years (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101072180).

The aim of this PhD project, within a team including 5 PhD projects and 5 PostDocs, is to gather and compile all the information on the age of the formation of the ice sheet and ecosystems below the ice collected within the project and elsewhere and to perform statistical Bayesian modelling, integrating the stratigraphical relationships between the different dated units and obtain a synthetic geochronological framework.

Based on the compiled data, we wish to establish a timeline with all the regional and global paleoclimatic knowledge (paleo-temperature, paleo-precipitations, sea-level, ecosystems) and the volume of the ice sheet.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates within the fields of Ice and Climate, Geophysics, Geology, Physics and Mathematics. Applicants can have a background from ice sheet modelling, statistical data treatment or computer science.

Our group and research - and what we can offer

The ERC Synergy program Green2Ice offers a unique opportunity to perform research within a very interdisciplinary group reaching from ice core drilling in Greenland to developing and applying novel dating techniques (cosmogenic and radiogenic nuclides, OSL/IRSL, modeling of gas and isotope diffusion) from all the Greenland deep ice cores to place constraints on past waxing and waning of the GrIS.

• Interpretation will include ice sheet modelling with data benchmarking to establish the climatic sensitivity of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS).
• The research group consists of researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Université libre de Bruxelles in Belgium and the CRPG (CNRS, Université de Lorraine) in France.
• The research group will host workshops, meetings and exchange personal between the research groups.
• The research is world leading and the aim to reconstruct the Greenland ice sheet will lead to a better understanding of sealevel rise in the past and in the future.
• The Copenhagen group is a part of the section for Physics of Ice, Climate and Earth at the­­ Niels Bohr Institute, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.
• We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

Our research facilities include modern laboratories, ice field camps and computer facilites.

Principal supervisor

Professor Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, Physics of Ice, Climate and Earth, Niels Bohr Institute, E-mail: ddj@nbi.ku.dk, Direct Phone: +45 2289 4537.

Qualifications needed

To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Ice and Climate, Geophysics, Geology, Physics or Mathematics. For information on eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment

Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for a maximum of 3 years.

• Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen.
• This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.
• Terms of appointment and payment is according to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in the PhD programmes

• Carry out an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in climate change
• Good language skills 

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
2. Your motivation for applying for the specific PhD project
3. Curriculum Vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
4. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
5. Publication list (if possible)
6. Reference letters (if available)

The deadline for applications is 18 October 2024 at 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process

After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

• The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements.
• The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews are expected to be held in the middle of December 2024.

Questions

For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

<< APPLY FOR THE POSITION ONLINE HERE >>