Position Listings
Professional Positions
Researcher (Senior Curator) in Paleontology, Department of Paleobiology, Naturhistorika Riksmuseet (Swedish Museum of Natural History), Stockholm, Sweden
Posting Date: 24 November 2024
Closing Date: 20 December 2024
The Department of Paleobiology (PAL) is one of the museum’s five research departments, with over 20 employees. PAL hosts an international team of scientists who run externally- and internally funded projects in national and international collaboration, manage and support infrastructure projects, and supervise researchers at PhD and post-doctoral level. Researchers and technical staff curate and continuously expand the large paleontological collections (over 2 million specimens) that are used both by researchers at the museum as well as by external visitors. Our research focuses on biodiversity, evolution, morphology, taxonomy, phylogenetics and biogeography of a large range of animal and plant groups. The department hosts a broad range of analytical facilities including recently renovated laboratories for rock thin sectioning, acid-digestion, microscopy and tomographic analysis.
We seek an excellent curator with a high-quality independent research program in paleontology to strengthen research and collections at the department, and contribute to outreach and higher education activities. The research must be collection based, or otherwise beneficial for collection enrichment and enhancement. At the Department of Paleobiology, the work in the collections and the laboratories requires the physical presence of the curators; options to work remotely are, therefore, limited.
The position is for a Senior Curator with a full-time salary from the Swedish Museum of Natural History. This is a permanent position with a six-month probationary period. The Swedish Museum of Natural History offers the possibility of promoting employees to the level of professor. The salary will be consistent with existing staff at the same level of employment and experience.
Work tasks
- Independent research and publishing at a high international level in collection-based paleontology, systematics and evolution, stratigraphy, and paleoecology. Presentation of research findings at national and international conferences is required.
- Supervising students at MSc and PhD level.
- Teaching at graduate (including doctoral) and undergraduate levels (a few hours per year).
- Applying for external research grants.
- Processing and enriching the museums paleontological collections, including responsibility for overseeing selected parts of the collections.
- Developing exhibitions in collaboration with the public division, and disseminating scientific knowledge to the public.
- Participating in the museum's and the department's other activities, including administrative tasks.
The position includes approximately 50% research, 30% collections management and 20% administration and popular-science outreach. For the right person, there may be opportunities to develop leadership and personnel management skills in the future, depending on the needs of the organization.
Start date according to agreement. 6-month probationary period applies.
Application
Last application deadline: 20/12/2024 23:59
Reference number : 670-2024
Please find more information and the online application form at: https://recruit.visma.com/spa/public/apply?guidAssignment=992023b9-d84b-4411-86e8-f3cb4897321b&description=True
Note: Choose the English language option on your browser if the page comes up in Swedish.
Fixed-Term, Visiting, Postdoctoral & Technical Positions
Deep Time Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA
Posting Date: 18 December 2024
Opening Date: 24 January 2025
Closing Date: 14 March 2025
Applications are invited for a two-year Research Fellowship (postdoctoral) in Paleobiology relating to the goals of the Deep Time Initiative at the National Museum of Natural History. This fellowship involves a commitment to original research and to pursuing opportunities for science communication via public education and outreach. The appointment provides stipend ($62,000/yr), research/travel allowance ($5K/yr), health insurance ($5K/yr), and one-time relocation allowance (up to $1K).
The successful applicant will be expected to conduct independent research in paleobiology, take part in various scholarly activities of the museum, and become involved in communicating about research via outreach and education focused on enhancing NMNH visitor and volunteer experiences. Research in any aspect of paleobiology will be considered, however, priority will be given to applications that: 1) propose innovative research on a collections-based, exciting topic in paleobiology, 2) indicate a high standard of research productivity, creativity, and interactivity, 3) have interest and experience in communicating about science using a variety of public engagement and educational strategies.
The Deep Time (DT) initiative is focused on understanding connections across 4.6 billion years of environmental change, the diversity of life, and the future of our species on Earth. The four focal themes are: 1) evolution of organisms, 2) evolution of ecosystems, 3) earth processes, 4) connections among these and our human past, present and future. The Deep Time Initiative seeks to inform and inspire the global community about the importance of fossils and the history of life, and to help educate citizens for a changing planet. The Deep Time Peter Buck Fellow will join a diverse intellectual community at NMNH that includes two other Deep Time Peter Buck Fellows and a large group of pre- and postdoctoral fellows supported by the centralized Smithsonian Fellowship Program (SIFP). Many of these fellows voluntarily contribute their expertise to enhance visitor experiences in the exhibitions in addition to doing original scientific research.
Preferred starting dates for the fellowship are between September 1 and November 30, 2025. All formal requirements for a Ph.D. must be completed before the beginning of the fellowship. To apply, see instructions on the SOLAA website https://solaa.si.edu/solaa/#/public. Required documents (PDF) are: (1) curriculum vitae; (2) research proposal for the two-year interval (up to 5 double-spaced pages, 11 point type), including title, abstract, figures, and timeline; list of cited references may be on a separate page); (3) budget for research/travel allowance (separate page), 4) a 1-page statement of interest and accomplishments in communicating science to the public, including contributions to increasing diversity in the sciences, (5) pdf copies of recent publications (maximum of three); and (6) contact information for three referees who could provide reference letters if an applicant is chosen for the next stage of the selection process.
All application materials should be submitted to the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointments website (SOLAA) by midnight (EST) on March 14, 2024. https://solaa.si.edu/solaa/#/public Please follow directions for setting up an account under the “Start an Application” (orange button on top right of home page), designating the program as Deep Time Peter Buck Fellowship. The program website is: https://fellowships.si.edu/opportunity/deep-time-peter-buck-postdoctoral-fellowship-program.
Questions regarding the fellowship and the application process can be emailed to Dr. Brian Huber, huberb@si.edu, or Dr. Anna K. Behrensmeyer, behrensa@si.edu. Interviews and the decision about the next Deep Time Peter Buck Fellow are expected to occur in April, 2025.
Information about the Paleobiology Department: http://paleobiology.si.edu/ and other research departments https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research. Information on the Deep Time Exhibition: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/david-h-koch-hall-fossils-deep-time and Deep Time Virtual Tour: https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/vt3/NMNH/.
Information on NMNH Office of Education: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/education. Additional details are available upon request.
Note that this Deep Time Fellowship call is separate from the Smithsonian’s regular Fellowship Program, which has an annual deadline of October 15.
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Educational Opportunities
PhD Student Opportunity, Department of Geology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Posting Date: 17 December 2024
Closing Date: 12 January 2025
Department - WE13 - Department of Geology
Contract - Limited duration
Degree - MSc in Geology, Earth Sciences, Paleobiology, Palaeontology, or an equivalent degree in related fields pertinent to the research project
Occupancy rate - 100%
Vacancy type - Research staff
Job description
Applications are invited for a fully funded four-year PhD researcher position at the interface between (bio)stratigraphy (chitinozoans and/or graptolites), palynology, teratology and geochemistry during intervals dominated by biogeochemical events in the Ordovician or Silurian. More specifically, the focus will be on chitinozoan biostratigraphy (alongside graptolite biostratigraphy if the candidate can bring the highly-sought hands-on experience with this group to the table), integrating fossil teratology as a means of ground-truthing ocean geochemistry, and aspects of palaeoceanographic changes during ancient Ocean Anoxic Events (OAEs). The choice of specific stratigraphic intervals in the mid-Paleozoic will depend on initial discussions with the selected student. The PhD student will be based at UGent (Belgium), undertaking various research visits to our partner institutes in Europe, Canada and/or the USA. He/she will join a larger team of fellow PhD students working on related topics at UGent (e.g., Palaeozoic and Mesozoic teratological microfossils and their geochemistry). Supervisors are Thijs Vandenbroucke and Stephen Louwye (UGent).
The student will be trained in analytical techniques including optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and geochemical trace element analyses. In addition to analytical research skills, the successful candidate will have opportunities to undertake training in transferable skills, to gain experience in mentorship, and to participate in fieldwork. The PhD Researcher will work closely with the PIs and other members of the team.
The student will join the team at an exciting time, as part of a major expansion of our studies of new causative models for the Ordovician-Silurian biogeochemical events. The PIs and their teams represent a wide range of expertise for the student to drawn on. The successful candidate will benefit from the PI’s commitment to their career development and the joint PI’s extensive global network of collaborators. For instance, the project will partly overlap with a recently funded HFSP Research project that includes researchers at the universities of Ghent, Nottingham, California- Berkeley, and Utrecht, and offers additional expertise in geology, palaeontology, biology and chemistry.
The host lab at UGent focuses on reconstructing environmental conditions and the evolution of life from ancient Palaeozoic times to the current Anthropocene. The group currently includes 10 PhD students and 4 MSc students working on various aspects of micropalaeontology, which will constitute a rich working environment for the successful candidate.
https://www.ugent.be/we/geologie/en/research/organization/palaeontology-and-palaeo-environments
https://www.instagram.com/palaeo_ugent/
Job profile
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
The position predominantly focusses on research; the primary objective of the PhD researcher will be to conduct the specified programme of research. However, the position will also be considered as a period of training and career development, and will also enable the candidate:
- to engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the PI or University in order to develop research skills and competencies;
- to engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which they are engaged, as directed by, with the support of, and under the supervision of the PIs;
- to become efficient within the publication process;
- to acquire generic and transferable skills (including project management and postgraduate mentoring/supervision); to engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group.
The researcher will be mentored by the consortium of PIs. It is expected that a researcher will spend not more than 4 years at the PhD level.
Essential Criteria:
- The successful candidate will provide a track record demonstrating evidence that they meet the following essential criteria:
- Excellent scholarly results obtained during an MSc in Geology, Earth Sciences, Paleobiology, Palaeontology, or an equivalent degree in related fields pertinent to the research project. MSc degree required at the start of the appointment.
- Excellent analytical and laboratory skills
- Ability to work as part of a(n international) team combined with an ability to manage tasks independently
- Excellent problem solving skills
- Excellent communication skills, particularly in English
- Strongly motivated and ambitious attitude
- Having a proven track record of scientific publishing will be an important criterion during selection
- Having experience with chitinozoan or graptolite research will be considered an important bonus during selection
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
- We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
- Your contract will start on 1st of February 2025 at the earliest and no later than 1st of March 2025.
- The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
- All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.
How to apply
Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Prof. Thijs Vandenbroucke, Department of Geology, UGent. Email: thijs.vandenbroucke@ugent.be.
Candidates should apply, in confidence, by submitting one single, combined application document to Thijs.vandenbroucke@ugent.be
Given the urgent nature of the hire, we are inviting applications as soon as possible. The position will remain open until filled. Candidates should apply, in confidence, by submitting one single, combined application document to Thijs.vandenbroucke@ugent.be as soon as possible and at the very latest on Sunday, 12th January 2025.
This application should contain the following items, merged into a single .pdf document:
- A cover letter
- Your CV
- The contact details of two referees (actual letters of support are not required at this stage)
- A copy of your diplomas and the full transcripts of the scores/results you have obtained during your degree(s); we strongly advise that you indicate your position in the cohort of students graduated the degree in your graduation year, if possible (note that this is an indicative criterion only)
In addition, your e-mail has to contain a second .xlsx file: a summary of your past achievements using an MS Excel template that can be downloaded here.
Next to these two obligatory files, your e-mail can optionally also include, in separate files, pdf.-copies of your (formally published!) articles, if you have already published research papers.
We reserve the right to reject applications that are incomplete or do not accurately follow these guidelines immediately, and to accept applications beyond the deadline if no successful candidates have been selected yet. Interviews will be scheduled as soon as interesting applications arrive. Initial interviews will normally be held via videoconferencing. Only applicants who have submitted an eligible application will be contacted about the result of their application.
Ghent University is an equal opportunities employer (https://www.ugent.be/prospect/en)
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