job description
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PhD and postdoctoral positions on global delta modeling
Program
River deltas have been expanding for thousands of years, but their future is uncertain. Internal geomorphic feedbacks may push deltas past tipping points, leading to rapid land loss. This project aims to quantify the expected lifespan of deltas globally. We are offering two positions: a PhD position on Holocene delta modeling and a PhD or postdoctoral position on human impacts.
Your job
In addition to the risks posed by sediment deficits and sea level rise to modern “Anthropocene” deltas, natural delta-internal geomorphic feedbacks pose greater risks that are largely unknown. These feedbacks may cause delta growth to reach a tipping point, an ‘auto-fracture’, after which land disappears rapidly. However, it is still unknown whether deltas will reach this tipping point in the coming decades, centuries or millennia. Some deltas may even have already passed this tipping point. In other words: river deltas have a lifespan, but we don’t know how long they have. In this project, we will quantify the life expectancy of all deltas worldwide.
There is a PhD position on Holocene delta modeling and data assimilation (1). In this position you will
Integrate existing paleogeographic data from multiple deltas around the globe;
Operate, test and refine a novel numerical model of delta evolution to simulate geomorphic tipping points;
Simulate the “birth” of deltas in the mid-Holocene under conditions of known sea level rise and sediment transport;
Compare the simulations with reconstructed delta growth to track its development over time;
Investigating whether the delta is approaching its intrinsic autofracture threshold.
There is a PhD or post-doctoral position (2) (TBD) in the study of anthropogenic impacts on global delta growth. In this position, you will
Integrate existing data on anthropogenic impacts on deltaic geomorphology (e.g., dredging, reclamation, subsidence);
Operate, test, and refine the same delta models as position (1);
Evaluate the impacts of human activities in the vicinity of deltaic thresholds.
To support academic and personal development, the Ph.D. candidate also shadows classes and assists in teaching undergraduate and master’s geoscience courses. Together, these activities represent twenty percent of the contract time.
Both positions are funded by a National World Wide Fund for Nature (NWO)-VIDI grant entitled “LOST: Testing the limits to delta growth.”
Your qualities
One of these positions may be right for you if you have the following qualifications:
A Master’s degree (when applying for a PhD position) or a recently obtained PhD (when applying for a post-doctoral position) in earth sciences, physical geography, hydrology, civil engineering or a related field;
Expertise in numerical modeling, preferably geomorphological or sedimentary modeling;
Knowledge of working with large-scale datasets and enthusiasm for working with a variety of sedimentological and geomorphological datasets;
Position (1): knowledge of deltaic development during the Holocene and position (2): familiarity with human impacts on deltaic sedimentary budgets;
Strong teamwork skills
Excellent English speaking and writing skills
offer requirements
One of these positions may be for you if you have the following qualifications:
Master’s degree (when applying for a PhD position) or recent PhD (when applying for a post-doctoral position) in earth sciences, physical geography, hydrology, civil engineering, or a related field;
Expertise in numerical modeling, preferably geomorphological or sedimentary modeling;
Knowledge of working with large-scale datasets and enthusiasm for working with a variety of sedimentological and geomorphological datasets;
Position (1): knowledge of deltaic development during the Holocene and position (2): familiarity with human impacts on deltaic sedimentary budgets;
Strong teamwork skills
Excellent English speaking and writing skills
offer benefits/salary
For the PhD position we offer
A one-year position, extendable to a total of four years if the first year’s assessment is successful, during which time the PhD will be obtained;
36 to 40 hours per week, with a full-time gross salary of €2,872 in the first year and €3,670 in the fourth year, at grade P of the Dutch University Collective Labor Agreement;
A vacation bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%;
Pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible employment conditions based on the NLU Collective Labor Agreement.
For postdoctoral positions we offer
A one-year position, which can be extended to a total of three years if the first year’s evaluation is successful;
A gross salary of between €3,345 and €5,278 per month for a 36- to 40-hour workweek, if working full-time (salary level 10 according to the Collective Agreement on Labor in Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
A vacation bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%;
Pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible employment conditions based on the CAO NU.
In addition to the external employment conditions set out in the Dutch University Collective Labor Contract, Utrecht University offers its employees a number of its own programs and facilities. These include external link programs for professional development, vacation programs, external link programs for sports and cultural activities, and discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Option Model. In this way, we encourage employees to continue to invest in their own growth. For more information, please visit the Utrecht University Job Opportunities external link.