Postdoctoral Research Associate

Working at Durham College  

A globally excellent centre of instructing and analysis excellence, a heat and pleasant place to work, a singular and historic setting – Durham is a college like no different.

As one of many UK’s main universities, Durham is an unimaginable place to outline your profession. The College is situated inside a phenomenal historic metropolis, dwelling to a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, and surrounded by gorgeous countryside. Our proficient students and researchers from world wide are tackling world points and making a distinction to folks’s lives.  

We imagine that inspiring our folks to do excellent issues at Durham permits Durham folks to do excellent issues on the planet. Being part of Durham is about extra than simply the success of the College, it’s additionally about contributing to the success of town, county and group.

Our College Technique is constructed on three pillars of analysis, schooling and wider scholar expertise, but additionally on our eager sense of group and of inspiring others to attain their potential. 

Our Function and Values

We would like our College to be a spot the place folks could be free to be themselves, it doesn’t matter what their id or background. Collectively, we have a good time distinction, worth each other and are every liable for creating an inclusive group that’s respectful and honest for all.

Discover out extra about the advantages of working on the College and what it’s prefer to reside and work within the Durham space on our Why Durham? data web page.   

The Position and Division

Durham Earth Sciences is among the easiest UK Earth Science departments with an excellent repute for excellence in instructing, analysis and each the satisfaction and employability of its college students. It’s repeatedly ranked within the high 5 of UK departments and is throughout the world high 30.

The division has round 35 tutorial employees, 15 analysis employees, 50 postgraduate college students and 250 undergraduate college students. Its analysis covers a spectrum of Earth Science disciplines round 4 broad themes: Stable Earth; Local weather and Environmental Change; Geoenergy, Sources and Waste; Geohazards. The themes mirror our intention to not solely undertake basic and intrinsically wonderful analysis, but additionally analysis which is related to and which impacts society. We collaborate extensively, and inside Durham we work intently with each the Institute of Hazard, Threat and Resilience and the Durham Power Institute.

The Division is dedicated to offering the very best degree of schooling to its college students, giving them the information, expertise and confidence to contribute positively to the world past Durham. We offer research-led instructing with a big proportion of sensible courses and a deep dedication to field-based instructing. We repeatedly obtain > 90% satisfaction scores on the annual Nationwide Pupil Survey and our college students are extremely wanted by a spread of employers.

The Division of Earth Sciences holds a departmental Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of its efforts to advertise gender equality and deal with challenges specific to the earth sciences. Extra data on the division, its analysis and its amenities could be discovered at https://www.dur.ac.uk/earth.sciences/

The Position

We invite functions for a Put up-doctoral analysis affiliate (PDRA) to affix the Division of Earth Sciences at Durham college. The function is to work with Prof Madeleine Humphreys (Durham) and Dr Kate Dobson (Strathclyde) on a challenge funded by the European Analysis Council, “Storage and Eruption of Mushy Magma Techniques” (STEMMS). The place is mounted time period for 12 months.

The intention of the general challenge is to discover the hyperlinks between crystal mush textures, magmatic volatiles and the mobility of saved magmas throughout the crust. This place will use 3D picture processing of numerically simulated  to look at how crystal form adjustments throughout impingement and progressive overgrowth of a crystal mush. The outcomes shall be in comparison with pure examples of crystal mush textures and used to assist interpret crystal form and crystallisation setting in pure settings. The PDRA shall be primarily based at Durham College however may also spend intervals of time at Strathclyde. The PDRA will work with the PI and wider companions to interpret the outcomes and produce high-impact publications primarily based on their findings. The PDRA will be a part of the colourful volcanology group at Durham College and can additional profit from the Division’s mentoring programme for early profession researchers. The profitable candidate shall be anticipated to contribute to the overall actions of the volcanology group and take part actively within the mental lifetime of the division.

Key tasks:

• To conduct particular person and collaborative analysis tasks below the route of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder. Specifically:
• To develop or refine numerical algorithms to simulate crystal overgrowth.
• To analyse incremental form growth throughout impingement and progressive overgrowth below completely different simulated situations
• To synthesise and analyse outcomes and evaluate with traits of pure programs
• To know and convey materials of a specialist or extremely technical nature to the group or group of individuals by means of shows and discussions that results in the presentation of analysis papers in conferences and publications.
• To organize and ship shows on analysis outputs/actions to audiences which can embody: analysis sponsors, tutorial and non-academic audiences.
• To publish prime quality outputs, together with papers for submission to look reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops below the route of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To help with the event of analysis aims and proposals.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and different colleagues within the analysis group, as acceptable, to determine areas for analysis, develop new analysis strategies and lengthen the analysis portfolio. 
• To cope with issues which will have an effect on the achievement of analysis aims and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and providing inventive or revolutionary options.
• To liaise with analysis colleagues and make inner and exterior contacts to develop information and understanding to kind relationships for future analysis collaboration.
• To plan and handle personal analysis exercise, analysis sources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of analysis tasks.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working setting which is inclusive and welcoming and the place everyone seems to be handled pretty with dignity and respect.
• To have interaction in wider citizenship to help the division and wider self-discipline.
• To have interaction in persevering with skilled growth by participation within the undergraduate or postgraduate instructing programmes or by membership of departmental committees, and so on. and by attending related coaching and growth programs.   

The put up is mounted time period for 12 months. The analysis challenge funding is from ERC and is on the market for the fixed-term interval solely. 

The post-holder is employed to work on a analysis challenge which shall be led by one other colleague. While because of this the post-holder won’t be finishing up impartial analysis in his/her personal proper, the expectation is that they may contribute to the development of the challenge, by means of the event of their very own analysis concepts/adaptation and growth of analysis protocols.

Profitable candidates will be in put up as quickly as potential.

Working at Durham 

A aggressive wage is just one a part of the various improbable advantages you’ll obtain for those who be a part of the College: additionally, you will obtain entry to the next improbable advantages:

• 30 Days annual go away per 12 months along with 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per 12 months – a complete of 42 days per 12 months. 
• The College closes between Christmas and New 12 months.
• We provide a beneficiant pension scheme, As a brand new member of employees you can be mechanically enrolled  into the College Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• Regardless of the way you journey to work, we now have you coated.  We now have parking throughout campus, a cycle to work scheme which lets you purchase a motorbike and low cost with native bus and practice corporations.
• There’s a real dedication to growing our colleagues professionally and personally.  There’s a complete vary of growth programs, apprenticeships and entry to {qualifications} and routes to develop your profession within the College.  All employees have devoted annual time to focus on their private growth alternatives.
• A number of help for well being and wellbeing together with discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gymnasium amenities and entry to a 24-7 Worker Help Programme.
• On web site nursery is on the market and kids’s golf equipment in the summertime holidays.
• Household pleasant insurance policies, together with maternity and adoption go away, that are among the many most beneficiant within the larger schooling sector (and certain above and past many employers).
• The chance to participate in employees volunteering actions to make a distinction in the local people.
• Reductions can be found through our advantages portal together with; cash off at supermarkets, excessive road retailers, IT merchandise akin to Apple, the cinema and days out at varied points of interest.
• A wage sacrifice scheme can also be out there that will help you benefit from tax financial savings on advantages.
• In case you are transferring to Durham, we may also help with removing prices and we now have a devoted group who may also help you with the practicalities akin to home looking and faculties.  In the event you want a visa, we cowl most visa prices and provide an curiosity free mortgage scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Durham College is dedicated to equality, range and inclusion

Equality, range, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the College’s Technique and a central a part of all the pieces we do.  We additionally reside by our Function and Values  and our Workers Code of Conduct.   At Durham we actively work in direction of offering an setting the place our employees and college students can examine, work and reside in a group which is supportive and inclusive. It’s necessary to us that every one colleagues undertake actions which can be aligned to each our values and dedication to EDI. 

We welcome and encourage functions from those that are presently under-represented in our work pressure, together with folks with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic teams.

You probably have taken a profession break or intervals of go away which will have impacted on the quantity and recency of your analysis outputs and different actions, akin to maternity, adoption or parental go away, it’s possible you’ll want to disclose this in your utility. The choice committee will take this under consideration when evaluating your utility.

The College has been awarded the Incapacity Assured Employer standing. In case you are a candidate with a incapacity, we’re dedicated to making sure honest therapy all through the recruitment course of. We are going to make changes to help the interview course of wherever it’s cheap to take action and, the place profitable, cheap changes shall be made to help folks inside their function. 

Contact Data 

Division contact for academic-related enquiries 

For casual enquiries please contact Prof Madeleine Humphreys ([email protected] ). All enquiries shall be handled within the strictest confidence. 

Contact data for technical difficulties when submitting your utility 

In the event you encounter technical difficulties when utilizing the net utility kind, we desire you ship enquiries by electronic mail.  Please ship your identify together with a temporary description of the issue you’re experiencing to [email protected]  

Alternatively, it’s possible you’ll name 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from exterior the UK. This quantity operates throughout the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time.  We are going to usually reply inside one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).  

Methods to Apply  

To progress to the evaluation stage, candidates should proof every of the important standards required for the function within the individual specification beneath. Will probably be on the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether or not they may also think about any fascinating standards, however we might urge candidates to offer proof for all standards.  

Whereas some standards shall be thought of on the shortlisting stage, different standards could also be thought of later within the evaluation course of, akin to questions at interview.  

Submitting your utility 

We desire to obtain functions on-line.   We are going to replace you about your utility at varied factors all through the choice course of, through automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please test your spam/junk folder periodically to be sure to haven’t missed any of our updates.

What to Submit 

All candidates are requested to submit: 

1.     A CV and;

2.     A canopy letter which particulars explicitly how your expertise, expertise, and achievements in assembly (or have the potential to fulfill) every of the factors set out beneath. Candidates won’t be shortlisted if they can’t show that they meet all important standards (i.e. these are obligatory for the put up).

Subsequent Steps 

Quick-listed candidates shall be invited to a digital interview, probably throughout early April 2024.

Within the occasion that you’re unable to attend in individual on the date supplied, it is probably not potential to give you an interview on another date. 

Please observe that in submitting your utility Durham College shall be processing your information. We’d ask you to contemplate the related College Privateness Assertion https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which offers data on the collation, storing and use of information.   

When appointing to this function the College should be sure that it meets any relevant immigration necessities, together with wage thresholds that are relevant to some visas.

Individual Specification 

Important Standards:

{Qualifications}

1.     first diploma in Earth Sciences, Engineering, Physics or a associated topic.

2.     A PhD (or be near submission) in Earth Sciences, Engineering, Physics or a associated topic.

Expertise

3.     Expertise with 3D picture processing utilizing Avizo or equal software program .

4.     An curiosity in Earth Science associated issues, related to (for instance) grain packings and/or magmatism.

5.     Demonstrable capability to put in writing materials of a high quality commensurate with publication in extremely ranked journals.

6.     A observe report of presenting analysis at conferences, symposia, or conferences, commensurate with profession stage, and talent to speak complicated data to specialists and throughout the wider tutorial group. 

Abilities

7.     Demonstrable capability to work cooperatively as a part of a group, together with taking part in analysis conferences.

8.     Capability to work independently on personal initiative and to strict deadlines.

9.     Wonderful interpersonal and communication expertise, together with written and spoken English.

10.  Enthusiasm and private initiative for analysis.

Fascinating Standards 

Expertise

11.  Sturdy publication report in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of profession.

12.  Expertise in optical or SEM microscopy, working with igneous rocks or rock textures.

Abilities

13.  Capability to put in writing or develop algorithms inside Avizo.

14.  Understanding of growth of igneous rock textures or cumulate processes.

15.  Demonstrable capability to plan and handle impartial analysis.