Application deadline: 30 September 2023
Start of position: 01 January 2024
Project: Thawing industrial legacies in the Arctic – a threat to permafrost ecosystems
Sub-project 4: Impact of contaminations on aquatic thermokarst ecosystems
3 years, 50% TVL-E13.
We are seeking a highly motivated doctoral researcher for the BMBF-funded research network project “Thawing industrial legacies in the Arctic – a threat to permafrost ecosystems” for sub-project 4 “Impact of contaminations on aquatic thermokarst ecosystems”.
The intensive oil and gas exploration in the Mackenzie Delta area in Canada’s Northwest Territories between the 1970s and 1990s, led to the disposal of industrial waste in permafrost drilling mud sumps, primarily. With ongoing climate warming, which the Arctic is disproportionately affected by, the permafrost is thawing and creating thermokarst landscapes with numerous water-filled depressions. The release of methane, sediment, and other potentially pollutants from destabilized drilling mud sumps is threatening the integrity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well as the livelihoods and health of local populations.
The objectives of this subproject are to: assess the impacts and regional extent of climate and environmental change on local aquatic ecosystems, evaluate the current level of pollution, tolerance and adaptability of these systems, and identify and designate highly threatened species and particularly vulnerable areas. Thermokarst water bodies and drilling mud sumps contain sediments that act as climate and environmental archives, allowing the assessment of the impacts of climate change and pollutant inputs over time. This can be used to generate about 50 years of historical data of trends and impacts of multiple stressors. We expect to gain new insights into the state of thermokarst water bodies, the threat posed by the legacy of drilling mud sumps, the resilience and resistance of aquatic thermokarst ecosystems, and the base line conditions. Our data will be used as a basis for protective measures to be developed in collaboration with partners in the consortium and the NWT Geological Survey as well as the local community, in order to minimize the negative effects of the industrial contamination, which are further increasing due to climate change.
For the successful implementation and completion of the doctoral project, we are searching for a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest to use aquatic bioindicators as environmental proxies and dedication for fieldwork in extreme environments. We will preferably hire a researcher with a Master’s degree in geo- or biosciences, experience in the collection and analysis of water and sediments as well as bioindicator (for example chironomids, diatoms, ostracodes, and/or thecamoebae) analysis.
The doctoral researcher will be located at the Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, TU Braunschweig and work in close collaboration with the AWI in Potsdam as well as the Universities in Hannover, Aachen, Germany, and Regina, Canada.
For the successful implementation and completion of the doctoral project, we are searching for a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest to use aquatic bioindicators as environmental proxies and dedication for fieldwork in extreme environments. We will preferably hire a researcher with a Master’s degree in geo- or biosciences, experience in the collection and analysis of water and sediments as well as bioindicator (for example chironomids, diatoms, ostracodes, and/or thecamoebae) analysis.
The doctoral researcher will be located at the Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, TU Braunschweig and work in close collaboration with the AWI in Potsdam as well as the Universities in Hannover, Aachen, Germany, and Regina, Canada.
We offer involvement in a timely interdisciplinary and international research project, a good academic environment with dedicated colleagues, a large degree of independence in work, and flexible working hours. TU Braunschweig is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity. We explicitly encourage women to apply and preference will be given to disabled applicants with equivalent qualifications.
Please submit your application (in English) as one pdf file before 30.09.2023 to antje.schwalb(at)tu-braunschweig.de. The application should include the following information:
- CV
- letter of motivation
- transcript of records
- certificates
- two reference letters
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability or other characteristics. Personal data is stored for the purpose of carrying out the application process.
For any further information concerning the positions, requirements and application process please contact: Prof. Dr. Antje Schwalb (antje.schwalb(at)tu-braunschweig.de).
