Your function

The three PhD positions are part of a larger Vici project funded by the Dutch Research Council.

The MAGMAS project aims to couple the geochemistry and geodynamic behaviour of various mantle plume localities within the Atlantic Ocean to better understand how the Earth’s mantle composition influences convection. The project includes one field campaign to a remote volcanic island and various research visits to collaborators in the UK and Germany.

The three PhD candidates will apply advanced analytical techniques to analyse minerals and melt inclusions (MI) in volcanics from various plume localities and will use that data in geochemical and geophysical numerical modelling.

The team will work on three main tasks:

Improve the accuracy of plume source composition;
Quantify changes with tectonic setting and time;
Determine the impact on convection behaviour and element exchange.

Topic 1 will be addressed by determining the elemental and radiogenic- and stable isotope compositions of minerals and melt inclusions. Topic 2 requires comparing the analytical data for various plume localities (Iceland, Azores, St Helena, Ascension, Tristan-Gough). Topic 3 will be addressed by geochemical and geodynamic modelling. The three PhD candidates will work on all three topics by using different techniques.

The analytical work will be performed in the NIGEL laboratories at VU Amsterdam and at laboratories of collaborators in the UK (Edinburgh) and Germany (Munster). The geodynamic modelling will be done at GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany in collaboration with Juliane Dannberg.

Your duties

The PhD students will apply and further develop advanced analytical techniques to determine combined major, trace and volatile element and isotope data on mineral and melt inclusion by wet-chemistry techniques (clean laboratory work), TIMS and MC-ICPMS mass spectrometry (PhD1), and by in situ Laser Ablation MC-ICPMS (PhD2) and SIMS techniques (PhD3). Applicants thus preferably have hands-on experience with analytical geochemistry. The volatile and stable isotope analyses by SIMS will furthermore include high pressure experiments for sample preparation (PhD3). For the geodynamic modelling the PhD students will take part in a 10-day ASPECT coding workshop. Applicants thus preferably have strong affinity in computational methodologies.

Selected candidates will closely collaborate with other team members, colleagues and collaborators. The research will lead to peer-reviewed publications that will be used to write a PhD thesis. The PhD candidates will present the results at national and international conferences, and will contribute to the department’s teaching programs.

Planned starting date: 1 January 2027 (or soon after).

Your profile

degree in MSc in Earth Sciences;
strong scientific motivation and interest in mantle geochemistry;
hands-on experience with relevant analytical techniques;
affinity with numerical modelling (Python, R, Aspect);
excellent ability to communicate in both written and spoken English;
good social skills.

What do we offer?

Selected candidates will become part of a world-class research team. You will have plenty of opportunities to develop creative ideas and your career. Our team values both independence and collaboration. There will be mentorship and guidance from the project’s principal investigator Janne Koornneef and other project members. You will be exposed to a large collaborative international network, through research visits to project partner institutes and attendance at international conferences. We offer competitive salaries and benefits, and we strongly value a healthy work-life balance. You will live in or around the multicultural metropolis of Amsterdam.

All in all, a challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. In return for your efforts we offer you:

a salary of € 3.059,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for full-time employment;
an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer attractive fringe benefits and arrangements, including:

a full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata;
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
optional model for designing a personalized benefits package;
space for personal development;
a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

Your function

The three PhD positions are part of a larger Vici project funded by the Dutch Research Council.

The team will work on three main tasks:

Improve the accuracy of plume source composition;
Quantify changes with tectonic setting and time;
Determine the impact on convection behaviour and element exchange.

Your duties

Planned starting date: 1 January 2027 (or soon after).

Your profile

degree in MSc in Earth Sciences;
strong scientific motivation and interest in mantle geochemistry;
hands-on experience with relevant analytical techniques;
affinity with numerical modelling (Python, R, Aspect);
excellent ability to communicate in both written and spoken English;
good social skills.

What do we offer?

All in all, a challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. In return for your efforts we offer you:

a salary of € 3.059,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for full-time employment;
an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer attractive fringe benefits and arrangements, including:

a full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata;
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
optional model for designing a personalized benefits package;
space for personal development;
a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

Your function

The three PhD positions are part of a larger Vici project funded by the Dutch Research Council.

The team will work on three main tasks:

Improve the accuracy of plume source composition;
Quantify changes with tectonic setting and time;
Determine the impact on convection behaviour and element exchange.

Your duties

Planned starting date: 1 January 2027 (or soon after).

Your profile

degree in MSc in Earth Sciences;
strong scientific motivation and interest in mantle geochemistry;
hands-on experience with relevant analytical techniques;
affinity with numerical modelling (Python, R, Aspect);
excellent ability to communicate in both written and spoken English;
good social skills.

What do we offer?

All in all, a challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. In return for your efforts we offer you:

a salary of € 3.059,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for full-time employment;
an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer attractive fringe benefits and arrangements, including:

a full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata;
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
optional model for designing a personalized benefits package;
space for personal development;
a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

Your function

The three PhD positions are part of a larger Vici project funded by the Dutch Research Council.

The team will work on three main tasks:

Improve the accuracy of plume source composition;
Quantify changes with tectonic setting and time;
Determine the impact on convection behaviour and element exchange.

Your duties

Planned starting date: 1 January 2027 (or soon after).

Your profile

degree in MSc in Earth Sciences;
strong scientific motivation and interest in mantle geochemistry;
hands-on experience with relevant analytical techniques;
affinity with numerical modelling (Python, R, Aspect);
excellent ability to communicate in both written and spoken English;
good social skills.

What do we offer?

All in all, a challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. In return for your efforts we offer you:

a salary of € 3.059,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for full-time employment;
an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer attractive fringe benefits and arrangements, including:

a full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata;
8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
optional model for designing a personalized benefits package;
space for personal development;
a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge.

PhD Position in Earth Sciences

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Amsterdam, Netherlands