Postdoc (M/F) - (CRPG, ULB, AWI): a LA-ICPMS perspective on the basal ice of Greenland and Antarctic ice cores (2 years PostDoc position)

Job Description

Missions

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to investigate the distribution and behavior of inorganic elements and impurities in basal ice of the Greenland and Antarctica Ice Sheet, using state-of-the-art laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and complementary methods. The position offers a unique opportunity to work on exceptional ice-core material and to contribute to fundamental questions on ice–bed interactions and basal ice formation.

Ce poste est une opportunité unique de travailler sur des échantillons exceptionnels de carottes de glace et de contribuer à aborder des questions fondamentales sur les interactions glace–substrat ainsi qu'aux processus de formation de la glace basale.

Activity

Basal ice layers preserve invaluable records of debris entrainment, physicochemical processes, and interactions between ice sheets and their beds. Recent advances in LA-ICP-MS now enable the spatially resolved analysis of major and trace elements at the scale of individual ice crystals and grain boundaries. This postdoctoral project aims to leverage these developments to better constrain the origin, structure, and evolution of basal ice beneath the Greenland and Antarctica Ice Sheet. By combining high-resolution chemical mapping with detailed microstructural analyses—encompassing crystal shape and orientation, as well as bubble size and distribution—across basal ice sections with contrasting facies, the project will address several key open questions. These include the nature and sources of debris in basal ice and the mechanisms governing their incorporation, as well as the distribution and impact of impurities within basal ice and how this differs from that in overlying debris-free meteoric ice. Cross calibration experiments using bulk analysis of samples (or synthetic standards) with ICPOES/MS will permit to constrain the matrix effect that could affect the LA-ICP-MS mapping. Lab experiments might possibly be undertaken to document the kinetic and the mechanisms of the impurities migrations.

Your Profil

Skills

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, and autonomous researcher with:

A PhD in glaciology, geochemistry, physics, Earth sciences, or a closely related field
Strong interest in ice-core science and basal ice processes
Expertise in ice-core physics and/or chemistry
Expertise in LA-ICP-MS or closely related micro-analytical techniques
Expertise in programming and image analysis tools
Good communication skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively
Willingness to be mobile and to undertake extended research stays at partner institutions abroad

Your Work Environment

The project will be co-funded by the ANR ToBe and ERC Green2Ice projects. It will involve close collaboration of the Post Doc with the PI (PH Blard and F. Fripiat), but also with Dr. Pascal Bohleber and Dr. Nicolas Stoll (AWI, Germany), implying extended research stays at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Germany). For informal inquiries about the project or the position, please contact François Fripiat or Pierre-Henri Blard.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

Between 3072 and 4259 euros gross salary per month, depending on previous experiences

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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