Vacancy: ITC-Processes: PhD Candidate (Promovendus), Full-time Implications of Remotely Chemistry on Martian Geology and Habitability

The Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) has recently launched an investment programme to strengthen its international academic fields. For 11 pioneering-multidisciplinary projects a PhD-position is made available, three of them already are filled in. Are you our candidate for one of the still available positions?

The department of Earth Systems Analysis (ESA) combines earth science knowledge with spatial modelling and advanced remote sensing to understand earth processes in space and time. Our education and research contribute to a sustainable use of energy and earth resources, and help reduce disaster risk and the impact of natural hazards on society.

The ESA Department is looking for:

ITC-Processes: PhD Candidate (Promovendus), fulltime Implications of remotely chemistry on Martian geology and habitability

Main tasks

In this project you will assess the habitability of geological terranes and environments on Mars using remotely sensed chemical and mineralogical data sets. Availability of liquid water is a requirement for geological environments to be habitable and sustain life. The interaction of water and rock in these environments causes changes to the composition of rocks and leads to the formation of hydrated minerals and increase of the hydrogen content of rocks. You will measure these compositional changes of the Martian surface using chemical maps produced by the GRS, OMEGA and TES orbiting Mars. A comparison of the Martian hydrogen data with the hydrogen contents measured on terrestrial analogues, sheds insights into Martian geological terranes and the underlying aqueous processes. Increased hydrogen contents of rocks and evidences for aqueous processes are directly related to habitability of environments and provide critical inputs for the assessment of the favourability of geological terranes to sustain life on Mars. The research should result in a PhD thesis based on ISI journal articles.

Your profile

We seek a MSc-level graduate in earth sciences. Candidates should have experience with remote sensing relevant to the topic. You should be fluent in English, preferably experienced in (technical) writing and possess good communication skills.

Offer

We offer you an inspiring and challenging international and academic environment. You will be employed for a period of 4 years. Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO-NU) of the Dutch Universities. Gross monthly salary ranges from € 2,174.- in the first year to € 2,779.- in the last year, exclusive of allowances, in accordance with the job profile Promovendus, under the University System for Job Classification (UJC). Costs for moving to Enschede may be reimbursed.

Information

For more information you can contact Prof. Dr. Freek van der Meer (e-mail: f.d.vandermeer@utwente.nl). You are also invited to visit our homepage.
Please submit your application (detailed Curriculum Vitae and a letter elaborating the motivation for the application) through the form before 26 February 2016

For more information, please visit:

https://www.utwente.nl/en/organization/careers/vacancies/!/vacature/609689