Research Fellow in Coral Skeletal Geochemistry

Applications are invited from researchers to work as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the University of Southampton’s world-leading Geochemistry Research Group (https://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/research/groups/geochemistry.page) in the School of Ocean and Earth Science at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton. 

You will join a community of >500 researchers and support staff drawn from physics, chemistry, biology, geoscience, and engineering, with a strong focus on marine biology and marine environment, to work in a project at the interface between geochemistry, palaeoclimate, and biomineralisation.

This post is funded through an ERC Advanced Grant Microns2Reefs (Microns2Reefs — The Foster Lab) to Professor Gavin Foster who will line manage the post (Professor Gavin Foster | University of Southampton). The project involves a strong team of researchers within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and a number of researchers from across the University of Southampton and elsewhere focused on better understanding tropical coral biomineralisation and skeletal geochemistry.  

The chemical and isotopic composition of coral skeletons is an important archive of historic and geological climate change, with emerging techniques able to trace sea surface temperature (SST), salinity and pH.  In particular, the concentration of a number of trace elements reflect SST while the boron isotopic composition is a powerful tracer of ocean pH.  Recent advances we have led apply laser ablation approaches to rapidly yield high spatial (and hence temporal) data in the form of 2D maps of the skeleton.  These can then be combined with age information to produce high quality climate reconstructions in the fraction of the time of conventional techniques but similar levels of precision and accuracy.  In this role, the applicant will optimise this laser ablation-based imaging technique and apply it to a number of well dated coral cores to provide a novel view of the change in SST and ocean pH over the last 100 to 150 years in several tropical ocean locations.  

A successful candidate should have:

• A PhD (or equivalent) in geochemistry.  
• Experience in the operation of single and/or multi-collector plasma mass spectrometer instruments, ideally including associated clean laboratory sample preparation.
• Experience in applying geochemical tools to constraining past environmental, oceanographic, or climatic change.
• Numeric skills sufficient to carry out image processing and data analysis.
• Skills in hypothesis-testing, experiment design, analysis of data sets and writing scientific manuscripts and reports.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for research and innovation with the capacity to deliver on engaging research questions to meet deadlines both individually and as working as part of a team.  
• Express a desire to apply cutting edge geochemical techniques to understanding Earth’s recent climate history

This post is a fixed-term appointment until 31/07/2026.

For further enquiries please contact Professor Gavin Foster (g.l.foster@soton.ac.uk).

Applications will be considered from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification. The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon completion of PhD.  Prior to the qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.

As a university we aim to create an environment where everyone can thrive and are proactive in fostering a culture of inclusion, respect and equality of opportunity. We believe that we can only truly meet our objectives if we are reflective of society, so we are passionate about creating a working environment in which you are free to bring your whole self to work. With a generous holiday allowance as well as additional university closure days we are committed to supporting our staff and students and open to a flexible working approach.

Apply by 11.59 pm GMT on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on +44(0)2380 592750 or recruitment@soton.ac.uk quoting the job number.