The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is the national centre for research into the geosphere. With around 1,650 employees, we develop a sound understanding of systems and processes of the solid Earth as well as strategies and options for action to counter global change, understand natural hazards and sustainably secure energy and raw material requirements.
Postdoc Researcher (f_m_x) in Organic Geochemistry (FT-ICR-MS)
Reference Number 9731
Exploring ecological and environmental change throughout Earth history with high-resolution mass spectrometry
Section 3.2 at GFZ Potsdam studies organic molecules across Earth history to improve our understanding of the global carbon cycle, lipid biosynthesis, climate change, and evolutionary geobiology. The organic inventory in living organisms, environments, sediments, and ancient sedimentary rocks is typically complex, with thousands of molecules, but only a few are routinely used in organic geochemistry. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS, such as FT-ICR-MS and Orbitrap-MS) allows for the simultaneous detection of the entire suite of organic molecules. Furthermore, HRMS techniques enable the study of functionalized organic molecules in sedimentary rocks (containing N, S, or O), which are usually overlooked due to the technical difficulties in their detection and identification with other methods. We are looking for a person to study systematic trends in the HRMS fingerprints of organic molecules in sedimentary rocks through time. The candidate will work on a large set of rock samples using GC-MS and FT-ICR-MS techniques, with the goal of gaining new insights into the utility of FT-ICR-MS data to trace ecological and environmental change.
Your responsibilities:
- Work up rock samples to extract chemically bound organic molecules
- Analyze the distribution of organic molecules using GC-MS and FT-ICR-MS
- Statistically evaluate data in a geological context
- Present results at conferences and publish them in the peer-reviewed literature
Your qualifications:
- PhD in natural sciences
- Laboratory experience in organic chemistry or organic geochemistry
- Preferably, experience with mass spectrometry
- Experience with statistical analysis
- Demonstrated creativity and out-of-the-box thinking
- High agility and receptiveness
- Background in geosciences is an advantage
- Fluent English skills
What we offer:
- Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
- State-of-the-art equipment
- Public service benefits
- Extensive training opportunities
- Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
- Flexible working hours and conditions
- Support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
- Institute day-care centre on site
- Working at the Albert Einstein science park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
- Work place within walking distance of Potsdam main train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus
Fixed-term: 21 months
Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.
Working hours: Full-time (currently 39 h/week); The position is generally suitable for part-time work.
Place of work: Potsdam
Have we piqued your interest?
Diversity and equal opportunities are integral components of our human resources policy. The GFZ actively promotes diversity and explicitly welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of ethnic and social origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion/belief, age and physical characteristics. Anyone who has been recognised as severely disabled, will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability and qualification in accordance with the provisions of the German Social Code IX. If you have any questions, please contact our Representative Body for Employees with Disabilities at sbv[at]gfz-potsdam.de, who will be happy to assist you in the further application process. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer at gba[at]gfz-potsdam.de.
Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the selection procedure on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 b, Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Art. 26 of the Data Protection Act for the State of Brandenburg. After completion of the procedure, application documents will be deleted in compliance with data protection regulations.
