Postdoctoral Researcher within organic geochemistry of Palaeoenvironments

Postdoctoral Researcher within organic geochemistry of Palaeoenvironments

About NORCE

NORCE is a forward-looking research institute, with expertise in a wide range of fields and strong communities of knowledge. We deliver research and innovation in energy, health care, climate, the environment, society and technology. Our solutions address key challenges for society and contribute to value creation on the local, national and global levels.

We are looking for : Postdoctoral Researcher within organic geochemistry of Palaeoenvironments

About us

The Department of Ocean and Environment is part of the NORCE Climate and Environment Division and focuses on understanding and preserving marine ecosystems, as well as mapping environmental impacts on the ocean and coastal areas. It conducts research in several areas, including biodiversity and ecosystem functions, pollution and contaminants, aquaculture and fish welfare, as well as the effects of human activity and climate change on marine ecosystems.

NORCE is one of the four founding partners of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (BCCR), which is the largest climate research centre in Scandinavia and recognized as one of leading climate centres in Europe. The postdoctoral position will be affiliated with the BCCR, which provides a lively and stimulating international work environment.

At NORCE we are interested to recruit excellent researchers for permanent positions. If during this postdoctoral project we see a good fit, we can work towards a permanent researcher position for the successful candidate. For this, acquiring external project funding is essential, and we encourage and support the proposal writing process.

About the project

The Department of Ocean and Environment at NORCE has a full-time postdoctoral researcher position in organic geochemistry of Palaeoenvironments available. The position is for a fixed-term of 3 years with an option of a 1- year extension. The main working place is in Bergen, Norway.

The PIONEER project addresses a critical question in palaeoanthropology : to what extent did climatic variability influence the emergence of behavioural complexity in early Homo sapiens during the African Middle Stone Age (~300,000-40,000 years ago)? Despite decades of research, behavioural-environmental hypotheses remain largely untestable due to the lack of stratigraphically and spatially integrated palaeoclimate and archaeological datasets.

PIONEER overcomes this limitation by developing an innovative analytical framework that integrates high-resolution leaf wax biomarker records, directly derived from archaeological sediments, with advanced climate and agent-based modelling (ABM). The project focuses on key archaeological cave sites in North and South Africa to reconstruct site-specific vegetation and palaeohydrological histories.

By linking palaeoenvironmental reconstructions to archaeological evidence of behavioural innovation, PIONEER enables rigorous testing of competing hypotheses concerning the role of climate in shaping human behavioural evolution.

About the position

This Postdoctoral research fellow will apply organic biomarker techniques to terrestrial deposits from archeological sites, in order to reconstruct environmental conditions in Africa and their variability over time. We are looking for someone with strong hands-on experience in organic geochemistry. The position requires travel for fieldwork to Africa.

Key Responsibilities :

• Collect, extract and purify plant wax lipids from sedimentary archives.
• Quantify and analyze compound-specific hydrogen and carbon isotope ratios (δD, δ13C) of n-alkanes using GC-IRMS and GC-MS / chromatography.
• Interpret isotopic data in the context of past hydroclimate and vegetation changes.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of geochemists, palaeoclimatologists, modellers and archaeologists.
• Contribute to high-impact publications and outreach activities.

Education requirements :

A PhD in Organic Geochemistry, Palaeoclimatology, Earth Sciences, or a related field.

Qualifications, skills and abilities :

We can offer :

How to apply :

Apply electronically by registering your application on jobbnorge.no

Your application must include :

Application deadline : 13th of June, 2025

Interviews will be performed in week 26 and 27.

Candidates are expected to openly offer all relevant information about themselves during the recruitment process. Furthermore, one can expect that background checks can be conducted on all final candidates who may be checked against relevant lists to ensure compliance with applicable export control and sanctions rules. Candidates will be asked to provide information about affiliation to high-risk countries for a security assessment.

Contact information

If you have any scientific questions about the position, please contact : Margit Simon (msim@norceresearch.no).

Questions about the application process can be directed to Senior HR Adviser Bente Heggdal Martinsen (bema@norceresearch.no).