Postdoc position at Oxford University: Palaeoseismology of Central Asian Earthquake Ruptures

There is a wonderful, amazing, extraordinary postdoc position open at Oxford University: Palaeoseismology of Central Asian Earthquake Ruptures.

We seek to appoint a postdoctoral research assistant to undertake investigations of large earthquakes within the interior of Asia. The post is part of a project funded by the Leverhulme Trust called EROICA. The successful candidate will work closely with Professor Richard Walker, and will join a vibrant community of active tectonics researchers in Oxford within the Earthquake Geology and Geodesy group.

The researcher will be responsible for the detailed mapping of palaeo-earthquake ruptures, the construction of slip distributions from individual earthquakes, the analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery, the construction of digital topographic models, and the selection of sites for long-term slip-rate determination using field investigation. The PDRA will also be involved in planning and carrying out fieldwork to verify remote-sensing observations, to collect samples for dating, and to excavate and interpret palaeo-seismic trenches. We expect the researcher to help in supervising doctoral and masters student research projects, in addition to undertaking their own research.

A PhD in a related field is required by the time of starting the job. Skills and experience in tectonic geomorphology and palaeoseismic investigation are required, along with abilities in undertaking independent fieldwork, a demonstrated research track record, excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to network and work as a team.

For further details of the post please see the further particulars. The deadline for applications is 12.00 midday on 29 March 2019. Interviews are due to take place on 15 April 2019.

The post, based at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, aims to study the active tectonics and earthquake hazards across central Asia. There is a particular focus on the countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran,and Turkmenistan. The work will be performed in collaboration with colleagues from our partner institutes within these countries. The post is based in the Department of Earth Sciences and will be overseen by Richard Walker. The post will also involve close collaboration with Prof. James Jackson at Cambridge University, and with Dr. Christoph Grützner at the University of Jena, Germany. The post is funded for four years from the 1stJune 2019and we wish to fill it from that date.

If you’d like to know more about what the job will look like, have a look at the EwF blog, where we reported on our field work in these areas: http://ewf.nerc.ac.uk/blog/ (The layout is a bit broken, though), or simply search paleoseismicity.org for “Kazakhstan”, “Kyrgyzstan”, “Turkmenistan”, or “Field Work”.

The Main Kopeh Dagh Fault in Turkmenistan.

The Chilik Fault has nicely offset those ridges.

Photo taken from a push-up ridge at the Dzhungarian Fault.

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