The position

The Department of Geosciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway has a vacant two-year Postdoctoral fellowship position in the area of passive seismic imaging.

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT is a multi-campus research university in Norway and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.

Credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment shall be hallmarks of the relationship between our employees, between our employees and our students and between UiT and our partners.

The position is affiliated with the nationwide Research Centre for Arctic Petroleum Exploration – ARCEx. ARCEx’ scientists contribute to the understanding of the geology and resource potential of the high north, they develop new geophysical exploration techniques suitable for the Arctic, and they develop new models for environmental risk connected to operations in the north. Education and training is an integrated part of ARCEx.

The postdoctoral position is related to work package 4 in the project: Technology for eco-safe exploration in the Arctic.

The aim of work package 4 is to develop technology for eco-safe exploration in the Arctic, focusing in particular on constraints (technology and timing) for geophysical exploration in ecological vulnerable areas, strategies for best possible seismic acquisition within and close to ice, and geophysical imaging of prospects and reservoirs from field analogues on Svalbard and Greenland.

Main scientific tasks

The main scientific tasks for the postdoctoral researcher will be to:

• Develop simulation tools that can provide synthetic wave propagation data to test analysis methods and algorithms. Our main interest is to simulate interface waves in random media.
• Develop and test various new correlation based analysis tools. In particular, correlation methods based on the hypothesis of harmonizable random fields are thought to be useful, and a major delivery from the project will be improved estimators of the Green’s function within the harmonizable framework.
• Demonstrate and test the suggested techniques on relevant experimental data gathered by ocean bottom seismometers, geophones, and hydrophones. Relevant offshore data will be sought from our industry partners. In addition, we will carry out specially designed passive measurement campaigns in the vicinity of a dynamical glacier on Svalbard. The offshore data and the onshore glacier data will be contrasted and compared.
• Assess and quantify the potential of passive seismic as a tool for remote imaging of gas and oil reservoirs and other spatially distributed structures. The use of passive seismic for exploration and for monitoring during production shall be discussed, and the limits, constraints and strengths of passive seismic shall be quantified.

Affiliation and collaboration

ARCEx is hosted by UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, and is funded by the Research Council of Norway, industry partners, Troms fylkeskommune and by in-kind contributions.

The postdoctoral fellow will work in a closely-knit collaborative team spanning all work packages within ARCEx, including geology, eco-safe exploration methods and environmental risk assessment. As such, some travel to other ARCEx-affiliated research partners (in particular the University Centre in Svalbard, University of Oslo, University of Bergen and University of Stavanger) as well as ARCEx industry partners will be required.

In addition to the announced post-doctoral position, two additional postdoctoral researchers and one PhD candidate will be appointed to work as a coordinated task force focusing on shallow reservoirs.

Contact

For further information about the position, ARCEx and UiT contact Professor Alfred Hanssen:

• phone: +47 452 55 593
• email: alfred.hanssen@uit.no

Qualifications

The successful candidate must have a doctoral degree (Norwegian or equivalent) in physics, geophysics, geodynamics, seismology, applied mathematics, or related fields. The suitable candidate must have documented experience with mathematical modelling of physical/geophysical dynamics, and should have a strong interest in numerical methods. Signal processing and statistical modelling are crucial components of the project, and the candidate must demonstrate a background in these topics. Good programming skills (e.g., in Matlab, C/C++, Python) is an absolute requirement for the position.

Additional required qualifications include:

• Independence, creativity and engagement
• Strong problem solving skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent work ethics

The results shall be presented at national and international conferences/workshops, as well as published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Therefore, a good communication level in English, both written and oral, is required.

The assessment will emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. The candidate must be willing to engage in the ongoing development of his/her discipline and the university as a whole.

Application

Your application must include:

• Motivation letter including academic highlights that provided experience relevant for conducting the work within the vacant position (max 2 page)
• CV including the track record and a selection of up to five publications relevant to the vacant position (max 3 pages)
• Academic works (papers, PhD thesis, etc.) relevant for the position, up to ten. The doctoral thesis is regarded as one work.
• Diplomas and transcripts from completed degrees
• Three references with contact details, preferably including PhD advisors

Documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language. We only accept applications through Jobbnorge.

We offer

• A cross-disciplinary, interactive and challenging working environment
• National and international mobility to work closely with the project partners and to present the work in conferences
• Possibility of joining research cruises to collect experimental data
• Opportunity to develop academic components of the career, i.e., working closely with PhD and master students
• Guidance and support to identify and apply to relevant grants
• Good salary
• A fantastic hosting hometown – Tromsø, always generous with extreme experiences and nature adventures both in summer and winter

More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here: Welcome to UiT!

UiT also has good welfare arrangements for employees including beneficial arrangements for pension and insurances.

The appointment is for a period of 2 years. Remuneration of Postdoctoral Fellow positions are in salary code 1352. There is a 2 % deduction for contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. In addition, UiT pays approx. 12 % directly to the pension fund on top of the salary.

The objective of the appointment as a Postdoctoral Fellow is to qualify for work in senior academic positions, and no one may be appointed to more than one fixed term period at the same institution.

General

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. UiT and will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

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