Doctor in Science in the fields of isotope cosmo/geochemistry and mass spectrometry (m/f/x)

There is 1 vacancy at the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, within the department of Geological Survey of Belgium.

The function's activity group is: I – scientific research and experimental development

 Context

The  Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, www.rbins.be) is one of the ten federal scientific institutions that are governed by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO). The institute aims to provide the scientific world, public authorities and civil society with good and relevant science, appropriate advice, opening up avenues of discovery in nature, its long history and its sustainable management. One in three people employed at the RBINS is a scientist. The scientific staff includes mainly biologists, paleontologists and geologists, but also oceanographers, anthropologists, prehistorians and archaeologists, as well as geographers, physicists, bioengineers and mathematicians, which facilitates multidisciplinary research. With 38 million specimens conserved as Belgian heritage of global significance, the RBINS collections constitute a central point for multiple research projects, as well as for permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Created in 1896, the Geological Survey of Belgium (GSB) is a key geological and mineralogical research centre developing both applied and fundamental research approaches. It is also an independent, non-commercial provider of geoscientific services. These services are oriented towards local, regional, federal, European and international authorities, as well as researchers of institutions/universities and research groups, private companies, NGO’s and citizens.

The DESIRED (Tracing differentiation processes through siderophile elements, from meteorites to giant ore deposits) project is led by RBINS, with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) as partners. This project aims at tracing the source and study the distribution of (partially) siderophile elements (including gold and the platinum group elements) in terrestrial rocks and meteorites to better constrain planetary differentiation processes and the formation of (giant) ore deposits. Because siderophile elements are typically depleted in the crust and mantle by several orders of magnitude relative to their solar abundances, they are also known as precious metals. Mineable deposits of these metals usually result from the erosion of (ultra)mafic rocks that may sample distinct mantle domains.

Particular sets of elements with distinct affinities for metal have been shown highly useful to decipher the isotopic nature of the Earth’s accreting material through time. Of special interest is the late veneer, a late addition of meteoritic material after core-mantle differentiation. By constraining the relative contribution of the late veneer to specific mantle domains, sampled by Archean magmatic rocks with distinct ages and siderophile element concentrations, prelate veneer meteoritic contributions to the Earth can be traced and identified. The latter are crucial to refine the building blocks of the Earth, unify opposing observations for different isotopic proxies (volatile-rich versus dry contributions), and improve our understanding of the unique characteristics of our planet, including the presence of water and other volatiles, a magnetic field, plate tectonics, and life. This can be achieved by studying a unique combination of siderophile element abundances and selected isotope ratios.

Job description

  • You will implement a cutting-edge research program in the fields described above
  • You will publish scientific articles related to the research project
  • You will develop and apply new isotopic tools on Antarctic meteorites and Archean samples using the clean labs and instrumental facilities at VUB and ULB
  • You will be actively involved in the curation of the meteorite collection at RBINS, by helping in meteorite classification among others
  • You will participate in the communication and dissemination of knowledge and research results to the student community, the scientific community and civil society
  • Your main workplace will be the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, O.D. Earth and History of Life, 29 Rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels. Due to work in the clean labs and dedicated instruments (mass spectrometry), you will also spend time at ULB and VUB, all located in Brussels within short distance

Profile

  • Diploma: You have a PhD degree in geosciences that was obtained maximally 5 years before the end date of the period within which you can apply for this vacancy.
  • Technical qualifications:
    • You are skilled in cosmo/geochemistry
    • You have specific knowledge on and/or research experience in development and use of new isotopic tools, with experience in a clean lab and with mass spectrometry
    • Your research qualities are in line with the RBINS research strategy
    • You have already done research in an international framework
    • You have a knowledge about meteorite collection, and are familiar with meteorite classification
  • Generic competences :
    • You are quality-oriented, honest, creative and cooperation-oriented.
  • Assets:
    • Your English is fluent, both speaking and writing.

We offer

The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences offers:

  • A full-time employment contract as a researcher (SW11) for 8 months, renewable within the consortium of the project (ULB-VUB) for another 24 months depending on results and progress.
  • Minimum wage: 53.848,52 euros (gross annual salary at current index, excluding statutory allowances)
  • You will work in a dynamic, challenging, varied, and stimulating research environment in a historical Art Nouveau building located in the heart of Brussels, next to the European parliament.

The position will start as soon as possible from November 1st 2024, and will remain open until being filled.

Benefits

  • flexible work schedules 38h or 40h (with compensation) per week
  • telework opportunities with telework and office allowance
  • offices closed between Christmas and New Year
  • laptop providing
  • 26 annual leave days (for one year of full-time employment)
  • meal vouchers (6€ per day)
  • workplace accessible by public transport
  • home-workplace free public transport
  • various training opportunities (to be followed during working hours)
  • vacation pay and end-of-year bonus
  • possibility to receive a language bonus
  • advantageous hospitalization insurance
  • social benefits (with conditions)
  • possibility to receive a bicycle allowance
  • benefits and reductions with Benefits@Work
  • free admission to the RBINS museum and also other federal scientific institutions with Belspo card (Fine Arts Museum, Central Africa Museum, Planetarium, etc.)
  • 10% discount in the Museum Shop and the Dino Café
  • complementary pension

Assignment conditions

If you are successful in this selection process, you must - in order to be hired - meet the following conditions on the assignment date:

  • have civil and political rights
  • be of good conduct and meet the requirements of the position
  • hold the required diploma(s)
  • meet the specific skills and requirements set out in the job profile.

Procedure

Step 1 - Verification of participation conditions

You will be admitted to the selection process provided you meet all the required conditions of participation. Verification is carried out by the selection committee on the basis of your application file. The committee decides whether the qualifications, merits and experience you present correspond to the requirements of the position to be filled. If so, you will be invited to the next stage.

Depending on the number of applications received, the selection committee reserves the right to limit the number of candidates going on to the next stage by determining those it considers most suitable for the position to be filled.

Please specify the purpose of the test concerned

Stage 2 - Audition

For practical details, you will receive an e-mail from one of our staff.

The selection committee assesses whether the qualifications, merits and experience you present in your application match the requirements of the position.

In case of absence

If you fail to attend the complementary test and/or interview, you are automatically excluded from the rest of the selection procedure unless you can demonstrate, within three days, that your absence was justified by one of the following reasons:

  • illness
  • emergency concerning a member of the household (= anyone living with the candidate) or family (= the candidate's spouse or the person with whom the candidate is legally cohabiting, the candidate's first- or second-degree relatives)
  • essential presence at work
  • public transport interruption or delay of at least 30 minutes
  • force majeure.

If necessary, you can ask to be heard by the committee within ten days of the audition date. A new date will then be proposed.

Notification

If you are unsuccessful at a particular stage, the procedure is terminated and you are not invited to any subsequent rounds of the same selection. At each stage, you will receive notification of the result.

Equal opportunities and reasonable accommodation

The Federal Administration has an active diversity policy.

Are you a person with a disability, learning difficulty or illness? You can ask to be accommodated during the selection process. Please contact the person listed in the “Contacts” section.

Facilities for pregnant or breast-feeding applicants

Are you pregnant or breast-feeding? In this case, too, you can request special facilities. Please contact the person listed in the “Contacts” section.

Final results

If you are successful?

At the end of the selection procedure, an unranked group of laureates is formed. It is made up of those who have been judged the most suitable for the position to be filled in accordance with the conditions of participation.

How long does this list remain valid?

The valid group of successful candidates is valid 1 year.

How to apply?

Please send your motivation, CV and (plus 2 potential referees) in English by 29th October 2024 to : Vinciane Debaille (vinciane.debaille@ulb.be), Sophie Decrée (sdecree@naturalsciences.be), and Steven Goderis (steven.goderis@vub.be).

For all administrative questions, please contact the HR department: hr@naturalsciences.be.

Applications not complying with the above procedure will not be accepted.