ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate – EarthBank. As part of the establishment of a new AuScope EarthBank Project node at the University of Sydney, under the guidance of Node Leader Dr Samuel C Boone, AuScope and the School of Geosciences is jointly funding a 4-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position to spearhead the new node’s activities. The Sydney EarthBank node will join the national AuScope Geochemistry Network , an Australian consortium of Earth Science institutes cooperating to develop national geochemistry research infrastructure, with their flagship project being the development of the EarthBank platform.
The EarthBank platform (previously AusGeochem) is an open access geospatial data platform for archiving, disseminating and analysing geochemistry data on regional- to global-scales. The platform enables users to interrogate geochemistry, geochronology and thermochronology data in 4D (3D through time), making EarthBank the first of its kind. EarthBank functionalities are continuing to expand beyond its current range of data types, which includes relational data models for major, minor and trace element geochemistry, U-Th-Pb and Ar-Ar geochronology, fission-track and (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronology, vitrinite reflectance, and thermal history models. New relational data models data for incorporating methods such as include beta-decay geochronometers (e.g., Rb-Sr and Lu-Hf), stable isotopes, and isotopic geochemical ratios are currently under development.
To compliment the development of the EarthBank platform and its ever-growing range of relational geochemistry data models, the University of Sydney EarthBank Project node will focus on the creation of innovative platform functionalities and numerical workflows to facilitate the use of regional- to global-scale EarthBank datasets in numerical geoscience modelling via the platform Application Programming Interface (API) and command line scripting. The new node will build on the University of Sydney School of Geoscience’s globally recognised expertise in the development and application of open-access numerical plate tectonic, thermomechanical, landscape evolution, paleoclimate and AI-powered mineral prospectivity modelling codes.
As Postdoctoral Research Associate – EarthBank you will;

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Spearhead research into the development and utilisation of open-access numerical workflows that integrate geochemistry, geochronology and/or thermochronology data to calibrate and evaluate numerical geological analyses and simulations.
• Dedicate 2 days/week to EarthBank platform development, data utilisation, and capability expansion, with a particular focus on platform interoperability and data utilisation.
• Liaise with Sydney’s Australian Museum to ensure data compliance.
• Coordinate the upload of a minimum of 250 samples and associated geochemistry data into EarthBank per year.
• Liaise with industry and government end-users, particularly at Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of New South Wales.
• Attend the annual TANG3O meeting (EarthBank-funded travel).
• Promote EarthBank through presentations, networking, and outreach efforts.
• Co-author at least one research paper annually that utilises or pertains to EarthBank.

ABOUT YOU

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate – EarthBank who has:

• a PhD or have submitted a PhD thesis in a relevant geoscience field
• an established geological research portfolio and demonstrated ability to spearhead innovative science
• a track record in scientific communication and publication in Q1 international scientific journals
• confidence and a proven track record using common coding languages (e.g., Python, Matlab, Fortran)
• expertise and a publication track record in numerical geoscience modelling, such as, but not limited to plate tectonic, thermomechanical, landscape evolution, and paleoclimate simulations, and applied AI.
• expertise and a publication track record in at least one of the following: geochemistry, geochronology, thermochronology, tectonics, geodynamics, surface processes, relational database design, and geological data science.
• experience using GPlates, Underworld, Badlands, goSPL, Pecube, GLIDE, Age2Exhumation, and/or similar codes is highly favourable.

• Spearhead research into the development and utilisation of open-access numerical workflows that integrate geochemistry, geochronology and/or thermochronology data to calibrate and evaluate numerical geological analyses and simulations.
• Dedicate 2 days/week to EarthBank platform development, data utilisation, and capability expansion, with a particular focus on platform interoperability and data utilisation.
• Liaise with Sydney’s Australian Museum to ensure data compliance.
• Coordinate the upload of a minimum of 250 samples and associated geochemistry data into EarthBank per year.
• Liaise with industry and government end-users, particularly at Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of New South Wales.
• Attend the annual TANG3O meeting (EarthBank-funded travel).
• Promote EarthBank through presentations, networking, and outreach efforts.
• Co-author at least one research paper annually that utilises or pertains to EarthBank