Astrobiology Introductory Course (RED) Rencontres Exobiologiques pour Doctorants
PhD opportunity : Evidence for Life in the Mid-Proterozoic Torridonian rocks of NW Scotland
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Evidence for Life in the Mid-Proterozoic Torridonian rocks of NW Scotland
Supervisors: Dr. Stephen Bowden, Prof. John Parnell.
Dept. of Geology & Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen
The Torridonian rocks of NW Scotland are a superbly exposed and preserved mid-Proterozoic sequence (1.2-1.0 Ga). They offer an excellent opportunity to reconstruct conditions at a time when the biosphere and atmosphere were very different to today. The PhD project would involve a mix of fieldwork and laboratory studies, aimed at this reconstruction, and in particular evaluating evidence for life in the rocks.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
The project would be for 3 years, and would include:
- Assessment of whether laminar structures represent stromatolites
- Assessment of other morphological evidence for microbial activity
- Extraction of organic biomarkers
- Use of sulphur isotopes to assess role of microbes in sulphide precipitation
- Use of carbon isotopes to constrain contribution of organic matter to sediments
- Controls on preservation of microfossils
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
The student would be trained in appropriate microscopic and geochemical techniques.
Expressions of interest to Stephen (s.a.bowden@abdn.ac.uk) or John (j.parnell@abdn.ac.uk) as soon as possible.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills