Leibniz University Hannover

Homepage: https://www.iesw.uni-hannover.de/en/

The Institute of Earth System Sciences (IESW) at the Leibniz University Hannover welcomes applications for a new PhD position in experimental petrology. The fixed-term position is limited to 36 months. The preferred starting date is in autumn 2026 but can be negotiated.

The main objective of the DFG-funded project is to clarify the formation processes of the economically crucial monomineralic magnetite layers in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. We are looking for a PhD candidate to run high-pressure and high-temperature experiments to con-strain the liquid line of the descent of the Upper Zone parental magmas and test possible formation hypotheses of magnetite layers. Experimental run products will be analysed using state-of-the-art analytical techniques such as SEM, EPMA, Raman, and LA-ICP-MS.

The experimental approach will be complemented with a detailed petrographic and geochemical study of drill core samples using a combination of 2D scanning methods (e.g. μEDXRF and LIBS) available at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and high-resolution geochemical analyses (e.g. EPMA and LA-ICP-MS) at IESW, focussing on the transition zone between magnetite layers and adjacent silicate-rich lithologies. Data processing will be complemented by the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) to enable the automated recognition of specific features.

For further information on the position, required qualifications, and how to apply, please see: https://www.uni-hannover.de/en/jobs/id/8568.