PhD: Analysing and Mapping strontium and zinc in cremations

ppbPhD: Analysing and Mapping strontium and zinc in cremations (AMASZINC) /b — Do you want to work with archaeological material and advanced analytical techniques in an interdisciplinary research environment? And research funerary rituals and pyre temperatures from cremated bones? /pulliOnderzoeksgebouw VU /liliAmsterdam /lili0.8 / 1 /liliMSc /liliFaculty of Science /li /ulh3Your function /h3pbStarting date: March 1, 2027 /b /ppWe offer a four-year PhD position within the NWO-funded AMASZINC (Analysing and MApping Strontium and Zinc IN Cremations to reconstruct diet, mobility, and funerary practices of ancient human and animal populations) project, which aims to develop new ways of studying mobility, diet, and funerary practices from cremated human and animal remains. The project combines cutting-edge laser ablation techniques with Sr and Zn concentration and isotope ratio analysis to unlock information preserved in burnt bone. The project is carried out in close collaboration with Prof. Christophe Snoeck at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Dr. Klervia Jaouen at Observatoire Midi Pyrénées/CNRS, Toulouse, France, offering opportunities to work across institutions and research fields. /ph3Your duties /h3ulliinvestigating mobility and dietary histories as well as funerary practices of Iron Age and Roman populations from the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, and Portugal /liliperforming laser ablation mapping of cremated bone /liliconducting high-precision ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ⁸⁸Sr analyses using TIMS and MC-ICP-MS /lilideveloping and testing new approaches for Zn concentrations and isotope ratio analysis of cremated bone /lilipresenting findings at national and international scientific conferences /lilipublishing research findings in international peer-reviewed journals /lilicompleting a paper-based PhD thesis and defending it at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam /liliparticipating in the training programme of the SENSE graduate school /li /ulh3Your profile /h3ullidegree in MSc in Earth Sciences or Archaeological Sciences /lilistrong scientific motivation and interest in archaeology /lilihands-on experience with relevant analytical techniques is an advantage /liliaffinity with numerical modelling (Python, R) /lilireadiness to travel and work abroad for short periods of time (especially in Brussels and Toulouse) /lilidriving license is desirable /liliexcellent ability to communicate in both written and spoken English /liligood social skills /li /ulpWe realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements. /ph3What do

we offer
? /h3pA challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts,

we offer
you: /pullia salary of € 3.204,00 (PhD) and maximum € 4.051,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment /lilian employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract /li /ulpWe also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples: /pullia full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata /lili8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus /lilicontribution to commuting expenses /lilioptional model for designing a personalized benefits package /liligroup insured for partial disability with employer contribution of 50% of the premium /li /ulh3About us /h3h3Project and research group /h3pThe AMASZINC project will be carried out within our multi-disciplinary Isotope Geochemistry research group addressing a wide range of scientific fields, including geochemistry, planetary science, archaeology, environmental science, and forensic research. The NIGeL facility is unique in the Netherlands with 2 TIMS, 2 MC-ICP-MS, 1 ICP-MS and 1 ICP-OES instruments and two laser systems for in situ analyses. A new metal free clean laboratory is to be installed within new VO Research Building. /ph3Department of Earth Sciences /h3pThe Department of Earth Sciences offers a broad and interdisciplinary research environment, with strong expertise in isotope geochemistry, environmental sciences, archaeology and forensic science. The department has state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, including the Netherlands Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory and the Stable Isotope Laboratory. Our researchers work across disciplines and collaborate on a wide range of research questions, from understanding Earth processes to addressing questions relevant to society. The department’s research f