3 Postdoc Positions (100% E13 TV-L) and 16 Positions for Doctoral
Students (75% E13 TV-L)
Late Accretion onto Terrestrial Planets (TRR 170) is a Transregional Collaborative
Research Center located in Münster and Berlin (Germany). The center is funded by the
German Research Foundation since 2016 and comprises research groups at the Westfälische
Wilhelms Universität Münster (WWU), Freie Universität Berlin (FUB), Technische Universität
Berlin (TUB), Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN) and Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und
Raumfahrt Berlin (DLR). The scope of TRR 170 is the interdisciplinary study of the late growth
history of terrestrial planets from the last giant collisions between planetary embryos to the
terminal phase of late bombardment, approximately 3.8 billion years ago. The program also
provides a broad, interdisciplinary planetary science education to doctoral students.
We invite applications for 3 Postdoc and 16 PhD positions for the second funding period (2020–
2023). The positions are available from 1 March 2020 until 31 December 2023. The starting
date is flexible. Currently, the regular working time for full (100%) employment is 39 hours and
50 minutes per week (Münster) or 39 hours and 24 minutes per week (Berlin).
Postdoctoral positions require a doctoral degree in Earth sciences, or, in exceptional cases, in
chemistry, or physics. Doctoral positions require a M.Sc. or Diploma in Earth sciences or
geophysics, or, in exceptional cases, in computer sciences, chemistry, or physics. Good
English language skills (written and oral) are required. For details about the individual positions
and projects see descriptions below.
The participating institutions are equal opportunity employers and are committed to increasing
the proportion of women in academics. Consequently, we actively encourage applications by
women. Female candidates with equivalent qualifications and academic achievements will be
preferentially considered within the framework of the legal possibilities. We also welcome
applications from candidates with severe disabilities. Disabled candidates with equivalent
qualifications will be preferentially considered, although some restrictions related to the access
to laboratory facilities in some projects may apply.
Applications should be written in English, include a cover letter, names of three (postdoc
positions) or two (doctoral positions) referees, CV and copies of degree certificates and
transcripts, combined into a single pdf (max. 10 MB). Please indicate which position(s) you are
applying for and email your application to [email protected]. Review of applications will
begin January 15, 2020 and will be continued until all positions have been filled.
Postdoc position B3 (WWU): This project will use nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies to
determine the origin of late-accreted materials, their relation to planetary building blocks, and
the dynamics of the late stages of terrestrial planet formation. The successful candidate will
have a strong background in isotope geochemistry and cosmochemistry and high-precision
isotope measurements. For more information, please contact Emily Worsham ([email protected]) at the Institut für Planetologie, WWU Münster.
Postdoc position B7 (WWU): This project will investigate the fractionation of moderately
volatile trace elements and their stable isotopes during degassing of lunar and terrestrial
silicate magmas. The postdoc will design and execute experiments to simulate the evaporation
of moderately volatile trace elements in the experimental laboratories, and he/she will also
determine the fractionation of non-traditional stable isotopes during degassing using state-of-the-art MC-ICPMS and TIMS techniques in clean room laboratories. The ideal candidate has
a strong background in experimental petrology and geochemistry. For more information,
please contact Stephan Klemme ([email protected]) at the Institut für
Mineralogie, WWU Münster.
Postdoc position C2 (MfN): This project will investigate how the impactor material from the
Moon-forming event and subsequent large collisions was distributed and entrained in a
convecting magma ocean on Earth and the Moon. The successful candidate is expected to
have strong skills in physics or geophysics and should be experienced in numerical modelling.
For more information, please contact Kai Wünnemann ([email protected]) at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin.
Doctoral position A1 (FUB): This project will obtain new constraints on the early
bombardment history of the Moon by in situ analysis of minerals in lunar impact rocks using
the U-Pb SIMS method, combined with petrological and geochemical data. The candidate is
expected to have strong skills in petrology and geochemistry or geochronology. Experience in
electron microbeam techniques, image processing software and mass spectrometry would be
desirable. For more information, please contact Harry Becker at the Institut für Geologische
Wissenschaften, FU Berlin ([email protected]).
Doctoral position A2 (WWU): The goal of this project is to test/improve the lunar production
and chronology functions, to study parameters affecting crater size-frequency distributions
(CSFDs), and to refit previous CSFDs with the updated production and chronology functions.
The ideal candidate has a strong background in planetary geology, remote-sensing based
geological mapping, image processing, GIS, and geostatistical methods, or equivalent
expertise. Experience in the field of planetary chronostratigraphy and radiometric age dating
methods are desirable. For more information, please contact Harald Hiesinger at the Institut
für Planetologie, WWU Münster ([email protected]).
Doctoral position A4 (TUB): This project will investigate the interior structure of lunar impact
basins, using altimetry and gravity data from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the
GRAIL mission. The successful candidate is expected to have strong skills in geodesy,
geophysics, or astrophysics. Basic knowledge of programming in Fortran or C and some
experience working with (planetary) remote sensing data would be desirable. For more
information, please contact Prof. Jürgen Oberst, at the Institute for Geodesy and
Geoinformation Sciences, TU Berlin ([email protected])
Doctoral position A5 (WWU): The aim of the project is to experimentally determine new trace
element partition coefficients with high accuracies, which are critically needed to model the
evolution of the lunar magma ocean. The PhD student will conduct experiments in 1 atm gas
mixing furnaces and in piston-cylinder apparatus. The experimental run products will be
characterized using several state-of-the-art analytical techniques (e.g. FEG-EMPA, LAICPMM,
MC-ICPMS). The experimentally determined partition coefficients will be used in a
geodynamic model that enables trace and major element modeling of lunar magma ocean
evolution. Experience with experimental petrology and/or trace element geochemistry is
desirable. For more information, please contact Stephan Klemme at the Institut für Mineralogie,
WWU Münster ([email protected]).
Two doctoral positions A6 (WWU, TUB): We will produce a new inventory of impact basins
on Mercury and study their morphologies and ages, using image-, altimetry-, and gravity data
from the MESSENGER mission. Also, a comparative study of light plains on Mercury and the
Moon will be carried out. The ideal candidate has a strong background in planetary geology,
remote-sensing based geological mapping, image processing, GIS, and geostatistical
methods, or equivalent expertise. Experience in the field of planetary chronostratigraphy is
desirable. For more information, please contact Harald Hiesinger at the Institut für
Planetologie, WWU Münster ([email protected]) and Jürgen Oberst at the Institute
for Geodesy and Geoinformation Sciences, TU Berlin ([email protected]).
Doctoral position B5 (WWU, FUB): This project will study volatile-rich clasts within chondritic
and achondritic breccias that differ from known meteoritic materials and bulk meteorites. The
project will also include comprehensive C-isotope analysis of C-rich minerals (notably of
graphite) within fragments and rocks of chondritic (E-chondrites, ordinary chondrites) and of
achondritic origin. Candidates should be experienced in electron microscopic techniques (e.g.,
SEM) and other analytical methods with high spatial resolution (e.g., electron microprobe, LAICP-MS, SIMS). Knowledge of meteoritics and mineralogy of extraterrestrial rocks is desirable.
The candidate will start in Münster and will move to Berlin for the second part of the project.
For more information, please contact Addi Bischoff at the Institut für Planetologie, WWU
Münster ([email protected]), and Timm John at the Institut für Geologische
Wissenschaften, FU Berlin ([email protected]).
Doctoral position B7 (WWU): This project will use mass-dependent isotope variations in
experimental and planetary samples to investigate volatile depletion mechanisms in nebular
and planetary environments. Candidates should have a strong background in geochemistry.
Prior clean lab and mass-spectrometry experience is desirable. For more information, please
contact Christoph Burkhardt at the Institut für Planetologie, WWU Münster ([email protected]).
Doctoral position B8 (FUB): This project will study the petrology, trace element composition,
and mass-dependent isotopic composition of CAIs in carbonaceous chondrites to constrain
the re-enrichment processes of volatile metals in refractory inclusions and the environments in
which this enrichment took place. Characterization of the mineralogy, textures, and the
distribution of the target elements by electron beam methods will provide the petrologic context for the isotopic work. The work on this project will be supported by complementary
experimental work project B7, while project B1 will provide the methodological expertise to
analyze the stable isotope compositions. The successful candidate has a strong background
in geochemistry. Experience in electron beam methods is desirable. For more information,
please contact Timm John at the Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, FU Berlin
([email protected]).
Doctoral position C1 (WWU): This project will investigate accretion and core formation on
the terrestrial planets with a focus on the partitioning of siderophile and/or volatile elements
among different planetary reservoirs. The ideal candidate has experience in experimental highpressure techniques, geochemical modelling and Python-based programming. For more
information, please contact Arno Rohrbach at the Institut für Mineralogie, WWU Münster
([email protected]).
Doctoral position C2 (WWU): This project will investigate how the impactor material of the
Moon forming event and subsequent large collisions is distributed and entrained in a
convecting magma ocean on Earth and the Moon. The successful candidate is expected to
have strong skills in physics or geophysics and should be experienced in numerical modelling.
For more information, please contact Ulrich Hansen at the Institut für Geophysik, WWU
Münster ([email protected]).
Doctoral position C3 (WWU): This project will investigate the importance of core-mantle
interaction for the thermochemical evolution of Earth’s mantle, and in particular for the
formation and persistence of geochemical reservoirs in the mantle. The ideal candidate has
experience in geophysical fluid dynamics and numerical modelling. For more information,
please contact Ulrich Hansen at the Institut für Geophysik, WWU Münster ([email protected]).
Three doctoral positions C4 (WWU, DLR, MfN): This project will investigate the Moon
forming impact, the dynamics in a solidifying magma ocean and the subsequent
thermochemical evolution of Earth and Moon with numerical models. The successful
candidates are expected to have strong skills in physics or geophysics and should be
experienced in numerical modelling. For more information, please contact Doris Breuer at DLR
Berlin ([email protected]), Ulrich Hansen at the Institut für Geophysik, WWU Münster
([email protected]), or Kai Wünnemann at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
([email protected]).
Doctoral positions C6 (DLR): This project will investigate the internal evolution and volatile
degassing of Earth and Mars subsequent to the early magma ocean phase. The focus will be
on developing a coupled model addressing time-variable redox state, gas speciation and
volatile release during magmatic ascent. The ideal candidate has a background in theoretical
petrology and/or computational geochemical modeling. For more information, please contact
Frank Sohl at DLR Berlin ([email protected]) and Lena Noack at the Institut für Geologische
Wissenschaften, FU Berlin ([email protected]).