Would you like to help improve how we forecast volcanic eruptions? Do you have experience in understanding deformation of active or ancient magmatic systems? Are you keen to be part of a multidisciplinary project that brings together techniques, ideas, and people from a range of research fields?

This is an opportunity to join the exciting MAGMA (Magma Accommodation and Ground Movement Analysis) project funded by NERC, which aims to transform volcano deformation modelling. MAGMA will use analyses of ancient intrusions, both exposed at Earth’s surface and imaged geophysically, and rock mechanic experiments to benchmark how host rock physical properties and deformation patterns change with space and time during magma emplacement. These findings will inform a new generation of Finite Element computational models that seek to include the complex behaviour of rocks into volcano deformation models.

You will join and work with Dr Craig Magee (providing expertise in magma emplacement and host rock deformation), Dr Susanna Ebmeier (volcano monitoring), Professor John Forth (rock mechanic experiments), and Dr James Hickey (Finite Element modelling of volcanoes) to achieve MAGMA. You will also benefit from interacting with project partners Dr Janine Kavanagh, Professor John Howell, Dr William McCarthy, and Dr John Browning.

Your role is flexible in its focus but you will engage with many aspects of the project, including fieldwork (Chile, Iceland, USA), rock mechanic experiments, analogue modelling, and Finite Element modelling. You will hold a PhD (or close to completion) in the Earth Sciences, have experience in conducting geological fieldwork, and have a working knowledge of magma emplacement and volcano deformation. Experience in conducting structural analyses, numerical modelling and coding, and science communication is desirable.

Overall, you will become an integral member of the MAGMA team, helping deliver a new generation of volcano deformation models that can account for complexity and uncertainty in the host rocks, which will improve the reliability of eruption forecasts.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Dr Craig Magee, Senior Research Fellow

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 6500

Email: [email protected]