This role will be campus based, with the potential to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discuss flexible working arrangements.

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for the next challenge? Do you have a solid background in geophysics and would like to apply your skills to solve challenges using sustainable geological resources? Would you like to advance your career at one of the UK’s leading research universities?

We are looking for a Research Fellow to play a key role in our project to better understand how to build subsurface geophysical models that account for the uncertainty in existing geophysical data, in order to assess the potential for sustainable energy production and resource use. You will be a key part of the Center for GeoSolutions within the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds and will work closely with Dr Andy Nowacki. You will be part of a large multidisciplinary team of PDRAs, PhDs and faculty, and will collaborate closely with others at the university and elsewhere. You will work to address the challenges of climate change through understanding and using solid ground, including as part of the university’s climate plan.

You will research, use and build on existing methods of collecting data about the subsurface (seismic surveys, well data, geological maps and other data) and produce estimates of subsurface physical properties and, more importantly, the uncertainty associated with these estimates. Initially, it will focus on geothermal resources in Iceland (Hingill) and Ethiopia (Aluto and Corbett) using existing seismic data, based on interim models. Next, you will explore how to integrate magnetic and other data, and you will evaluate different approaches to properly test hypotheses of subsurface processes. You will be responsible for leading the development of the approach, which could include transfer learning from geographies and other data types, machine learning methods, Bayesian inference, and interrogation theory. The post may include traveling to Iceland and Italy to support your work and attending international conferences, such as the European Geothermal Congress.

You will have a PhD, or be about to complete a PhD, in geophysics, geostatistics, physics, applied mathematics, or a similar discipline with a strong background in data analysis or imaging as applied to Earth. You will also have the ability to conduct independent research and evidence peer-reviewed publications in international journals. In addition, you will have excellent communication, planning and teamwork skills.

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants may need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.

For research and academic positions, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent Visa. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/global-talent