Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Mid-Ocean Ridge Hydrothermal Systems

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our NERC-funded project, “LITHO-FLUCHS: A toolbox for constraining lithospheric-to-grainscale controls on fluid-rock interactions in Peridotite-Hosted Hydrothermal Systems (PHHSs)”.

Project Overview

LITHO-FLUCHS aims to constrain how deformation, magmatism, and fluid-rock interactions in PHHSs control the uptake and/or release of H, C, and S. Focus is directed towards the controls of PHHS fluid properties in the deep lithospheric roots of oceanic core complexes (OCCs). This will be achieved through micro-scale analyses (this vaccancy) of drill-core samples collected from the Atlantis Massif OCC during IODP Expedition 399 (Lang et al. 2025; https://doi.org/10.14379/iodp.proc.399.104.2025), combined with numerical modelling of PHHSs.

About the role

You will combine quantitative petrographic and petrological techniques (SEM-QEDS) with state-of-the-art, in-situ, trace element and isotope micro-mapping and spot/traverse analyses (fs-LIBS, Vitesse-TOF-ICP-MS, and Neoma-LA-MS/MS-MC-ICP-MS) to quantify spatial and temporal variations of fluid properties with respect to deformation and magmatism within the Atlantis Massif OCC. These analyses will yield a new and fundamentally ground-breaking understanding of the controls of fluid properties in PHHSs, and how those controls dictate H2-production, CO2-uptake, and metal-sulphide mineralization.

You will join our multidisciplinary team of LITHO-FLUCHS investigators consisting of;

• Dr Andy Parsons (Project Lead & Line Manager; microstructural analyses, OCCs, tectonics; Plymouth)
• Dr Michelle Harris (petrology, mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems; Plymouth)
• Prof. Sandra Piazolo (deformation processes, micro-analytical techniques; University of Leeds)
• Dr Ivan Savov (petrology and isotope geochemistry, PHHSs; Leeds)
• Postdoctoral Researcher (numerical modelling; Leeds)
• Associated postgraduate research students.

You will work closely with us and our external collaborators (Dr. Samuele Agostini, Prof. Alberto Zanetti, CNR-Pisa, Italy; Dr Craig Storey; Univeristy of Portsmouth) to develop new analytical methods for in-situ analyses of fluid mobile trace elements and isotopes (B, Sr, Li, Cl, F). Additionally, you will work collaboratively with our other LITHO-FLUCHS post-doctoral researcher (Leeds), providing quantitivate datasets as inputs for their numerical modelling of PHHSs. This will include extended periods of time spent at analytical facilities at CNR-Pisa, Leeds, and Portsmouth.

This is a fixed-term position for 2 years due to the nature of the funding.

What we’re looking for

The role requires:

• Essential specialist analytical experience and understanding of isotope geochemistry and petrography with a proven ability to integrate analytical datasets from different techniques and scales.
• The ability to travel and conduct research in multiple locations across the UK and Europe is essential.
• Complementary understanding of hydrothermal systems, OCCs, grain-scale deformation processes, and/or magmatism in oceanic settings is desirable.

For more information about the job and the person specification, please refer to the job description.

The successful candidate may be required to obtain an ATAS Certificate prior to this research being undertaken.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role then please contact Dr Andy Parsons by email at: andy.parsons@plymouth.ac.uk

Due to the nature of the role, unfortunately we are unable to accommodate working from home.

A summary of our comprehensive benefits can be viewed here.