Senior Lecturer - Petrology, Mineralogy, Geochemistry, in situ Isotopic Analysis

Grenoble, France

2026-04-02 (Europe/Paris)

Euraxess research field: Geosciences

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For more information:

Expected skills:

Applicants must show a strong interest in teaching as well as a high-level scientific record in accordance with UGA’s ambitions. They must identify with UGA’s values, that is, being open to the world, emphasising ethics and scientific integrity, showing an interest in teamwork and being committed to the community. They should also have a sense of responsibility, in particular with regard to environmental and social issues.

Context and educational objectives:

Educational expectations

The successful candidate will teach Earth and Environmental Sciences within the PhITEM (Physics, Engineering, Earth, Environment, Mechanics) Department of Université Grenoble Alpes, from bachelor's to master's level. At bachelor's level, where courses are taught in French, the successful candidate will contribute to teaching general geology, endogenous petrology, mineralogy, as well as new courses on ecological transition and sustainable development. They will also be involved in the programme of the Master’s in Earth and Planetary Sciences and Environment (master STPE), in which they will contribute to teaching in petrology and endogenous geochemistry, fluid/rock interactions, geochronology and/or mineral resources, including environmental and societal issues and their remediation. Teaching will take the form of lectures, tutorials, and practicals, but will also include field work on endogenous rocks outcrop. A pedagogical approach aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into teaching will be appreciated.

Research project and scientific impact:

Scientific profile

Laboratory présentation

The ISTerre (Institut des Sciences de la Terre) laboratory is a joint research unit (UGA / CNRS / USMB / IRD / UGE) located on the campuses of Université Grenoble Alpes (Grenoble, France) and Université Savoie Mont-Blanc (Chambéry, France). The unit is part of the Grenoble Observatory of Earth Sciences (OSUG), belongs to the research cluster PAGE (Particles Physics, Astrophysics, Geosciences, Environment and Ecology), and is affiliated with the PhITEM (Physics, Engineering, Earth, Environment, Mechanics) Department of Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA).

Research at ISTerre spans broad temporal and spatial scales, reflecting the diversity of objects, processes, and mechanisms studied in the Earth sciences. ISTerre investigates the Earth from geological, physical, and chemical perspectives, combining observations, experimentation, and modelling. The laboratory’s scientific vitality is driven by dedicated research teams and cross-cutting scientific initiatives that bring together multiple disciplines and shared expertise around major scientific challenges.

Job profile

The successful candidate will develop research based on the use and advancement of in situ elemental and isotopic geochemistry methods on minerals, drawing in particular on the analytical capabilities of the Split Stream Tandem LA-MC-ICP-MS / ICP-MS-MS / LIBS system available on the IMAP platform. Their work will fall within one of the unit’s two transversal research axes: “Earth Formation and Evolution” and/or “Resources, Energy and Transition”.

By mastering radiogenic and non-radiogenic isotopic tracers applied to endogenous rocks (magmatic or metamorphic), the successful candidate will bring complementary expertise to the Mineralogy team at ISTerre. Whether studying the Earth's internal dynamics or ore-forming processes, the combined analysis of mineral compositions, microstructures, and isotopic signatures will help constrain the dynamics and chronology of geological processes across a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Within ISTerre, the successful candidate will benefit from a scientifically rich and collaborative environment, with access to a wide range of complementary expertise and infrastructure, including experimental facilities (autoclaves, furnaces, piston-cylinder presses), numerical modeling, and seismic imaging, in close connection with the unit’s major research themes and projects.

For the "Earth Formation and Evolution" axis, the research will follow an integrated geodynamic cycle approach, from oceanic opening to subduction and continental collision. Positioned at the interface between endogenous petrology, mineralogy, in situ geochemistry, and geochronology, this research will focus on transfer and reaction processes among the various phases of the Earth system — fluids, rocks, magmas, and gases — and on their feedbacks on the co-evolution of the mantle and crust.
The analytical capabilities of the IMAP platform will make it possible to constrain the timescales of these interactions, both in terms of absolute timing and duration or periodicity, using geochronology and isotopic tracing. These approaches will also help identify the source, mixing, and transfer signatures of the various reservoirs involved in the evolution of the solid Earth.

Regarding the "Resources" axis, the successful candidate will contribute to understanding the concentration mechanisms responsible for the formation of deposits of critical raw materials for the environmental transition — whether strategic metals or energy resources such as hydrogen. This research will aim to understand the mobilisation of elements from their source reservoirs, as well as their transport, concentration, deposition, and preservation within geological systems.

The future Associate Professor is expected to play a leading role in the scientific coordination and management of the IMAP platform, enhancing its visibility through innovative research strongly aligned with the unit's scientific themes.

Information for candidates:

• Université Grenoble Alpes recruits on the basis of skills and makes use of all talents. It encourages applicants with disabilities to apply for teaching and research positions.
• Senior lecturers and professors are required to reside at the place where they perform their duties (Art. 5 of Decree No. 84-431 of June 6, 1984).

HRS4R certified and committed to an OTM-R (Open, Transparent, and Merit-based Recruitment) approach, the University of Grenoble Alpes recruits on the merits of candidates and in accordance with a transparent procedure.

Job details

Title
Senior Lecturer - Petrology, Mineralogy, Geochemistry, in situ Isotopic Analysis

Employer
Université Grenoble Alpes

Location
621 avenue Centrale Grenoble, France

Published
2026-03-10

Application deadline
2026-04-02 16:00 (Europe/Paris)

Job type
Lecturer / Senior Lecturer

Field
Petrology, Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Geology