PRR Project

Summary

The University of Coimbra (UC) is seeking a resolute palaeontologist with proven experience as researcher in Palaeontology, with equal strengths in knowledge transfer in its various guises. The required research profile tackles specifically several sub-areas including invertebrate palaeontology, biostratigraphy, stratigraphy, paleobiogeography, Earth history and evolution, deep-time environmental change, macroevolution, and the fossil record. This position will enable expanding our current knowledge on past environments and biotic communities to understand their intricate dynamics and impacts. The HI interest lies particularly on the Palaeozoic fossiliferous record, which have untapped potential in the country. This position interlinks three primary objectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of paleoenvironments, biodiversity patterns, and biotic responses during extinction events: i) through an interdisciplinary analysis of geological and palaeobiological data, address changes in paleoenvironments and paleoclimates; ii) to reveal new phylogenetic, evolutionary, and ecological information on past organisms, increasing our understanding on the biodiversity and ecosystems of the past; iii) to obtain information on the extinction causes of particular taxa in Earth’s past by characterising and proposing new conceptual models about variations in the diversity of different groups, as well as the surviving communities. Together, these objectives contribute to a more detailed assessment of the evolution of the territories and landmasses during the Palaeozoic, addressing unresolved palaeogeographical questions.These scientific challenges can be addressed by advancing fundamental knowledge on specific palaeogeographical domains, which still offer unexploited potential to Earth’s life tipping points during the Palaeozoic. These include several underexplored fossiliferous assemblages of marine communities of the high-latitude peri-Gondwanan domain. A more in-depth study of these associations, resourcing to an interdisciplinary approach, will allow major breakthroughs. Additionally, the purpose of the position is to bridge these new discoveries with other paleogeographical domains, to reveal faunal links and regional and global trends preserved in the geological record.As so, the candidate should have demonstrated expertise in the highlighted sub-disciplines, and in the Palaeozoic geology and invertebrate fossil assemblages of Portugal and other regions belonging to the Palaeozoic peri-Gondwana Realm.The tasks to be assigned to the new employee are grouped into three packages, i) Research, ii) Teaching and University Management, and iii) Science for Society:i) carry out scientific research, and be active in acquisition of external research funding; keep a strong record of original research within the fields of Palaeontology, Biostratigraphy and Paleobiogeography, or applying paleontological principles to other areas within the Earth Sciences;  carry out fieldwork in understudied Palaeozoic regions of Portugal and other regions belonging to the high latitude peri-Gondwana Realm; strengthen scientific collaboration networks with international teams focused on the study of peri-Gondwanan Palaeozoic communities (e.g. Instituto Geologico y Minero de España and Instituto de Geociencias, CSIC); coordinate or participate in scientific congresses and projects in competitive programs; develop editorial and evaluation activities in scientific journals (pear review, programs, projects, grants, awards, committees).ii) instruct courses in Palaeontology and related Geology subjects both to undergraduate and graduate students; increase pedagogical innovation through promotion of new pedagogical initiatives (e.g. creation and/or reformulation of curricular units, reinforcement of laboratory infrastructures); supervise doctoral, master´s and undergraduate students and seek funding programs to attract students; provide guest lectures at scientific meetings or at other universities; participation in collective panels to assess applications for scientific programs, academic exam juries, competition juries, among others; participate in collective bodies (e.g. Scientific Council, Pedagogical Council); consultancy for palaeontological collections of the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra and assistance with preparation of deliverables as assigned; provide services within the scope of CGEO and DCT (e.g. palaeontological photography, fossil identification); carry out other regular activities as a faculty member.iii) participate as a member of scientific societies; participate in and coordinate initiatives to disseminate science and technology to the pre-university education system; participate in activities related to the university representation and knowledge transfer to society, namely for the media, the public, associations, and outreach organisations.