The Isotope Geochemistry Group at the Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, offers a European Research Council (ERC) funded research program that includes geochemical and isotopic investigations to evaluate the late accretion history of the earth and the formation of the earliest silicate reservoirs in planets and asteroids. The department is seeking a highly motivated

As PhD student, you will be trained in cutting-edge analytical work (including clean room work and multi-collector ICP-MS) carried out at state-of-the art geochemical facilities at the ETH Zurich. These techniques have numerous applications across the range of analytical sciences. The position will be offered for 3 years, ideally starting in the period from April to October 2012, with a possible 1-year extension.

As postdoctoral researcher, your position will be initially limited to two years with a possible extension up to a total of 5 and 3.5 years, respectively. As holder of the 5-year position, you will develop new analytical procedures for isotopic analyses of highly siderophile elements and closely be involved in the supervision of the PhD student. Holding the 3.5-year position, you will mainly focus on the short-lived Nb-Zr decay system.

To succeed in the postdoctoral positions, experience with ion-exchange chemistry, multi-collector ICPMS and/or TIMS is desirable. The PhD position is suitable for students with a background in geology, chemistry, physics, planetary sciences or similar.

For further information about the positions, please contact Ms Prof. Maria Schönbächler by e-mail: mariasc@ethz.ch (no applications) and visit our website www.geopetro.ethz.ch/research/isotope.

Applications with a statement of individual research interests, a CV including a publication list and the names of three referees should be sent online via www.jobs.ethz.ch to: ETH Zurich, Mr Hans-Peter Widmer, Human Resources, CH-8092 Zurich. The review of applications will begin on 20 February 2012 until the positions are filled.