Instituto de Geociencias

El Instituto de Geociencias (IGC) is UNAM's youngest institution devoted to the study of Earth Sciences. It enjoys broad prestige and recognition in Mexico and around the world thanks to the quality and impact of the research it leads, focused on addressing fundamental scientific questions and problems that are critical to society. IGC employs around 60 faculty members from different specialties and has modern infrastructure that enables academic development of the highest level in the Earth Sciences (www.geociencias.unam.mx).

In order to continue carrying out high-impact, high-quality research, and pursuant to Article 51 of UNAM's Academic Staff Statute (Estatuto del Personal Académico), Instituto de Geociencias invites individuals who meet the requirements set out herein to take part in the selection process for a full-time researcher position (tenure track). Interested parties are therefore invited to join the Institute's academic staff under the following

TERMS

1. Hold a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences, or related field, and have completed a postdoctoral appointment. If no postdoctoral appointment has been completed, equivalent experience must be demonstrated;
2. Demonstrated experience in basic research, evidenced by publications as first author in high-impact indexed journals within the candidate's field of specialization;

In addition to the aforementioned points, experience in teaching and directing thesis will be valued.

Instituto de Geociencias is a space that recognizes plurality, diversity, and parity as founding principles of university ethics and academic excellence. It is therefore committed to guaranteeing the full exercise of the right to equality and non-discrimination throughout the academic selection process.

Profile

Candidates will seek to address the following fundamental question: how do geological processes affect biodiversity?

Geological processes are directly connected to the emergence and disappearance of life, creating ecological niches and distributing nutrients essential for biodiversity. Studying the relationship between biodiversity and geological processes necessarily involves studying the fossil record, typically preserved in sedimentary sequences of different ages, which requires extensive fieldwork and geological mapping to establish the lithological relationships of the sedimentary record and its evolution. It is likewise essential to establish a geochronological framework, as well as to carry out significant work curating fossil material (pollen, diatoms, vertebrates and invertebrates, fossil plants).

Recent studies of the physical and mineralogical characteristics of fossil material allow physio-mechanical reconstructions of specimens, while isotopic geochemistry studies allow reconstructions of diet, mobility, and the paleoenvironmental conditions prevailing during the life of the fossil. Likewise, analyzing the variability of different fossil records using neural networks and methodologies for the analysis of large datasets enables the reconstruction of paleoenvironmental conditions at the regional level.

The study of late Neogene fauna in central Mexico and North America is particularly interesting for elucidating the evolutionary processes surrounding the Great American Biotic Interchange from the standpoint of paleomastozoology, as it allows migration patterns and prevailing environmental and dietary conditions to be elucidated, yielding unprecedented paleoenvironmental records.

Required documentation:

1. A letter addressed to Dr. Juan Pablo Bernal, Head of Instituto de Geociencias, UNAM explaining the applicant's motivations and contributions.
2. An updated CV, including supporting documents.
3. A copy of an official identification document.
4. A research project proposal that fits the profile described, with a maximum length of 10 pages. The project may be presented to the Institute's community.
5. A work plan for the first year of employment, in accordance with the activities described in this call.
6. Two letters of recommendation with complete contact references, which must be received directly from the person providing the recommendation.

For more information, please send documentation digitally to: sec_academica@geociencias.unam.mx

Deadline to submit complete documentation: September 15, 2026. Applications for which not all documentation has been received by this date will not be considered.

It should be noted that this procedure does not constitute an Open Competitive Examination (Concurso de Oposición Abierto) for admission under the terms of the Academic Staff Statute of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and therefore the decision made regarding the hiring is final and not subject to appeal.