Professor of Carbon Storage

The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) seeks applicants with a strong research profile in geology and/or related fields with expertise in carbon deposition and carbon interaction with the surroundings in the subsurface to fill a new full professor position.

You are expected to contribute to GEUS’ overall strategy by strengthening our knowledge on how carbon occurs, how it circulats in natural porcesses and over what time scales it is stable in different forms, geologically and biologically. GEUS investigates and maps soils and sediments to evaluate carbon content and investigate the potential for subsurface carbon storage. Moreover, GEUS investigates possibilities for future monitoring of geological reservoirs and seal capacity, for safe subsurface carbon storage. Development and application of new, innovative methods for field data collection and sample analysis in our laboratories, within core experiments and organic geochemistry and petrography, as well as optimised data analysis and simulation modelling, continuously contribute to advancement of the research field, and the professor is expected to play a central role in this context.

You are expected to promote our ideas, competences and concepts to the surrounding world, to deliver research output at a high international level, and to successfully obtain funding for and lead larger research projects. Moreover, the position aims at strengthening and profiling our research, public sector consultancy and advisory activities.

The position is in the Department of Geo-energy and Storage, which is located at GEUS’ main office in Copenhagen.

Job description
The candidate is expected to establish and further develop a strong and coherent research environment in the Department of Geo-energy and Storage, which closely cooperates with the other departments in GEUS as well as with Danish universities and relevant international research institutions. Many of GEUS’ activities in this research field are focused on Denmark, Greenland and surrounding areas.

Candidates for professorships at GEUS must have a strong research profile in the field and have a strong publication track record in international research journals with high impact in the research field. Moreover, candidates are expected to have played and have the ambition to play a key role in advancing the research field, for example by taking part in organisation of international conferences and by editing relevant journals and/or book series.

Research activities are to a large extent dependent on external funding. GEUS has a strong tradition for attracting research funding from e.g. Danish research councils, the European Commission, private foundations and authorities. GEUS also leads and acts as partner in internationally funded research projects such as EU Horizon projects. Professors at GEUS should have a strong track record of research funding and play a leading role in research funding application and project management.

Professors at GEUS are expected to set the direction for GEUS’ research within their field of expertise and related fields to develop and advance research and make new ideas thrive in an open and welcoming research environment. Furthermore, professors at GEUS play an active role in career planning for early career scientific staff and take responsibility for the education of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. They are also expected to have a collaborative spirit and actively engage with other professors, project managers and staff to contribute to a dynamic research environment. Moreover, professors may become members of GEUS’ research committee and act as sparring partners for management decisions on strategic planning and hiring plans for scientific staff.

GEUS is an independent research institution under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. GEUS provides research-based public sector consultancy for Danish governmental institutions and research-based advice to private companies. Professors are expected to either take part in such public sector consultancy and advice or to act as sparring partners for colleagues and management in such matters.

Your qualifications
We seek candidates with an excellent international profile who has visions and ideas for developing the research field. Consideration will be given to your international network, your ability to engage and motivate staff, as well as your openness, drive and interpersonal skills.

You are experienced in creating and establishing research projects with different partners, obtaining external funding, and in leading and managing large research projects.

Experience with supervising of MSc, PhD students and early careers researchers are a prerequisite.

We also expect you to have experience with fieldwork, and public sector consultancy and advisory activities (or similar).

The Department of Geo-energy and Storage
We carry out energy-related geoscientific tasks in cooperation with the other energy departments at GEUS, namely Department of Geophysics and Sedimentary Basins and Department of Geochemistry.

We offer research and research-related consulting to companies within exploration and production of energy supply in Denmark as well as underground storage.

Our focus is CO₂ and energy storage, geothermal energy in Denmark, and unconventional resources.

The Department of Geo-energy and Storage is made up of experienced and dedicated staff of high, internationally recognised standard in the abovementioned scientific fields.

The department also acts as consultant for the Danish Energy Agency, which manages the state’s supervision of the Danish energy sector. The tasks are related to field structure, field delineation, reservoir properties, resource evaluation, migration of reservoir fluids, etc.

Our main focus is to describe and predict the development of reservoir rock properties and their fluid flow. This is primarily done through activities under the following topics:

• Carbon circulation in natural processes
• Reservoir modelling within fluid flow, geomechanics, etc.
• Experimental laboratory research within reservoir flow
• Organic geochemistry and petrography

We offer:

• A creative and interdisciplinary research environment
• A lively and informal work environment with talented and dedicated colleagues
• A family-friendly workplace with flexible working hours
• An active social environment, including a staff association and an art society
• Fitness centre with physiotherapy at the workplace

Salary and conditions of employment
The position as Professor is permanent. Terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreements between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the relevant, eligible trade union. Supplements can be negotiated according to skills. The appointment area is the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities and its institutions. The Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities considers diversity to be an asset and invites anybody interested, regardless of gender, age, religion or ethnicity, to apply for the position.

Further information
A full description of the position can be obtained from the Head of Department, Charlotta Jenny Lüthje, telephone +45 91 33 39 74, e-mail [email protected], or Deputy Director, Lars Nielsen, telephone +45 91 33 38 70, e-mail [email protected]. International applicants can read more about living and working in Denmark here: http://eng.GEUS.dk/about/jobs/

Application
The application is to be written in English and should include a letter of motivation, your PhD diploma and CV, a complete publication list with 1) a separate indication of peer reviewed journal papers and 2) an indication of publications where you have either been the lead or senior author.

The application shall include the relevant academic works that you wish to be included in the professor assessment (max. 10). Please also enclose other material that can document your research and teaching qualifications. You are requested to include a 2-3-page account that refers to your most important academic work with relevance to the position. Finally, you are encouraged to make a one-page explanation of your plans for the development of the field. In addition to the material that you wish to include for the assessment, the assessment committee can choose to include further material in their evaluation. It is your responsibility to send the material to the committee upon request.

It is mandatory to include your updated ResearcherID and/or ORCID, which will be used to assess the publication record in Web of Science. Any recently accepted or submitted publications can be added separately to a list of publications.

Your application must be with GEUS no later than 12.00 midday (Danish time), 10 January 2024.

Please, send your application via GEUS’ website under Jobs.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

The appointment procedure
GEUS’ Managing Director appoints an expert assessment committee consisting of a chair and two or four external researchers at professor level. The assessment committee will make an individual evaluation of the candidate’s academic qualifications for the position advertised.

Then GEUS’ Managing Director appoints an appointment committee consisting of a Deputy Director, the Head of Department, representatives of the department and a representative from HR. The appointment committee decides which of the qualified candidates they want to call for a job interview. After the interviews, the appointment committee prepares a priority list for the Director. The procedure is in accordance with “Circular on the appointment and assessment of academic staff at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland”, Sections 4 and 7.

Kilde: Jobnet.dk