Project description and aim

Efforts to find very old, continuous ice records (>1 Ma) have so far mostly focused on deep drilling efforts, in which very old ice is typically found at depths of several kilometers under the surface of the ice sheet. An alternative approach consists of sampling ice in blue ice areas, where old ice is directly redirected towards the surface of the ice sheet. 

In the FROID project (funded by the Belgian Science Policy Office), we plan to make use of the exceptional location of Princess Elisabeth Station in Antarctica (PEA) in our quest to find old ice. More specifically, the PEA is situated in the direct vicinity of many blue ice areas, some which hold the potential to contain very old ice at their surface and at shallow depths. In our attempt to find old ice, we will combine existing field and remote sensing measurements with new data that we will collect in the field (including radar surveys and absolute dating) and combine this with numerical modeling to establish a chronology for the various blue ice areas in the region. Based on this comprehensive analysis, we aim to (i) establish a framework to estimate the age of ice in blue ice areas in Antarctica, and (ii) identify an ideal drilling location for a shallow ice core. As a postdoctoral scientist, you would be at the center of this exciting interdisciplinary effort, by guiding efforts to combine numerical ice flow modelling, various types of existing field measurements, and/or remote sensing observations. The position may include joining one of the Antarctic fieldwork campaigns, although this is not a necessity. For more questions about the project or the position, please contact Francois Fripiat (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Harry Zekollari (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Frank Pattyn (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

What are we looking for?

·         An enthusiastic, motivated, and independent person, with good communication skills

·         Strong background in geosciences, engineering, maths, physics, or related field 

·         Working collaboratively with team members and national and international partners 

What do we offer?

·         A fully-funded postdoc position (2 years), with competitive salary and other advantages (pension scheme, public transport to/from work, health insurance)

·         A position that directly connects the two universities in Brussels, Belgium (Université libre de Bruxelles and Vrije Universiteit Brussel), enabling you to collaborate with national and international colleagues

The starting date of the position is flexible, but ideally somewhere between October 2023 and early 2024. 

Are you interested in joining us on this scientific journey? If so, please send your application before August 15 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This application should consist of a single PDF document that includes a (i) motivation/cover letter (max. 2 pages), (ii) contact details of two references, and (iii) your CV (including publication list).