VLIZ : Researcher offshore palaeolandscape exploration Job Belgium area,Town of Belgium Wisconsin USA,Research/Development

Position: VLIZ recruits: Researcher offshore palaeolandscape exploration
Location: Town of Belgium

VLIZ recruits:
Researcher offshore palaeolandscape exploration

Join VLIZ and become part of the research group “Seascapes Past and Future” within our Research department.

The southwestern area of the North Sea contains the remains of a vast landmass that connected continental Europe with the British Isles during periods of sea-level lowstands. Usually referred to as “Doggerland”, the area would have been a heartland of human occupation and central to the process of re-settlement and colonisation of northwestern Europe during the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. Global warming at the end of the last Ice Age led to the inundation of these lost lands.

Today, the North Sea holds a unique and largely unexplored record of prehistoric settlement and colonization. Access to this archaeological resource is hampered by deep water and thick modern sediments. Whilst archaeological evidence has been recovered, it consists largely of ex-situ chance finds, with limited potential for understanding human settlement within the wider landscape. Within the SUBNORDICA project, and in close collaboration with colleagues from the UK (University of Bradford) and The Netherlands (TNO), VLIZ will assist in reconstructing the palaeolandscapes of the southern North Sea at a variety of geographical and temporal scales, using existing and newly acquired geophysical and geomorphological datasets.

This will provide key input for the partners involved in predictive and behavioural modelling and AI training sets in order to classify areas with archaeological potential and to assess their accessibility for investigation. The main task of VLIZ in the SUBNORDICA project concerns the analysis of existing offshore data (including commercial (oil/gas, windfarm) data), the collection and analysis of new geophysical and sedimentological data in the southern North Sea, and mapping of the top-Pleistocene (noneroded) surface and its attributes.

The research group 'Seascapes Past and Future' is expanding geological, geoarchaeological and geophysical research in the North Sea in close cooperation with domestic and foreign research institutes. For efficient exploration of the seabed and subsurface, the team is making maximum use of VLIZ's extensive infrastructure including the smart deployment of autonomous vessels.

OUR OFFER

We offer you a challenging job in the dynamic environment of the Innov Ocean Campus in Ostend.
A contract for 3 years, with the possibility of extension, and a competitive remuneration package based on the candidate's qualifications and experience according to the salary scales set forth by the Flemish Government on 01-01-2009.
Additional benefits: holiday allowance, end of year allowance, meal vouchers (€8 per day worked), bicycle allowance, free public transport between home and work.
A good work-life balance through a generous leave package and flexible working hours within a 38-hour working week.
The possibility to work partly from home (meaning from your legal home address in Belgium) after an induction period.
Opportunities for personal development (training).

YOUR TASKS

To work out an optimal approach/workflow for the interpretation of geophysical data and mapping of the (non-eroded) top Pleistocene surface, including characterization of its attributes;
To collate and analyze existing (legacy) geophysical and geological data;
To process, interpret and visualize new seismic and acoustic (2D) data;
To plan, perform and develop strategies for the acquisition of data at sea;
To assist with the collection, analysis and interpretation of sedimentological core data;
To construct paleo geographic maps at different scales;
To liaise with TNO for the access and analysis of Dutch survey data;
To liaise with the University of Bradford for the access and analysis of UK (mega) survey data;
To liaise with the University of Bradford and TNO for the input of data for (behavioural/predictive) modelling;
To participate in meetings and interact with SUBNORDICA partners;
To provide general support to the project including preparation of shiptime applications, (public) presentations, developing information for publication and media, and…