Postdoctoral Research Associate

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Job Description

Department of Earth Sciences

Grade 7 :

- £38,784 to £41,064 per annum

Fixed Term
- Full Time

Working Arrangements :
Monday to Friday

19-Oct-2026, 10:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement :
Not Applicable.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in experimental earthquake mechanics to join the NERC-funded project "The Nucleation of Intermediate and Large Earthquakes", led by a team of researchers at Durham and Oxford University in collaboration with international partners. The project builds on a multidisciplinary approach combining laboratory experiments, observations of natural earthquakes and numerical modelling to develop new insights into earthquake nucleation.

The successful PDRA applicant will lead and contribute to laboratory experiments that investigate earthquake nucleation and examine how fault heterogeneities influence the transition from slow slip to dynamic rupture.

In addition, the PDRA will engage with the Oxford team to compare and integrate the seismological observations with the laboratory results.

The research has potential impact on earthquake hazard mitigation, including early warning and probabilistic forecasting.

The PDRA will be hosted by Durham University, Department of Earth Sciences, reporting to Prof. Stefan Nielsen.

The position offers an opportunity to broaden scientific expertise, develop new technical and collaborative skills, and build an international research profile while accessing highly specialised facilities and expertise.

• Design, conduct and analyse laboratory experiments addressing the project’s research objectives, including developing experimental methods where appropriate.
• Process, interpret and manage research data, and contribute to integrating laboratory results with seismological observations and numerical modelling.
• Plan and manage research activities and resources,…