Postdoc in modelling of early prokaryote evolution and interaction earth geodynamics

The National Centre of Competence in Research NCCR Genesis is a research infrastructure project funded by SNSF focussing on exploring the emergence of life in the Universe. This interdisciplinary research infrastructure brings together physicists, earth and planetary scientists, chemists and biologists to understand the conditions and the mechanisms that enable life to emerge. Developing reliable methods to detect reliable traces of life (biosignatures), whether through remote sensing or direct onsite measurements, requires significant innovation.

These challenges demand close collaboration across physics, biology, chemistry and the earth sciences. NCCR Genesis does not aim to provide answers in all fields, but to drive innovative research and achieve decisive progress.

Details on NCCR Genesis are available on the website.

NCCR Genesis is deeply committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. Our aim is to cultivate a respectful and fair work culture with equal access to professional development and support for all. We strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups. In the context of this project, we are looking for a 2-years fully funded postdoctoral candidate.

How did the earliest forms of life evolve, and how did their evolution interact with the changing physical and chemical environment of the early Earth? This project investigates the co-evolution of life and the Earth system over geological timescales, with a particular focus on the major transitions in energy metabolism of early prokaryotic life. The emergence and succession of different energy metabolisms was likely allowed by changing earth surface conditions.

It is unclear which metabolic strategies were most likely to have emerged first, and how shifting environmental conditions may have determined major metabolic transitions in Earth's history. The project will couple models of prokaryotic evolution and energy metabolism with existing and newly developed geodynamic simulations of the early Earth. These simulations will explore how mantle dynamics, lithospheric rheology, surface relief, weathering, CO2 fluxes, palaeogeography, atmosphere, and climate evolved as the Earth cooled.

Beyond environmental triggers, the project aims to investigate the environmental transformation caused by these innovations. The evolution of organisms capable of autotrophic carbon fixation, for example, may have altered carbon and nutrient cycling, atmospheric composition, oxygen availability, and ultimately the conditions under which subsequent forms of life could evolve. Further attention will be given to how different geodynamic regimes may create environmental conditions that promote, delay, or prevent major evolutionary transitions.

The project will explore a range of planetary and geodynamic scenarios, including early Earth conditions, or stagnant-lid. The resulting changes in tectonics, topography, surface processes, atmospheric composition, climate, and habitability will be linked to evolutionary models to determine when metabolic transitions are likely to occur. The project will contribute to understanding how planets and life co-evolve and how biological activity can fundamentally reshape planetary conditions.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will develop and implement an interdisciplinary research programme investigating the evolution of early prokaryotic life in its geodynamic and climatic context. You will work at the interface of evolutionary biology, molecular evolution, geodynamics, Earth-system science, and planetary habitability.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Building up on existing modeling of anerobic autotrophs and heterotrophs (Sauterey et al 2020, Nasreldine et al in prep) to design a model simulating assemblages of metabolic communities as a function of global and local chemical and physical conditions.
• Building up on existing models of carbon and nutrient cycling and atmospheric evolution during the Archean (Affholder et al., 2025; Affholder et al in prep) to investigate how evolving geophysical and geochemical processes may have constrained or have been affected by evolving early metabolic assemblages.
• Using outputs geodynamic simulations as constrains of geophysical and geochemical processes to investigate how varying planetary conditions (different lithospheric strength, interior density profiles, mantle rheology) may facilitate or hinder certain evolutionary transitions in early metabolisms.
• Using these models to explore how biological evolution can alter planetary conditions and potentially drive systems toward alternative stable states
• Communicating research findings through scientific publications, presentations at international conferences, and collaboration with project partners

The position offers scientific independence, while providing the opportunity to collaborate closely with researchers working on evolutionary biology, geodynamics, climate, and planetary science. The position is…