UCD PD Research Fellow Level 1, iCRAG,

Applications are invited for a temporary post of a Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1 within School of Earth Sciences - iCRAG.

Globally, the construction industry produces large volumes of undelivered/unused (returned) concrete; an alkaline material with significant potential for CO2 capture after processing. This iCRAG/SFI-funded post-doctoral researcher, working in collaboration with industry co-funder Silicate (

), will investigate the novel use of crushed returned concrete (CRC) as a soil amendment for the sequestration of atmospheric CO2 via accelerated weathering. Our pilot studies indicate that biogeochemical reactions in soils result in rapid weathering of some components of crushed concrete, resulting in conversion of soil-gas CO2 to stable, cation-balanced dissolved bicarbonate ions in soil solutions. The main objectives of the research to be carried out by the post-doctoral researcher will be to develop: (i) reliable methods to measure soil-to-atmosphere fluxes of greenhouse gases (mainly CO2) in amended and un-amended soils and (ii) geochemical models that permit calculations of CO2 sequestration rates and inorganic carbon mass-balances from the measured flux data and (iii) evaluate the extent to which measured changes in soil-to-atmosphere gas fluxes are mass-balanced with inferences from changes in soil-water dissolved inorganic carbon, taking reaction kinetics into account. The project will involve systematic field- and laboratory-based studies in Ireland to investigate the effect of several variables related to the material itself and the target soils.

Fixed Salary: €41,209 per annum

Closing date: 17:00hrs (local Irish time) on 4th January 2023.

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified.

Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time of 17:00hrs (Local Irish Time) on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system.

UCD are unable to accept late applications.

UCD do not require assistance from Recruitment Agencies.

Any CV's submitted by Recruitment Agencies will be returned.

Prior to application, further information (including application procedure) should be obtained from the Work at UCD website: https://www.ucd.ie/workatucd/jobs/