ERC Project PollutedPast, led by Dr. Olalla López-Costas, aims to produce detailed data about human exposure to metal pollution during Roman and Medieval times in Iberia and Scandinavia, and compare with natural archives and contextual information. The team includes researchers of a wide variety of expertise as bioarchaeology, osteoarchaeology, paleography, paleoenvironment, isotope analyses. The project is based at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and secondarily at Dpt Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University, Sweden.
CRETUS institute is a CIGUS recognized institute because of its excellence in research https://cretus.usc.es/en/home-cretus/ .
MAIN TASK: to develop conjoint research on paleodiet, paleomobility and paleopollution by analysing Roman and Medieval Iberian sites.
Other tasks: to reconstruct diet during Roman and Medieval times in pilot areas, to reconstruct mobility using multi-isotopic approaches in pilot areas, to address mercury pollution in relation to diet and mobility with the help of PollutedPast team, to address intra- and inter-skeletal variation, to develop minor lab-tasks. She/he will develop links and collaboration with the other members of PollutedPast as well as leading her/him own publications.
How to Apply
How to apply: Send a complete CV + Motivation letter + Full contact details of 2-3 referees to Elena Brea elena.brea@usc.es including “Postdoctoral researcher Geochemistry” in subject line.
CV
The candidate is expected to have:
- PhD in the study of archaeological human/animal remains
- Extended abilities in writing international articles, and using English for research purposes
- Highly developed communication skills to engage effectively with a wide-ranging audience.
- Expertise in at least one of the following:
- Geochemical analyses based on elemental or spectroscopical composition: acquittance with elemental composition of bone and teeth, and/or as spectroscopic (FTIR) or mineralogic (XRD) signal; both, to address antemortem and postmortem changes including diagenesis
- Isotopic reconstruction of diet and/or mobility: acquittance with stable isotope methods and interpretations. It is expected that she/he is trained in laboratory techniques on bio-archaeological material (preparation of samples for C, N, S, O and/or Sr analyses). Some experience in incremental dentine is welcomed
- Hard tissue histology: extensive experience in hard tissue histology, including sample preparation, visualization and interpretation
Advantageous:
- Expertise in human remains basic analysis, e.g. anthropometry or paleopathology.
- Practical knowledge of new approaches applied to geochemistry.
- Experience with Roman or Medieval collections from Europe.
- Previous collaboration/work in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Knowledge of Spanish, Swedish and/or Galician languages.
Contact Information
For informal enquiries: please contact Olalla López Costas at olalla.lopez@usc.es