Undergraduate Research Assistant - Student Hourly

University of Kansas • Lawrence, KS

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Undergraduate Research Assistant will assist the Senior Scientist by processing rock samples, running analyses, and helping to prepare the data for the scientific abstracts and manuscripts. This role involves sample preparation, including processing rock specimens for geochemical analysis and separating zircon grains. It also includes conducting Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-IPC-MS) analyses and compiling geochemical data. A portion of the role will involve assisting with data synthesis and contributing to scientific publications.

Requirements

• Must have Junior status or higher at the Undergraduate level.
• Completed GEOL 591 (Paleoclimatology).
• Completed GEOL 360 (Field Investigation).
• Work experience in a laboratory in the Earth Sciences.
• Prior research or work experience with laboratory equipment used for the preparation and analysis of geological data.
• During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours.
• For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre-enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester.

Responsibilities

• Subsample rock specimens for geochemical analysis.
• Process samples to separate zircon grains.
• Pick, mount, and image zircon grains for U/Pb analyses.
• Conduct Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-IPC-MS) analyses of mounted zircon grains.
• Compile isotope geochemical data in project Excel spreadsheets.
• Assist supervisor with synthesis of isotopic data.
• Contribute to authorship of scientific abstracts and manuscripts.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level