About the role

Overview

The Senior Scientist will work on understanding the implications for organic carbon pools when pH amending materials are applied to agricultural soils. The Senior Scientist’s primary goal will be to quantify soil-air greenhouse gas fluxes post amendment, and work to minimize fluxes caused by rapid soil pH adjustment. The research position will be based in our Dublin lab and will involve regular visits to local fields sites as well as some international travel.

Research focus

Understanding the potential impacts of soil amendments on existing organic carbon pool of soils and organic/inorganic carbon pool interactions is critical for optimal use of mineral and rock-based enhanced weathering for carbon dioxide removal. Essential technical skills include methods for the quantification of soil carbon pools and assessment of their stability and recalcitrance in the presence of inorganic soil amendments that cause rapid increases in soil pH. The successful candidate is likely to have a soil science or relevant biological and/or earth science background with research experience in some or all of the following: soil chemistry, soil nutrients, plant-soil interactions, soil mesocosm experiments, soil microbiology, geomicrobiology, and field- and mesocosm-based soil-atmosphere gas flux (CO₂) measurements using chamber methods. Experience in methods to characterize the recalcitrance of different soil organic pools (e.g., carbon isotopes, radiocarbon measurements) and associated modelling approaches would be an advantage. 

Requirements

Key responsibilities

• Establish an extensive soil-gas flux measurement programme (CO₂, N₂O, CH₄)

• Measurement of soil parameters related to the soil organic carbon quantity and quality

• Experience with interpretation and statistical upscaling of soil-gas flux measurements

• Development of novel methods for time-integrated soil-to-air gas flux measurements

• Familiarity with methods for soil microbial characterization and microbial functionality

• Development of models to quantify rates of organic matter destabilization in soils

• Liaising with landowners to ensure safe access to sites

Required qualifications

• PhD in soil science or related subject with mandatory gas-flux measurement expertise

• Excellent understanding of fertilisers and their impact on soils

• Excellent geospatial and GIS skills

• Adaptability and ability to work in a dynamic environment

While we are looking for someone with these skills, you do not need to have all of the listed qualifications to be a brilliant addition to our team. If you have not worked on this specific research topic, but feel that your expertise could help us to push the frontier on this breakthrough carbon dioxide removal research, please consider applying.

About Silicate

Silicate is a terrestrial enhanced weathering company headquartered in Ireland, with operations in the US and Ireland. We remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via the acceleration of a natural geological process – the weathering of silicate, carbonate and hydroxide minerals contained in milled surplus concrete that is added to soils as an alkaline amendment. Our pioneering work measuring weathering and carbon removal in the field has given us valuable insights into the measurement of carbon drawdown from enhanced weathering, and clear visibility on how to reliably and safely scale the pathway to become a genuine carbon dioxide removal solution.

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