Romain Vaucher

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🚨 PhD Opportunity in Palaeoclimate Sedimentology 🌍

Tracking fluvial responses to climate fluctuations in the Late Triassic Bowen Basin, Australia

Project Background

The discovery of unique Late Triassic vertebrate fauna, comprising mainly archosaurs, amphibians, and stem-mammals, in the Bowen Basin (Queensland, Australia) presents a rare opportunity to investigate the environmental and climatic conditions that shaped biodiversity and fossil preservation during this period. These fossil assemblages are preserved within continental fluvial successions deposited during one of the most dramatic climate events of the Mesozoic: the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE).

While fossil diversity and geochronology are currently being refined, only a broad-scale stratigraphic framework exists. Detailed sedimentological and geochemical studies remain lacking. The CPE was a global episode of intensified rainfall, linked to major shifts in vegetation, sediment supply, and river discharge. These changes likely had profound effects on both ecosystems and the processes of fossil burial and preservation, yet their sedimentary expression in Eastern Australia remains poorly understood.

Beyond refining the environmental context of this vertebrate fauna, the project aims to reconstruct ancient river responses to greenhouse climate conditions, offering broader insights into climate-landscape-biodiversity interactions.

Project Focus

This PhD project will investigate how river dynamics (e.g., planform, discharge, sedimentation style) evolved during the CPE and how these changes influenced the distribution, and preservation of Late Triassic biodiversity. The research will be based on fieldwork in central Queensland and the analysis of core material drilled by industry, archived at the Queensland Government Core Library in Brisbane. In addition to its palaeoenvironmental scope, the project will also inform basin evolution and aspects relevant to sediment-hosted resource potential. Geochemical analyses (major and trace elements) and isotope studies (e.g., C, Li) will be conducted using cutting-edge facilities at the Advanced Analytical Centre (AAC), including EPMA, IRMS, LA-ICP-MS, and MC-ICP-MS at James Cook University (JCU), Townsville. 

The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary research team within the Earth and Environmental Science group at JCU and receive expert training in sedimentology (Dr. Romain Vaucher), palaeontology and geochronology (Dr. Espen Knutsen), geochemistry (Dr. Alex McCoy-West).

Please note: Fieldwork will involve extended periods camping in remote areas without phone reception or standard facilities.

Scholarship Details

Duration: 3.5 years

Stipend: AUD $34,002.50 per annum (tax-free, full-time, indexed annually)

Location: James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Eligibility Criteria: https://www.jcu.edu.au/policy/academic-governance/research-education/higher-degree-by-research-requirements

Applications

We are seeking highly motivated candidates who possess:

• A completed or eligible Bachelor’s degree with First or Upper Second Class Honours, a Master’s degree, or equivalent in Earth Sciences or a related field

• A strong academic background in sedimentology and/or geochemistry (experience in palaeosol analysis is an advantage)

• Fieldwork experience

• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken
  
  
• A comprehensive CV (max 2 pages), including academic achievements, research experience, key skills, publication list, and contact information for two academic referees.
  
  
• A cover letter (max 2 pages) outlining your motivation and how your background aligns with the project.

For enquiries, please contact: Dr. Romain Vaucher romain.vaucher@jcu.edu.au

To apply, please email the following documents as a single PDF by the 30th of September 2025 to romain.vaucher@jcu.edu.au:

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Graduating as a geoscientist with a BSc and MSc from the University of Geneva (Switzerland), I obtained my PhD in sedimentology from the University of Lyon (France). Since then, I have held postdoctoral positions at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina), Simon Fraser University (Canada), and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), before becoming a Research Associate at the University of Geneva. I am now a Senior Lecturer in Sedimentology at James Cook University (Australia). Throughout my academic journey, I have developed extensive expertise in sedimentology, stratigraphy, ichnology, and palaeontology of continental to marine systems through my research.

My work covers a wide temporal range (Palaeozoic, Cenozoic, and modern), geological settings (passive and active sedimentary basins), and geographical locations (Australia, Argentina, Bahamas, Canada, China, France, Madagascar, Morocco, Spain, and Taiwan). In short, my research focuses on the dynamics of sedimentary systems—both ancient and modern—and their response to (paleo)climate fluctuations. I aim to track how these fluctuations affect sedimentary processes at various scales, from bedform development at small scales to basin fill at larger scales, and explore their impact on the distribution and preservation of (paleo)biota within these systems. You can find additional information on my website. 

Are you interested in a research project in sedimentology? Widely regarded as one of the best tools for unraveling Earth's surface history, this research is available at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. Whether you're looking for an undergraduate, master's, PhD, or postdoctoral project, feel free to reach out to me at romain.vaucher@jcu.edu.au. I’m always happy to discuss potential topics!