Postdoctoral Positions

Postdoctoral Scientist, Carbon Cycling in the U.S. Rocky Mountains, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Posted 06/30/09

The Center for Climatic Research (CCR), Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison has an opening for a postdoctoral scientist beginning late summer/early fall 2009 to study how atmospheric trace gas observations can be used to better constrain the effects of drought, fire, and insect disturbance on land-atmosphere CO2 exchange in the U.S. Mountain West. The successful applicant will join an interdisciplinary team working on a NOAA-funded collaboration between CCR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research Earth Observing Laboratory (NCAR/EOL), and NOAA Earth Systems Research Lab (ESRL). A variety of tools including influence function mapping with dispersion models (Flexpart/STILT), boundary layer airmass characterization with mesoscale models (WRF), carbon cycle inverse modeling (CarbonTracker), and ecosystem modeling (SipNET) will be applied to explain variations in mountaintop and valley CO2 at ongoing observing sites in the Rocky Mountains. The postdoctoral scientist is expected to develop independent research within the objectives of the project. Involvement in field observations is also a possibility.

The appointment is for one year with up to two years extension based on progress and available funding. Qualified applicants should possess a Ph.D. in the atmospheric sciences or related field. Familiarity with scientific programming in Fortran or C and observational data analysis with IDL, Matlab, or similar tools is expected. Specific research experience with particle dispersion models, boundary layer meteorology, carbon cycle processes, inverse modeling, trace gas measurements, mountain ecology, and/or mesoscale atmospheric models in complex terrain are all highly desirable. The position will be based in Madison, WI, but regular travel to Boulder, CO and other locations is expected.

To apply, please send a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest with the names of three references to: Dr. Ankur Desai, desai@aos.wisc.edu by July 15, 2009. UW-Madison is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Postdoctoral Research Associate Opportunities at Brookhaven National Laboratory - Upton, New York
Posted 06/16/09

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is seeking several Postdoctoral Research Associates to join a new concerted effort for theoretical understanding, and development and evaluation of parameterizations, of the fast physics processes in global climate models. The new effort is jointly supported by the DOE Climate Change Prediction Program (CCPP), Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) and Atmospheric Science (ASP) programs, and will tackle these complex scientific problems in a coordinated way. Successful candidates would join a research team that consists of a consortium of leading investigators from multiple institutions.

All positions require a PhD in atmospheric sciences or related field. Close interactions among these positions and with scientists from BNL and other participating institutions, and willingness to work in a team environment are expected. Familiarity with aerosols, clouds, turbulence, radiation transfer, ARM, remote sensing and/or aircraft data, is highly desirable. Skills in mathematics and theoretical analysis are additional plus. The positions are open right now, and the initial appointment will be one year, with a conditional extension of one or two years.

Successful candidates would bring and/or develop expertise in one or more of the following areas:

GCMs (global climate models), especially their single column versions (SCMs)
WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model
Cloud-resolving and/or large eddy simulation models
Direct numerical simulation (DNS) models
Parcel model simulations
Parameterizations of microphysics, convection, and boundary layer processes
Metrics/approaches to evaluate model performance against observations
Data mining, pattern recognition, time series analysis, and visualization

Most positions will be located at BNL. One position each will be primarily located at GFDL, Princeton NJ (working with Dr. Leo Donner); University of Reading, UK (working with Dr. Robin Hogan) and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (working with Dr. Roel Neggers), with necessary visits to BNL.

For further information, please contact:
Yangang Liu
Atmospheric Sciences Division
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Bldg. 815E (75 Rutherford Dr.)
Upton, New York 11973
+631-344-3266 (Tel); 2887 (Fax)
Email: lyg@bnl.gov
See more on each position at http://www.bnl.gov/des

DFG Research Center at the University of Bremen, Germany - Fellowship
Posted 05/12/09

The DFG Research Center/Cluster of Excellence "The Ocean in the Earth System" (MARUM) at the University of Bremen, Germany aims at unraveling the significance of the oceans within the framework of global change, quantifies interactions between the marine geosphere and biosphere, and provides information for a sustainable use of the ocean.

With this announcement, up to two MARUM Fellowship awards are being offered. We seek enthusiastic and dynamic individuals with a demonstrated record in interdisciplinary marine research. Specific interests of MARUM are directed towards the understanding of (1) the role of the ocean in the climate system using especially paleoclimatological information in combination with Earth-system modeling, (2) geosphere-biosphere interactions, including gas and fluid seepage, life in extreme environments, as well as microbe-mineral interactions, and (3) sedimant dynamics, including the stability of ocean margins and sediment-dynamics in coastal and shelf-sea areas, please visit www.marum.de for more information. MARUM Fellows are expected to develop their own reaearch program within the scientific framework provided by MARUM. The Fellows will be integrated in a stimulating and supportive environment that provides ideal conditions for scientific growth.

Successful candidates should have received a PhD within the last five years in geosciences or a related field. Fellowships are initially limited to a term of two years and will start as soonm as possible. After a successful evaluation a prolongation by one year is possible. Salary and benefits are linked to the German employee scale TVL. International candidates are highly encouraged to apply. Applications should include CV, list of publications, research proposal and completed application form available from www.marum.de/Jobs.html In addition two letters of recommendation should be submitted by the referees directly to MARUM

Applications, letters of recommendation, and inquiries should be sent to Michael Schulz mschulz@marum.de Closing date is 5 June 2009.

As the University of Bremen intends to increase the proportion of female employees in science, women are particularly encouraged to apply

Desert Research Institute, Reno Nevada - Postdoctoral Fellow
Posted 04/07/09

The Desert Research Institute, Reno Nevada, is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated post doctoral research assocaite in Climate Modeling. The appointment is of one year duration expected to begin on 1 August 2009 and could be eextended fro two additional years based on performance and funding availability. The candidate will participate in and lead individual tasks within ongoing and future planned climate change modeling studies using climate data and global model results, developing and applying model downscaling techniques, and conducting high-resolution regional climate modeling. The study will focus on estimation of hydrological resources in the U.S. southwesr in light of future climate scenerios. It is expected that the candidate participate in data analysis, publication writing, and reporting. Candidates will be evaluated on communication skills, proposal and publication record, grant and contract activities, ability to work collaboratively and independently, and personal area of expertise that complements existing staff. There is a possibility for the candidate to be involved in the Atmospheric Sciences teaching program of the University of Nevada, Reno.

Significant opportunities exist for the candidates to develop their own research ideas and to persue additional external funding to investigate these ideas in addition to contributing to existing projects. This position is located at DRI's Northern Nevada Science Center in Reno, Nevada, but the successful candidate will be a part of a large multidisciplinary and multi-institutional team including DRI, the University of Nevada, Reno www.unr.edu and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas www.unlv.edu in conducting a 5-year NSF EPSCoR Project on Climate Change www.nevada.edu/epscor/programs-nsf.html that has just started

As the environmental research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education, DRI conducts cutting-edge research on land, air, life, and water quality across Nevada, the United States, and on every continent. With more than 500 employees and two main campuses in Reno, and Las Vegas, DRI generates nearly $50 million in total annual revenue. DRI's faculty members are untenured, entrepreneurial and responsible for their own salaries from external grants and contracts. This blend of academic rigor and private sector pragmatism has earned DRI a reputation for delivering rapid, high-quality environmental science in a businesslike fashion.

Required Education/Experience

Ph.D. in atmospheric science, environmental science, earth science, computer science, geophysics, engineering or other relevant disciplines
Experience in climate modeling, climate dynamics, hydrological modeling, ecological modeling, acquisition and analysis of large data sets, mesoscale modeling and forecasting, and microscale modeling
Ability to work collaboratively and productively with postdoctoral advisor and other faculty in an interdisciplinary environment
Ability to work independently
Demonstrated ability to perform research and publish resuls in the peer-reviewed literature
Excellent English language communication skills

Preferred Experience

Publication record of research involving observational and modeling studies relevant to climate
Experience with computational modeling and simulation
Programming skills in FORTRAN, Perl, C, C++ and operating systems UNIX, LINUX and Windows
Experience in analysis and graphical software MATLAB, IDL, GIS, and VIS5D
Experience in proposal development
Knowledge of web interfaces and experience with web programming

Salary Benefits
Salaries are competitive and commensurate with qualifications, with continued appointment being dependent on performance and availability of funding. DRI offers excellent benefits package.

Application/Review Process
To ensure full consideration applicants must submit

A cover letter describing your prior research experience
A statement of your career interests and goals
A current CV
Contact information for three professional references

Applications will be reviewed beginning 15 April 2009, but will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified

To apply send all required materials to:
Human Resources
Ref: Position #20-002
Desert Research Institute
2215 RAggio Parkway
Reno, NV 89512

OR Email MS Word or Adobe Acrobat compatible attachments to recruit@dri.edu OR fax materials to 775-673-7339

Postdoctoral Position in Regional Climate Modeling - at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Climatic Research (CCR)
Posted 04/07/09

The Center for Climatic Research (CCR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for a postdoctoral research position to investigate lake-effect snowstorms in the Great Lakes Basin. The postdoctoral researcher will be funded under the newly awarded NOAA grant, "Observed and Simulated Trends in Heavy Lake Effect Snow Events Across the Great Lakes Basin." The successful candidate will assess observed trends in heavy lake-effect snowstorms and run the ICTP RegCM3 regional model over the Great Lakes Basin. The model will be forced using both observed climate data and IPCC climate model output to assess the impact of climate change on the characteristics of heavy lake-effect snowfall events.

We are seeking candidates with a PhD in atmospheric science or related science discipline. The candidate should have experience in running climate models and analyzing results, publishing in scientific journals, presenting at national conferences, and using both fortran and data analysis / visualization software (e.g. NCL, Matlab, GrADS). Regional climate modeling experience (particularly using RegCM3) is ideal.

The position is available for up to two years, depending on the availability of funding and successful progress by the candidate. Starting salary is $40,000. The position provides for various health and other insurance benefits. For additional information on benefits, please see http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/hr/info/benefitschart.pdf

Applications should be submitted by May 15, 2009 and include a curriculum vitae, a state of research interests, and up to three professional references.

Please send the application either electronically or through postal mail to:

Dr. Michael Notaro mnotaro@wisc.edu, 608-261-1503
Center for Climatic Research
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1225 West Dayton Street, Room 1103
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Post Doctoral Research Associate - Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Posted 03/31/09

Position summary: We invite applicants for a Post Doctorate Research Associate to ensure a high degree of QA/QC and consistency of AmeriFlux measurements among and within network sites, and to lead and participate in network-wide syntheses of data. AmeriFlux is a network of ~90 sites in the Americas where the goals are to investigate carbon dioxide, water and energy exchange between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. The AmeriFlux objectives are to: 1) establish an infrastructure for guiding, collecting, synthesizing, and disseminating long-term measurements of CO2, water, and energy exchange from a variety of ecosystems; 2) collect critical new information to help define the current global CO2 budget; 3) enable improved predictions of future concentrations of atmospheric CO2; 4) enhance understanding of carbon fluxes, Net Ecosystem Production (NEP), and carbon sequestration in the terrestrial biosphere.

Responsibilities: The incumbent will have primary responsibility to conduct comparisons of eddy covariance measurements made with a portable system and instruments at the AmeriFlux sites, analyze the data and act as a liaison between the OSU QA/QC research lab and the site Principal Investigators. In consultation with the AmeriFlux Science Chair and supporting Steering Group, this includes development of protocols and QA/QC of EC data and ancillary physical and micrometeorological measurements for interpreting NEE and associated flux properties and processes. The person will assist in organizing workshops and the annual AmeriFlux meeting, contribute to reports to the agency, and participate in synthesis publications deemed important to addressing network science questions. The incumbent will travel extensively through the summer months, setting up the portable system next to existing tower instruments and making measurements for short durations at sites, analyze the data and provide reports to the Principal Investigators.

Required qualifications: The candidate must hold a PhD degree in biometeorology, micrometeorology, environmental physics, or similar field. Proven ability to conduct independent research, and to work as part of a scientific team. Experience in analysis, interpretation and synthesis of eddy covariance data. The candidate must also have demonstrated ability to work extensively thought the summer months at remote field sites with little or no supervision, and demonstrated ability to produce high quality publications. Must possess a valid driver's license to operate University vehicle(s).

Preferred qualifications: Tower experience desirable. A demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity. View posting for additional preferred qualifications.

Employment conditions: Full-time (1.0 FTE) 12-month, fixed term faculty position with reappointment at the discretion of the Department Head. Full-time annual salary starting at $42,000-$45,000 (U.S.) commensurate with education and experience. Medical, dental, and life insurance group plans are available.

For additional information: Contact Beverly Law, Search Committee Chair, Department of Forest Science, 328 Richardson Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5752. Email:bev.law@oregonstate.edu For questions regarding the application process, please contact: Jeannette Harper, email:jeannette.harper@oregonstate.edu phone: 541-737-6554.

Application procedure: When applying, qualified applicants will be required to upload a letter summarizing qualifications for the position, curriculum vitae, up to two examples of your senior authored publications, unofficial copies of transcripts of university work, and at least one letter of recommendation and the name, address, telephone number, and email address of 2 additional references by April 20, 2009. http://oregonstate.edu/jobs Posting Number: 0004009

Postdoc or PhD Position in the Working Group on Field Measurements and Modeling of the Institute of Physics and Meteorology, Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany
Posted 02/10/09

For more information regarding this position please visit: Postdoc/PhD Position

Postdoctoral Scientist in Atmospheric Climate Modeling - Pennsylvania State University
Posted 11/25/08

For more information please visit Pennsylvania State Post Doctoral Announcement