Context And Mission
This position is hosted by the Climate Variability and Change (CVC) Group within BSC’s Earth Science Department. The CVC Group undertakes fundamental research to (1) understand climate variability and change, including for climate extremes, (2) investigate global biogeochemical dynamics, and the effectiveness and impacts of carbon removal technologies to mitigate climate change, (3) developing new Earth System modeling capabilities, including at ground-breaking resolutions and (4) improving our ability to forecast climate variations and biogeochemical dynamics from one month to multiple decades into the future, both at global and regional scales.
The position offered is funded by the European projects RESCUE and OptimESM.
RESCUE will investigate the potential response of the Earth System to the stabilization of global mean temperature following the reduction of net emissions. The project will also assess the potential role and impacts of large-scale implementations of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) techniques in the achievement of net-zero emissions. OptimESM will develop a novel generation of Earth system models (ESMs), combining high horizontal resolution with an unprecedented representation of key physical and biogeochemical processes. These models will be used to deliver cutting-edge and policy-relevant knowledge about the consequences of reaching or exceeding different levels of global warming, including the risk of rapid change in key Earth system phenomena.
The applicant will work closely with scientists within the Climate Variability and Change group and the Computational Earth Science group of the Earth Sciences Department. This position will offer the opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary environment and to participate in two large European projects that would allow the successful candidate to establish an international network of collaborators.
Key Duties
- Leading the development of new representations of ocean-based CDR techniques in the EC-Earth ESM.
- Leading the analysis of new multi-model climate projections forced by scenarios that include CDR implementations, to assess their effectiveness and their potential negative effects on oceanic ecosystems.
- Leading the simulation design of global ocean observation systems that would be suitable for early detection of the collective effectiveness of CDR implementations and their potential negative effects on the ocean.
- Leading the validation of ocean biogeochemical variables of a new class of high-resolution Earth System Models.
- Leading research papers that will document the results obtained.
- Actively participate in project meetings and in relevant model development communities (EC-Earth, NEMO) and contribute to pursue new lines of funding.
Requirements
Education
- PhD in oceanography, atmospheric or climate science, or a related discipline
Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience
- Experience in ocean biogeochemistry/physics and/or climate modelling
- Proven ability to prepare and submit manuscripts to peer-reviewed scientific journals
- A demonstrated ability to process and analyse large datasets within the Earth Sciences domain.
- Scripting (e.g. bash, Python), programming (Fortran), data analysis and visualization software (e.g. CDO, NCO, R, Python)
Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience
- Interest and capacity in participating in the writing and, when possible, leading the preparation of research and computing proposals
- Knowledge of version control systems (git, svn…)
- Previous postdoctoral experience will be valued
Competences
- Fluency in spoken and written English
- Highly collaborative spirit and ability to work as part of a large, strongly-coordinated team and to continuously share both knowledge and tools
Conditions
- The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences Department
- We offer a full-time contract, a good working environment, a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, restaurant tickets, private health insurance, support to the relocation procedures
- Duration: Open-ended contract due to technical and scientific activities linked to the project and budget duration
- Salary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in Barcelona
- Starting date: Asap