Postdoc in Global Water Isotope Modelling,Utrecht University,Netherlands,UK

June 14, 2010

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Job description:

Transport of water vapor through the atmosphere is of crucial importance for life on earth and for climate. Water vapor provides rainwater to the continents, transports large amounts of energy from the tropics to higher latitudes, forms clouds and ice sheets, which are important for the radiative balance of the earth, and is itself the most important greenhouse gas. Therefore, the water cycle is studied in detail. In recent years, possible changes to the hydrological cycle in response to global warming have been suggested.

Detailed information about transport and the condensation history of water is available from isotope measurements and for decades the isotopic composition of precipitation has been used for hydrological cycle investigations. Very recently, also global scale isotope information on water vapor has become available from satellite observations. In collaboration between Utrecht University and SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, we have succeeded to retrieve water vapor HDO data from the SCIAMACHY instrument on ENVISAT. SCIAMACHY measures the total atmospheric column and (because of the strong vertical gradient of water concentrations in the atmosphere) is particular sensitive to water in the lowest atmospheric layer.

We now plan to use these and other new isotope observations to investigate aspects of the global water cycle. For this purpose, the candidate should develop an isotope module for the new earth system model EC-Earth in collaboration with scientists at the Dutch Royal Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and international partners. The new satellite datasets will then be used to diagnose and possibly improve the representation of the hydrological cycle in global models. This is important for assessing the water vapor feedback in a warming climate, and for the interpretation of isotope records, which are used to reconstruct past climate.

Qualifications:

We seek a strong and motivated young scientist who has already in-depth expertise with global models, preferably also regarding hydrological cycle and/or isotope modeling.

Terms of employment:

The candidate is offered a full-time position for 3 years at the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, The Netherlands, in collaboration with national and international partners.

The salary is supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8,3% per year. In addition we offer: a pension scheme, a partially paid parental leave, flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities. The research group will provide the candidate with necessary support on all aspects of the project.

Further details:

Additional information about this position can be obtained from Prof T. Röckmann, tel. +31 30 253 3858, e-mail: t.roeckmann@uu.nl. For more information about the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research Utrecht

How to apply

Please send your application including a letter of motivation and curriculum vitae, with reference to vacancy number 63008 to e-mail: Science.PenO@uu.nl.

The deadline for applications is 25 June 2010, or until a suitable candidate has been found.

For further details:

Scholarship Tags: Global, Isotope, Modelling, Netherlands, Postdoc, UK, University, Utrecht, water