Function
Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to work on modelling and remote sensing of polar firn over the Antarctic Ice Sheet? We currently offer a position for a postdoctoral researcher to work on model simulations of the firn layer in Antarctica, with a particular focus on perennial bodies of liquid water stored in the firn layer. By combining satellite observations with firn models, you will help to improve our understanding of Antarctic firn and surface meltwater.
You are expected to develop new methods that combine remote sensing with geophysical models. Also, you will be responsible for maintaining, developing and publishing up-to-date firn data products. These data are used by a large number of cooperating research groups worldwide, for firn characterization, satellite altimetry, and ice-sheet mass balance studies. You are therefore expected to collaborate intensively, both within our institute and abroad.
Ideally, you are able to start as soon as possible.
Profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic postdoc candidate. You hold a PhD degree at the start of the contract, that reflects your affinity with (polar) geophysical models, high-performance computing and programming, numerical modelling, remote sensing, and data analysis. You are keen to work in a team and with external collaborators.
Your background is in engineering, earth sciences, physics, or mathematics. You have proven to be able to combine geophysical models with remote sensing. Excellent writing and speaking in English is required for this position. You are a fast learner, curious and with a broad interest.
Offer
- a full-time position for three years (less than 1.0 FTE is negotiable);
- an inspiring, open minded and open research group;
- a job with national and international collaboration;
- a full-time gross salary ranging from €2,836 to €4,474 in scale 10;
- benefits including 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
- a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (cao).
In addition to the employment conditions laid down in the cao for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. For example, there are agreements on professional development, leave arrangements and sports. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment via the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we like to encourage you to continue to grow.
More information about working at the Faculty of Science can be found here.
About the Organization
The Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU) offers a unique research and teaching environment, in which the fundamentals of the climate system are studied. Research is organized in five themes: Atmospheric Dynamics, Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry, Coastal and Shelf Sea Dynamics, Ice and Climate and Oceans and Climate. In 2017, IMAU research quality and impact were qualified as ‘world leading’ by an international visitation committee. Currently, IMAU employs 15 faculty members and 10 support staff and about 20 Postdocs and 30 PhD candidates.
The Ice and Climate group at IMAU is an inspiring, high-quality and versatile research group focusing on ice sheets, sea level, and climate. The group is world-leading in the modelling of the ice sheet surface including firn, and maintains a dedicated network of automatic weather stations. Currently, our research group has 5 staff members, 10 Postdocs and 8 PhD candidates. For this project, we encourage and provide financial support for visits to conferences, workshops and summer schools, and we promote national and international exchange visits.
At the Faculty of Science there are 6 departments to make a fundamental connection with: Biology, Chemistry, Information and Computing Sciences, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Physics. Each of these is made up of distinct institutes that work together to focus on answering some of humanity’s most pressing problems. More fundamental still are the individual research groups – the building blocks of our ambitious scientific projects.
Utrecht University is a friendly and ambitious university at the heart of an ancient city. We love to welcome new scientists to our city – a thriving cultural hub that is consistently rated as one of the world’s happiest cities. We are renowned for our innovative interdisciplinary research and our emphasis on inspirational research and excellent education. We are equally well-known for our familiar atmosphere and the can-do attitude of our people. This fundamental connection attracts researchers, professors and PhD candidates from all over the globe, making both the university and the Faculty of Science a vibrant international and wonderfully diverse community.
Additional information
If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Peter Kuipers Munneke (p.kuipersmunneke@uu.nl).
Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to science.recruitment@uu.nl.
Apply
Everyone deserves to feel at home at our university. We welcome employees with a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives. If you have the expertise and the experience to excel in this role, then simply respond via the “Apply now” button! Please enclose:
- your letter of motivation;
- your curriculum vitae;
- the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least two references;
- a link to your PhD thesis if your publications do not sufficiently reflect your research work.
The first round of interviews will take place on 14 January 2022.
If this specific opportunity isn’t for you, but you know someone who may be interested, please forward this link to them.
Please note: Due to the current situation regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the process of selection and interviews is subject to change. Initial interviews will most likely be conducted online.
