Open Position: Ocean/Ice Climate Modeller – Deadline 06 February 2022

Background

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Its skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet.

The Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing ice, causing sea-level rise, and has a highly uncertain future trajectory. As part of a large UK-wide collaboration, we have recently produced the first projections of Antarctic ice-sheet evolution using a dynamic ice sheet within a global climate model (the UK Earth System Model). BAS scientists have led the ocean modelling within this collaboration, since ocean melting of floating ice shelves is the major forcing of the ongoing ice-sheet change.

We now wish to recruit a 5-year ocean modelling position to lead our future work on coupled climate—ice sheet evolution. The postholder will use coupled ocean—ice sheet (NEMO and BISICLES) and global climate—ice sheet (UKESM) models to investigate the climatic forcing of ice-sheet evolution on centennial timescales.

This work will be conducted as part of a wider project including 8 NERC centres and the Met Office, studying many aspects of future climate change. The postholder will lead a programme of science in collaboration with oceanographers at BAS, climate modelling experts at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and ice-sheet modellers at the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling.

Informal enquiries about the post are very welcome and should be addressed to Professor Paul Holland (p.holland@bas.ac.uk)

Purpose

Investigate controls over sea-level rise from the Antarctic Ice Sheet using ocean modelling within coupled climate and ice-sheet models.

Qualification

PhD in physics, maths or similar discipline, or equivalent experience.

Duties

• Investigate sea-level rise from Antarctica on centennial (to 2100) and multi-centennial (to 2300 and 2500) time scales.
• Investigate the potential for rapid sea-level rise through ice-shelf collapse.
• Lead the development and maintenance of ocean components of Antarctic ocean—ice sheet (NEMO—BISICLES) and global climate–ice sheet (UKESM) models.
• Maintain a strong record of publication in high-quality journals and presentation at international conferences.
• Represent BAS at UKESM meetings and within the BAS/NCAS/CPOM/Met Office collaboration.

Communication skills

• Proficient in English language – Essential
• Strong track record of publication in top-quality journals – Essential
• Regular presentation at international conferences – Essential

Computer / IT skills

• Experience of Linux – Essential
• Experience of compiled parallel code (e.g. Fortran) – Essential
• Experience of interpreted code (e.g. Python) – Essential

Decision Making

• Able to set own priorities and manage time effectively – Essential

Interpersonal skills

• Able to work as part of a UK-wide team – Essential
• Able to represent BAS effectively at project meetings – Essential

Numerical ability

• Experience in the numerical solution of partial differential equations – Essential

Qualifications

• PhD in physics, maths or similar discipline, or equivalent experience. – Essential

Skills / Experience

• Practical experience in the development and running of ocean models – Essential
• Knowledge of polar climate science – Desirable [3]
• Experience of coupled ocean/ice sheet modelling – Desirable [3]
• Experience of running UK models (NEMO, BISICLES, UKESM) – Desirable [3]

Please quote reference for any queries: BAS 22/33
Publication date: 18 January 2022
Closing date for receipt of application forms is: 6 February
Interviews are scheduled for: 22 February