Weekly Job offers January 24, 2018
Weekly Job Offer postings 24/01/2018
PhD/Postdoc positions
1. PhD project on hydrological climate change impact modeling at Uppsala University, Sweden.
We are recruiting a PhD candidate in Environmental Assessment at the Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University (Sweden). The position is part of a recently started research project funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR). The goal of the project is to fill existing knowledge gaps in hydrological climate change impact studies. We will strengthen the basis for robust projections of future climate change impacts on hydrological conditions by developing new dynamic and multi-dimensional methods to reduce uncertainties. The project is a close multidisciplinary collaboration of experts within climatology, hydrology and environmental research. The candidate will be expected to collaborate closely with the project partners. Tasks include among others the improvement of methods for correcting biases in climate model output and the analysis/evaluation of different hydrological model structures and parameterization techniques.
Further details: http://uu.se/en/about-uu/join-us/details/?positionId=183123
Applications will be open until 31 January 2018 and should be made online.
2. Postdoctoral Research Assistant position within the INNOMED project.
The position is currently open in the Erosion and Soil and Water Evaluation (EESA) lab at Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD-CSIC) in Zaragoza (Spain), with an immediately available start date.
The applicant filling this position is expected to actively advance research on projects related to numerical simulation of the continental water cycle for water resources assessment and/or remote sensing of agricultural and forest systems (crop classification and monitoring). The applicant filling this position is expected to contribute to writing research publications, grant applications, and research progress reports, as well as helping with the research project’s managerial tasks and having an active role in the project’s meetings. Applicants should (i) have a Ph.D in Physics, Geology, Physical Geography, Forestry, Agriculture, or a related field; (ii) have a background in hydrology, remote sensing, and / or agriculture; (iii) be self-motivated and able to conduct experiments independently; and (iv) possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. Previous experience in numerical modelling or statistical analysis and good programming skills are highly desired.
If interested, please send a CV, contact information for three references, and a brief statement about your qualifications for the position and your career goals to santiago.begueria@csic.es.
3. Post-doctoral Position in Modeling of Managed Aquifer Recharge in the Mississippi Embayment
The University of California, Davis is seeking applicants for a postdoctoral research associate to model managed aquifer recharge in the Central Valley, California. Applicants are sought for a project supported by the USDA ERS at the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at the University of California, Davis. The selected candidate will develop and test numerical modeling scenarios to evaluate the impact of different managed aquifer recharge scenarios on surface water and groundwater resources in the Mississippi Embayment aquifer system, specifically the eastern Arkansas and western Mississippi region. The modeling results will be used to inform economic analyses of the direct and indirect costs/benefits of managed aquifer recharge programs within the Central Valley, California. Competitive applicants should have experience with MODFLOW 6 and/or MODFLOW OWHM, demonstrate excellent written and oral communication and numerical modeling.
Please apply by sending your 1) CV including listings of publications, awards, and relevant laboratory, field and computer/modeling skills, 2) a copy of your PhD diploma, 3) a cover letter discussing your key modeling and experimental qualifications, research interest and motivations for this position, and 4) names and contact information for three potential references to Dr. Helen Dahlke (hdahlke@ucdavis.edu). Applications will begin being reviewed on February 15, 2018.
4. Postdoctoral researcher in Forest hydrology
Project : Modelling present and future conditions of water stress in the temperate forests of Quebec, Canada
Description: Water stress has been identified as one of the main factors behind the decline of forests at the global level. In southern Quebec (Canada), climate change scenario projects an increased in the frequency of summer drought events which will translate into a decrease in soil water content. The Outaouais region will be particularly affected by this reduction in soil moisture which will have repercussions on tree species with a low tolerance for water stress such as sugar maple and yellow birch. The objective of this project is to model present and future conditions of soil moisture at a fine enough resolution to guide forest management.
With the land surface model CLASS 3.6, the postdoctoral researcher will model soil water content in offline mode under present and future climate conditions. High-resolution climate projections will be used. Using results of simulations, an assessment of the duration, intensity and timing of water stress conditions will be performed as well as an assessment of environmental conditions (vegetation and sol type, topography) associated with climate vulnerability. Finally, the postdoctoral researcher will also be in charge of installing and maintaining a hydrometeorological station that will collect data for the validation phase of the project.
Period: The project will start in the winter or spring 2018 et will last two years.
Supervision: This project is supervised by Audrey Maheu (UQO-ISFORT) in collaboration with Daniel Houle (Ouranos et MFFP).
Work environment: The postdoctoral researcher will be based at the Institut des sciences de la forêt tempérée (ISFORT), a research institute affiliated with the Université du Québec en Outaouais and located in Ripon (Quebec, Canada). The ISFORT bring together a dynamic and multidisciplinary (forest ecology, sylviculture, animal ecology, soil ecology, environmental genomics, hydrology) team in order to study processes governing the functioning of temperate ecosystems.
Experience: We are looking for a candidate who holds a PhD and has experience in programming (Matlab or R) as well as in the use of large datasets. The following items will also be considered as an asset: experience in the use of hydrological or land surface models, experience in the use and processing of climate projections, and/or experience in the installation of hydrometeorological stations in the field.
Candidate interested in the position can submit their application (motivation letter, CV and name of two references) by February 9, 2018 to audrey.maheu@uqo.ca. The evaluation of applications will continue until the position is filled.
5. A graduate research associate (Ph.D.) position is available in the School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri
Position for a USDA funded project to quantify the spatial variability of soil greenhouse gas emissions in river floodplains as impacted by conventional and alternative land use management systems. This is a collaborative project between University of Missouri Columbia and Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO.
Designing and implementing resilient land use systems are essential to counter the effects of climate change in river floodplains that are subjected to frequent extreme weather events. Alteration of the hydrological cycle and frequent flooding (with associated deposition of sand and silt) can influence various soil properties. It is essential to develop a better understanding of how such events influence emissions of greenhouse gases with higher frequency of predicted extreme weather events due to global warming and climate change. Research will emphasize the investigations of i) in-situ variations in GHG emissions among different land use systems, ii) impact of flooding to better understand how each land use system will be influenced by frequent extreme flooding using laboratory incubation, and iii) compare the soil microbial communities in-situ and in response to the flood treatments.
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Sougata Bardhan (bardhans@missouri.edu) or Dr. Peter Motavalli (motavallip@missouri.edu). Completed application materials will be due immediately. Information on application procedure can be accessed at http://snr.missouri.edu/grad/seas-how-to-apply.php
6. The Department for Geodesy and Geoinformatics of HafenCity University in Hamburg is offering a position for a PhD candidate in the context of using GRACE data for hydrology.
The project will be part of the DFG Research Unit "Understanding the global freshwater system by combining geodetic and remote sensing information with modeling using a calibration/data assimilation approach" (Global CDA). This temporary position has a duration of (initially) three years, starting as soon as possible. The topic of the PhD project will be the use of GRACE satellite gravity data for improving our under- standing of the global terrestrial water cycle. Together with eight other European research groups from remote sensing/geodesy and hydrological modeling, it will be part of the interdisciplinary DFG re- search unit GlobalCDA (Understanding the global freshwater system by combining geodetic and re- mote sensing information with modelling using a calibration/data assimilation approach). The specific tasks of the PhD student at HCU will be (1) the generation of optimized GRACE data sets including specific uncertainty information to be used for hydrological model calibration and data assimilation and (2) the development of methods for the validation of model results against independent data sets (e.g. groundwater levels, soil moisture data). The project will be co-supervised by Dr. Laurent Longuevergne (University of Rennes, France) and will offer the possibility for temporary research visits in France.
For questions and further information, do not hesitate to contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Annette Eicker (email: annette.eicker@hcu-hamburg.de or phone: +49 (0) 40 42827-5216). Please send your complete application (including CV, cover letter, copies of relevant certificates), not later than February 15, 2018 (preferably by email as one single PDF file) to: bewerbung@vw.hcu-hamburg.de
7. Graduate assistantship Sustainable Solutions for Pesticide Management
A Ph.D. assistantship is available starting Summer/Fall 2018 in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES) at Virginia Tech. SPES offers ample resources for student research in sustainable agro-ecosystem management, including extensive laboratory and field equipment, opportunities to collaborate with a wide variety of colleagues within and beyond Virginia Tech, and access to a wide variety of natural and managed ecosystems for study. Candidates will: 1) conduct field experiments at plot to landscape scales, 2) evaluate and engineer strategies to mitigate pesticide movement and bioavailability in soils using field- and lab-based methods, and/or 3) predict pesticide fate and transport using numerical modeling approaches. Candidates will engage with collaborators and stakeholders to conduct research and communicate findings. Students will also have the opportunity to interact with the Virginia Tech Global Change Center (http://www.globalchange.vt.edu/) including potential participation in the Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program. An academic record of excellence in environmental science, environmental or civil engineering, or other related field is required, while proficiency in written expression is essential. Experience in field studies and strong quantitative skills are preferred. For more information about this position, please contact: Dr. Ryan Stewart, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. E-mail: rds@vt.edu or Phone: (540) 231-0253. To formally apply for this position, go to https://www.applyweb.com/apply/vtechg/index.html
8. Terrestrial Modeling Postdoctoral Scholar
Berkeley Lab’s Climate & Ecosystems Division has an opening for a Terrestrial Modeling Postdoctoral Scholar. The successful candidate will analyze agricultural systems, including soil biogeochemical and plant processes and management. You will be part of a multi-institution and multi-disciplinary project. The project offers an excellent environment for working with a highly skilled interdisciplinary team and will require strong motivation and excellent oral and written communication skills. The successful candidate may focus on several agriculture-relevant processes, including coupled hydrological and biogeochemical dynamics, nutrient and carbon interactions, plant allocation, plant and microbe interactions, and management. We are particularly interested in relating above and belowground plant properties and how those relationships can be used to inform plant breeding. We are also interested in developing methods to evaluate against observations, process-level and emergent model responses, and in developing model benchmarking approaches.
For full description and to apply, please visit: http://m.rfer.us/LBLRbw9G
9. The Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory (http://sites.udel.edu/ebl/) at the University of Delaware has openings for three graduate students and two postdoctoral associates.
A short description of research projects and background needed are: i) Source tracking of phosphorus in a watershed. This project aims to identify sources of phosphorus and biogeochemical processes involved in the transfer and transformation of land- driven sources of phosphorus and its recycling in open waters in the estuarine environment. ii) Residual and recalcitrant phosphorus in soil. This project seeks to disentangle biogeochemical reactions in soils that form or consume specific phosphorus pools and distinguish successive generations of legacy sources of recalcitrant and residual P pools. iii) Degradation and source tracking of glyphosate in the environment. This project aims to investigate the fate and degradation of glyphosate in the environment, particularly residence times in soils to generate a precise assessment of the environmental fate of glyphosate and overall impact on soil P cycling. It includes a series of laboratory and field experiments involving identification of product and pathways of degradation. All three projects are method intensive and apply advanced methods including ion chromatography, stable isotopes, and NMR to detect and track sources and forms of phosphorus and to identify biogeochemical reactions in the environment of interest. Thus these positions require a strong background in soil/environmental chemistry, geochemistry, and good instrumental skills. Experience and basic knowledge of stable isotopes and nutrient cycling is a plus advantage.
ii) Development of a nanofertilizer using phosphorus recovered from agricultural wastes This project aims to recover phosphorus from agricultural wastes and develop into a potent fertilizer. The major emphasis of the project is to synthesize a nanofertilizer with variable cation and anion site chemistry and develop a quantitative assessment of structure and surface characteristics along with hydrodynamic properties that are related to P dissolution. This is an instrumentation intensive position. Candidates with extensive experience on the property-tailored synthesis of nanoparticle and characterization techniques such as microscopy (SEM, TEM), spectroscopy (IR, NMR), spectrometry (ICP, IRMS) are required. A recent Ph.D. in soil chemistry, material science, chemistry, engineering or related discipline from an accredited university is required. To apply for a postdoc position, applicants should include i) a cover letter indicating project of interest and describing qualifications that are related to the position sought and research accomplishments, ii) curriculum vitae, iii) contact information for three professional references, iv) two representative publications. A single pdf copy of the application material has to be sent to Deb Jaisi (jaisi@udel.edu). Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
10. Postdoctoral Research Associate: Biogeochemical Modelling. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bangor, UK.
CEH Bangor is seeking a Research Associate to work on the development of models that simulate ecosystem responses to environmental change. These include models of atmospheric pollution effects on soil and vegetation used for UK responses under the UN-ECE LRTAP convention, and models of soil carbon dynamics, trace greenhouse gases and land-ocean carbon transfers, applied to a range of global ecosystems. The post-holder will benefit from an extensive training programme, and will undertake project work to develop models and apply these to improve scientific understanding and deliver policy-relevant summary outputs. Applications via the link below. For more information contact Ed Rowe ecro@ceh.ac.uk Phone: +44 1248 374 524.
https://auth-ceh.axis12.com/careers/research-associate-biogeochemical-modeller-based-bangor
Tenure-track/lecturer/Senior researcher/professorships
1. Research scientist on greenhouse gas emission mitigation in the agricultural sector in the context of the Paris Agreement on Climate
2. CICERO has a new position open for regional climate modelling, predominantly on the carbon cycle.
You know anyone working in that area, and that may be interested in a job in Norway? Here is the description https://www.jobbnorge.no/ledige-stillinger/stilling/146062/senior-researcher-forsker-ii.
3. Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geology (earth, energy resources, geobiology) position open at the College of Charleston
The College of Charleston Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences (http://geology.cofc.edu) is accepting applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Geology. The candidate will hold a Ph.D. in Geosciences with research and teaching interests in geology. The department is seeking a field-oriented geoscientist who has a proven record of success teaching introductory geology courses. Viable candidates will show evidence of ability to strengthen our research programs and show strong evidence of creating cross-disciplinary links. Areas of particular interest are earth and energy resources and geobiology. Viable candidates will have expertise using laboratory and field methodologies in teaching and research. Applicants who clearly show a strong aptitude in at least one of the Geology major core areas (mineralogy/petrology, structural geology, paleobiology) will be given preference. The candidate is expected to develop his/her own research program and seek external funds to support their research activities. A Ph.D. is required by 15 August 2018.
The Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences has over 120 undergraduate majors and offers a broad array of topical and interdisciplinary elective courses in the geosciences. The Department also provides some of courses in the multidisciplinary Graduate Program in Environmental Studies and the M.Ed. in Science and Mathematics. Opportunities are available with well-established faculty research programs including: coastal processes, environmental geology, paleobiology, geospatial sciences, hydrology, geochemistry, marine geology, natural hazards, seismology, and tectonics. There is also a vibrant set of collaborative opportunities with organizations in the Charleston-region.
Position open until filled. Projected start for the successful applicant is 15 August 2018. Any questions should be directed to the Department Chair, Dr. Timothy Callahan (843-953-5589), callahant@cofc.edu. https://jobs.cofc.edu/postings/6782
4. Research Fellow in Rhizosphere Biophysics, University of Aberdeen, UK
http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BGC538/research-fellow-in-rhizosphere-biophysics/
We seek a Research Fellow to join the BBSRC project “Rhizosphere by design: breeding to select root traits that physically manipulate soil”. This is a collaborative project between the University of Aberdeen, University of Southampton, University of Dundee and the James Hutton Institute exploring root traits that could produce the next generation of crops. An ultimate goal is a rhizosphere formation and function model that integrates root traits and soil properties, with a targeted audience of plant breeders and rhizosphere scientists. Your role as the main experimental scientist on the project will be to make direct measurements of how roots, root hairs and root exudates alter the physical behaviour and structure of soil. Little quantitative understanding of the underlying processes exists, so this project will use advanced approaches from engineering science to disentangle the biophysical mechanisms that drive rhizosphere formation.
Please contact Prof. Paul Hallett, paul.hallett@abdn.ac.uk for further information. The link above gives many more details.
5. Research Scientist in Land Surface Processes at University of Reading, UK
A vacancy at the University of Reading, relating to the PRIMAVERA project.
The post holder will join the University of Reading to work within the EU PRIMAVERA project on Land Surface processes and interactions. The main duty of the post holder will be to configure GCM experiments to exploit new observations of the land surface state and function (in-situ, remote sensing), suitable for use as boundary conditions in simulations with very high mesh refinement (down to 10km in coupled mode and 1km in offline mode).