[Grad-postdoc-assn] Utrecht University, the Netherlands, Postdoc position available for global vegetation modelling with CESM

Paula Fisher paulad at ucar.edu
Mon Feb 3 10:38:46 MST 2014



Postdoc Global Vegetation Modelling (1.0 fte)
Specifications - (explanation)
Location Faculty of Geosciences
Function types Postdoc positions, Research, Development, Innovation
Scientific fields Natural Sciences
Hours 38.0 hours per week
Salary € 2799 - € 3831
Education Doctorate
Job number 635838
Translations en
About employer Utrecht University
Short link www.academictransfer.com/21598

Apply for this job within 32 days
Job description

Postdoc Global modelling of vegetation dynamics and feedbacks: linking
carbon, water and nitrogen


Vegetation strongly interacts with climate through a myriad of feedbacks
involving the carbon, water and nitrogen cycle. This is important in
global change scenarios with an increase of CO2, an increase of N
deposition in large parts of the world, and an increase of extremes in
precipitation and droughts. Recently, dynamic vegetation models have
incorporated detailed hydrology, the interplay of the carbon-nitrogen
cycle, and the way vegetation adapts to CO2. However, it is still
unclear how these processes interact with and feedback to the global
climate. We aim at improving the representation of terrestrial
vegetation in global climate models. By coupling dynamic vegetation
models to global climate models, and analyzing future IPCC scenarios
including anthropogenic land use changes, we hope to better quantify
vegetation – climate feedbacks.
Requirements

You should have a PhD degree in earth sciences/environmental
sciences/ecology/climatology or another relevant field, an excellent
publication record, proven analytical and modelling skills on global
scale, and a positive attitude to interdisciplinary research and team
work. Furthermore you have the writing skills to be competitive in
applying for additional funding during the period of your employment.
Conditions of employment

We offer a full-time position to a maximum of 2.5 years. Salary ranges
between € 2,799.- and € 3,831.- gross per month on a fulltime basis
depending on experience and qualifications. The selected candidate will
be offered an initial contract for one year, which, upon positive
evaluation, will be extended.



Utrecht University offers a pension scheme, a holiday allowance of 8%
per year, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and flexible employment
conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement of
the Dutch Universities.

More information: terms of employment.
Organisation

Utrecht University has great ambitions for its teaching quality and
study success rates. This also applies to its clear research profiles
which are centered around four themes: Sustainability, Life Sciences,
Youth & Identity, and Institutions. Utrecht University plays a prominent
role in our society and contributes to finding the answers to topical
and future societal issues.

Within the research theme Sustainability and under the program on Water,
Climate and Ecosystems Utrecht University initiated a program to answer
the following key question:
How will changes in the global water cycle govern future conditions on
planet Earth?

This question relates to understanding and projecting how human
activities and climate change will influence water scarcity and
abundance and indirectly impact food security, flood risk, human health,
socio-economic development and biodiversity.

Utrecht University (UU), through its conglomerate of leading groups on
geophysical, biological and governance research, is in the unique
position address the full breadth of this research question and explore
mechanisms of biological adaptation and to address governance-related
issues. The program will mobilize and integrate UU’s collective
expertise by developing a common model infrastructure to explicitly
simulate past, present and future feedbacks in the water, carbon and
nutrient cycles. We aim to use the Earth system model CESM, combined
with the integrated assessment model Image. Model building will be
supported by a scientific programmer.
Additional information

Additional information can be obtained from Dr Stefan Dekker
s.c.dekker at uu.nl or 030-2532260 and Dr Karin Rebel k.t.rebel at uu.nl.






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