[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoctoral Scholar to study CO2 emissions, Penn State University

[Christine Wiedinmyer]

https://psu.jobs/job/83671


The Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar to study CO2 emissions from large metropolitan areas across the globe using remote sensing measurements. The first part of the research will focus on satellite retrievals from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)-2 mission collecting column CO2 data since 2014. The second part of the research will explore new measurements collected by the follow-up mission (OCO-3) collecting data over cities and power plants across the globe, thanks to the pointing capabilities of the instrument to be installed on the International Space Station (launch in Spring 2019). The position will be jointly advised by Dr. Sha Feng, Ast. Research Prof. at The Pennsylvania State University, and Dr. Thomas Lauvaux, Sr. Research Scientist at the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement in France. In the first part of the project, the effects of aerosols and surface conditions on OCO-2 retrievals will be studied at very fine scales (~1-km swath) for urban applications. The OCO-2 retrievals will be further utilized to constrain CO2 emissions over specific cities. The researcher will investigate the use of additional measurements (e.g. CALIPSO) to identify artefacts in high-resolution OCO-2 measurements. Previously, a high-resolution modeling system (WRF-CO2) has been developed and applied to emission quantification over multiple cities. This work will continue over a subset of cities across the world, in close collaboration with the University of Michigan (Dr. Eric Kort) and the NASA Goddard Research Center (Dr. Tomhiro Oda) to optimize high-resolution CO2 emission products. In the second part, measurements from a selection of OCO-3 targets will be studied, with the help of the OCO-3 science team at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A wide array of targets will be available with hundreds of cities and power plants across the world being currently selected before the launch. The Postdoc will provide support for optimal observing design (targeting and scanning strategy), and assimilate OCO-3 measurements to quantify CO2 emissions for multiple targets in different parts of the world using a mesoscale inversion system. A qualified postdoctoral candidate should have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: carbon cycle science, mesoscale modeling, data assimilation, inverse methods, and remote sensing data analyses. Strong communications skills, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences or a related field are required. Experience with, computer coding (Python, Fortran, Matlab/IDL, PHP, Web, etc.), and High-performance Computers (Unix/Linux) and Bash is highly desired. The initial appointment will be funded for one year from the date of hire, with strong potential for continued support. The position is available beginning December 1, 2018. Salary will be commensurate with experience and will comply with Pennsylvania State guidelines. To apply, please upload a current CV, a cover letter, the names and addresses of three references, and a brief statement of research interests and long-term goals. Applicants should provide evidence, either woven through their application materials, or as a separate diversity statement, of a commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusive excellence, and belonging and of engagement which creates an inclusive environment in their department/workplace. Review of applications will begin on October 30, 2018. For questions about the positions, contact Sha Feng, sfeng at psu.edu
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