Environment, Science and Economy Faculty
These new full-time posts are available with a flexible start date before the end of 2025 on a 3-year fixed term basis. There are two positions available.
The posts
The Faculty wishes to recruit two post-Doctoral Research Fellow/Associates of three-year duration to work on modelling deliberate climate intervention to cool the planet and counterbalance the impacts of global warming. These posts are fully funded by Quadrature Climate Foundation with an indicative start date by end December 2025.
The climate crisis means that the targets set by COP21 may soon be exceeded leading to increasingly damaging climate impacts. While stringent mitigation methods are obviously essential, greenhouse gas concentrations and the associated climate change are projected to continue under all future scenarios exposing the Earth to increasingly damaging extreme events and potential tipping points. The successful applicant will be expected to work on modelling the impacts of solar radiation modification (SRM) to provide an objective assessment of their feasibility.
Post #1
The successful candidate will work on High-Resolution Modelling of Marine Cloud Brightening and Marine Sky Brightening. Studies have shown that injection of sea-salt aerosol into the marine boundary layer can brighten clouds (marine cloud brightening, MCB), but also can have a significant impact via the direct reflection of sunlight (marine sky brightening, MSB). This project will model the impacts of MCB and MSB over limited areas such as the Mediterranean and Caribbean to examine potential impacts of a range of deployment on local plumes, air-quality, visibility, wildfires and extreme weather. High resolution atmosphere-only and fully coupled atmosphere-ocean models will be used to examine both the impacts of deployment and the climate response. Candidates should have strong experience in climate modelling preferably with the UKESM1 or other climate model frameworks, and an appreciation of the climatic impacts of aerosols.
Post #2
We propose developing a novel emulator of the climate outcomes of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) which depends on the method of injection (amount, latitude, season, height), using an approach similar to that developed for predicting the climatic impacts of explosive volcanic eruptions (Marshall et al., 2019) for UKESM1. Emulation of marine cloud brightening (MCB) will also potentially be investigated. Such statistical climate emulators are trained on climate model data and are thus much faster to run providing results relevant to policymakers that will be available almost instantaneously. This work will help narrow down optimal strategies for any potential future deployment. Candidates should have strong experience in climate modelling, preferably with the UKESM1 climate model, and an interest in machine learning and emulator development.
The successful applicants will be expected to work closely with colleagues at the University of Exeter, but also with colleagues at the Met Office Hadley Centre. They will be expected to produce peer-reviewed papers documenting the results.
About you
At Grade F: The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.
Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in maths, physics, computer-science, meteorology, or a related numerate scientific discipline. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in atmospheric sciences and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required. Applicants will be able to perform analysis of climate model and/or machine learning as appropriate to the position and will have an appreciation of the role of aerosols in climate change.
At Grade E: The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.
Applicants will possess or be nearing completion of a relevant PhD or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes. Applicants will be expected to learn to perform analysis of climate model and/or machine learning as appropriate to the position and will have an appreciation of the role of aerosols in climate change.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment.
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