Postdoc position on recent and future sea ice and polar climate changes

Université de Louvain (UCL), Louvain, Belgium
Closing date (first review): 1 October 2024

The position is open within the Horizon Europe project ‘European Eddy-Rich Earth System Models’ (EERIE, https://eerie-project.eu/) which gathers 17 leading institutes from Europe and beyond. The goal of EERIE is to understand the role of ocean mesoscale processes on climate variability and changes over seasonal to centennial time scales in order to improve climate predictions and projections. This implies the development of new Earth System Models able to explicitly represent the ocean mesoscale and its impact on the climate dynamics as well as the analysis of new simulations performed with those models. The main contributions of UCLouvain in the project are related to polar regions and their interactions with lower latitudes.

In this framework, applications are open for the following position:

Post-doctoral researcher

  • Starting date: Ideally in December 24 -January 2025 but can be negotiated
  • Full time position for 24 months
  • Net monthly salary: 2900-3200 € (depending on seniority)
  • Social insurance and the transportation to and from the workplace are also covered.
  • Location: Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
  • The candidates must not have spent more than 2 years in Belgium over the last 3 years and should not have obtained their PhD more than 6 years before the starting date of the grant.

Major changes have occurred in polar regions over the past decades, with a slight increase in Antarctic sea ice extent until 2016 before a major drop that has led to an absolute minimum in 2023. By contrast, a rapid ice loss occurred in the Arctic in 2012 but this record summer low has not been beaten since. The post-doctoral scientist will be responsible for the analysis of existing simulations with Earth System Models in order to determine the role of oceanic mesoscale processes in those changes, the ability of models to represent them and the impact of those processes on projections. A particular attention will be paid to the influence of oceanic eddies on the heat and salt transport and on the potential role of the shift in the positions of oceanic fronts. The interactions between changes in sea ice extent and in atmospheric variability will also be investigated.

Required qualifications:

  • To have a PhD in climatology or related field;
  • To have published in peer-reviewed international journals;
  • To have strong experience in programming and in managing large data sets;
  • To have demonstrated good verbal and written communication skills in English;
  • To have interest in working in a multidisciplinary team environment.

Previous experience in polar climate dynamics or in modelling is an asset.

Applicants should send an e-mail to Hugues Goosse (hugues.goosse@uclouvain.be) including (i) a statement of research experience, qualification and interest, (ii) a complete CV including a list of publications, and (iii) the name of two scientists who would agree to send a letter of recommendation

Review of the applications will start October 1 and the call will remain open until the position is filled.

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