Research investigator (postdoctoral) in marine biogeochemical modelling (M/F)

CNRS; France; Sur place; EUR 40 000 - 60 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading research organization in France seeks a dedicated Researcher for the OptimESM project to enhance parameterizations of air-sea carbon exchanges in climate models. The successful candidate will have a PhD in a related field, relevant experience in numerical modeling, and skills in scientific programming. This full-time position involves collaboration with international research teams and offers the chance to contribute to essential climate modeling efforts.

Qualifications

• PhD in oceanography, climate modeling, marine biogeochemistry, or a related discipline.
• Strong experience in numerical modeling (oceanic, biogeochemical, or climate).
• Proficiency in a scientific programming language (Fortran, Python, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with high‑performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Good understanding of marine biogeochemical processes and air–sea gas exchange mechanisms.
• Skills in data analysis and visualization (e.g., Python, MATLAB, R).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Strong motivation to contribute to the development of next-generation climate models.

Responsabilités

• Improve parameterizations of air–sea carbon exchanges in climate models.
• Implement, test, and evaluate new parameterizations.
• Develop diagnostics to assess the realism of climate models.
• Quantify improvements in carbon cycle in climate models.
• Disseminate scientific results through publications and conferences.

Connaissances

Numerical modeling experience

Proficiency in scientific programming (Fortran, Python)

Familiarity with HPC environments

Data analysis and visualization skills (Python, MATLAB, R)

Communication skills in English

Formation

PhD in oceanography, climate modeling, or related discipline

Description du poste

Organisation/Company CNRS Department UAR Institut Pierre Simon Laplace Research Field Physics Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Country France Application Deadline 25 Dec 2025 - 23:59 (UTC) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The research investigator is in charge of improving the parameterizations of air–sea carbon exchanges in the next generation of Earth System Models, for the OptimESM project.

• Implementation, testing and evaluation of new parameterizations of air‑sea carbon exchanges
• Development of diagnostics to assess the realism of IPSL climate model regarding air‑sea carbon exchanges
• Application of these diagnostics to a set of numerical simulations to quantify improvements in C‑cycle in the new IPSL climate model
• Diffusion of scientific results in journals and conferences

The ocean plays a central role in regulating the Earth's climate by absorbing a significant fraction of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted into the atmosphere. Quantifying the oceanic carbon sink and its future variability strongly depends on how the processes controlling air–sea CO₂ exchanges are represented in models, particularly those related to the oceanic surface skin layer, precipitation, and high‑frequency atmospheric variability.

This position is funded by the CNRS as part of the OPTIMESM project, financed by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe program (Grant Agreement ID 101081193). The candidate will have the opportunity to work in close collaboration with other project partners, and to attend general assemblies and specific project meetings.

The work will be carried out at IPSL's Centre de Modélisation du Climat, which is responsible for preparing a new model, IPSLCM7. The latter will feed into the CMIP7 model intercomparison project, which will produce, among other things, the climate projections that will feature in forthcoming IPCC reports. The OptimESM project supports these preparations by bringing together the parallel efforts of 4 climate modeling centers, including IPSL.

The successful candidate will be responsible for integrating, evaluating, and testing new parameterizations of air‑sea carbon exchanges, building upon recent developments, including:

• the representation of the skin layer (Bellenger et al., 2023, JGR – Oceans),
• the role of precipitation (Parc et al., 2024, Nature Geoscience),
• the effects of high‑frequency atmospheric variability (Dombret et al., in review, Biogeosciences).

These developments will be implemented and tested within the IPSL ocean model and coupled climate configurations, in order to quantify their impact on the oceanic carbon sink under different contexts (interannual variability, future climate projections, mCDR simulations, etc.).

The postdoctoral researcher may also investigate additional processes affecting air‑sea CO₂ exchanges (e.g., bubble effects, surfactants, etc.) and will collaborate closely with ocean and biogeochemical modeling teams within IPSL.

Situation de l'emploi et conditions

The position will be jointly supervised by Laurent Bopp (IPSL, LMD), Hugo Bellenger (IPSL, LMD), and Christian Ethé (IPSL).

The postdoctoral researcher will be based at the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD), located at the École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Paris, with regular interactions with other IPSL laboratories (notably at Sorbonne Université).

The work will take place in a highly collaborative scientific environment, in close connection with the European partners of the OptimESM project.

Qualifications

• PhD in oceanography, climate modeling, marine biogeochemistry, or a related discipline.
• Strong experience in numerical modeling (oceanic, biogeochemical, or climate).
• Proficiency in a scientific programming language (Fortran, Python, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with high‑performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Good understanding of marine biogeochemical processes and air–sea gas exchange mechanisms.
• Skills in data analysis and visualization (Python, MATLAB, R, etc.).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (the working language of the project).
• Scientific rigor, autonomy, and ability to work effectively in a team.
• Strong motivation to contribute to the development of next‑generation climate models.