PhD Position in Ocean - Sea Ice Interactions

Delft University of Technology; Delft; On-site; EUR 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Job summary

Delft University of Technology invites applications for a PhD position in Ocean - Sea Ice Interactions within the ERC ICE-FLOE project. You will develop and validate LES/DEM-based models, and design climate-friendly parameterizations for coarse models.

Requirements include a Master’s degree in relevant fields, strong English, and the ability to start early 2027. The position offers a four-year contract with competitive Dutch university benefits.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required in Earth sciences, oceanography, physics, applied mathematics, or engineering.
• Demonstrated research experience in climate, oceanography, the cryosphere, or atmospheric science.
• Interest in the intersection of solid/fluid mechanics.
• Experience with Julia is an advantage but not required.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
• Position to start January–March 2027 (flexible).

Responsibilities

• Develop parameterizations to emulate fine-scale ocean–sea ice physics for climate models.
• Validate simulations against in-situ and remote sensing data from Arctic and Antarctic regions.
• Collaborate with TU Delft team and international researchers.
• Possibility to participate in a research cruise in Antarctica.

Skills

Research experience in climate/ocean/"

Education

Master's degree in Earth sciences, oceanography, physics, applied mathematics, or engineering

Job description

Deploy detailed models of coupled ocean / sea ice processes, probe their turbulent interactions, compare with observations, and design parameterizations for global climate models.

PhD Position in Ocean - Sea Ice Interactions

Job description

The past decades have been associated with substantial losses of sea ice over both hemispheres. Existing climate models are currently unable to accurately forecast these changes, in part due to their imperfect representation of ocean and sea ice interactions at sub-grid scales.

This project aims to improve our physical understanding of these fine-scale processes, including the melting and breakage of sea ice, using a framework consisting of an ocean Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and a Discrete Element Model (DEM) of sea ice. Results from these simulations will be validated against a combination of in-situ and remote sensing data from both the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice regions. Based on this new understanding, the candidate will develop parameterizations that can emulate these physics for use in more coarsely-resolved climate models.

This fully-funded position is part of the European Research Council (ERC) 'ICE-FLOE' project, and will involve collaborations with other team members at TU Delft and internationally. There may also be the opportunity to assist with a research cruise in Antarctica.

Job requirements

• Master's degree in Earth sciences, oceanography, physics, applied mathematics, or engineering.
• Demonstrated research experience in climate, oceanography, the cryosphere, or atmospheric science.
• Interest in the intersection of solid/fluid mechanics.
• Experience working with the Julia programming language is an advantage but not required.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
• Ability to start the position in January-March 2027 (with some flexibility).

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional. Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students.

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3204 - €4051 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

• Hours per week: 38-40
• FTE: 1,0
• TU Delft offers relocation support for employees moving to the Netherlands, including information and events through Coming to Delft Service. A Dual Career Programme is available to support an accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Please note

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis.

As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest.