CIRES / NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Postdoctoral Associate in Carbon Cycle Modeling

University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder (CO); Sur place; USD 65 000 - 70 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Relocation funds

Training curriculum & mentorship

Transit benefits

Résumé du poste

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) through CIRES invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate focused on atmospheric data quality control, inverse modeling of the Congo Basin carbon budget, and integrating with NOAA's GML. The candidate will work within an international team, adapting tools for tropical transport representation and comparing with bottom-up inventories.

The position is a two-year appointment with possible extension, located in Boulder, CO, with potential hybrid

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science or related field completed by start date.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing and visualizing large datasets.
• Ability to develop and apply inverse modeling approaches.

Responsabilités

• Use regional inverse modeling to estimate constrained net carbon fluxes for Congo Basin.
• Adapt CarbonTracker-Lagrange framework to Congo Basin domain.
• Conduct sensitivity tests on model parameters and inputs.

Connaissances

Python

MATLAB

R

Formation

PhD in Atmospheric Science

PhD in Earth System Science

PhD in Data Science

PhD in Applied Mathematics

Outils

Python

MATLAB

R

Description du poste

Job Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences(CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder and the NOAA GlobalMonitoring Laboratory (GML) in Boulder, Colorado inviteapplications for a Postdoctoral Associate position focused onatmospheric data quality control, analysis, and inverse modeling ofthe carbon budget of the Congo Basin–the second-largest tropicalforest in the world. Funding for this position is provided throughthe Schmidt Sciences Virtual Institute for the Carbon Cycle VICC project Congo Basin CarbonFlux Experiment (Congo-FLEX), which aims to quantify the carbonbudget of the Congo Basin tropical forest using top-down andbottom-up methods. The successful candidate will quantify andinterpret carbon fluxes constrained by new aircraft verticalprofile observations already being collected as part of theproject, primarily using a regional inverse modeling framework. Theindividual hired in this role will adapt existing in-house regionalinverse modeling tools to the Congo Basin domain, with a particularfocus on evaluation of models’ ability to accurately representtransport processes in tropical Africa and the subsequent impact onresulting carbon-dioxide flux estimates. They will also comparetheir top-down results with detailed bottom-up inventories beingdeveloped for the project to investigate potentialtop-down/bottom-up discrepancies and attribute flux patterns andtrends to specific sectors and processes.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with allapplicable federal, state, and local laws governingnondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating aworkplace where all individuals are treated with respect anddignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds toapply, including protected veterans and individuals withdisabilities.

Who We Are

CIRES is an internationally recognizedleader in innovative environmental science and research and islocated at the University of Colorado Boulder. At CIRES, more than900 environmental science professionals work to understand thedynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with theplanet. CIRES has partnered with NOAA since 1967, and our areas ofexpertise include weather and climate, changes at Earth’s poles,air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earthsciences, and more. Our vision is to be instrumental in ensuring asustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societalunderstanding of the Earth system.

The Global Monitoring Laboratory ( GML ) of the NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts researchthat addresses three major climate challenges: greenhouse gasemissions and carbon cycle feedbacks; changes in clouds, aerosols,and surface radiation; and recovery of stratospheric ozone. NOAAGML operates the Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network, aninternational effort to measure the global abundances,distributions, and trends of atmospheric trace gases from fixedsites and mobile platforms, including aircraft, ships, andballoons. GML also develops global and regional modeling systems totrack sources and sinks of multiple greenhouse gases.

The Post-Doctoral Associate will become part of a highly engaged,international research team with diverse climate science andcarbon-cycle expertise working on Congo-FLEX and will participatein annual science team meetings and regular working group meetings. This Postdoctoral Associate will be a member of the Carbon Cycleand Greenhouse Gases (CCGG) division within NOAA GML. The CCGGdivision consists of observational and modeling scientists, datascientists, and scientific programmers who aim to improveunderstanding of the global carbon cycle and the trends anddistributions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to betterinform climate policy.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Use data analysis techniques including regional inversemodeling to estimate and interpret observationally-constrained netcarbon flux estimates, and their uncertainties, for the Congo Basin(65%). This will involve:

• Analyze atmospheric vertical profile and horizontal transectdata of CO2, CO, and H2O, including data quality control.
• Adapt the existing CarbonTracker-Lagrange regional inversemodeling framework to the Congo basin domain.
• Conduct sensitivity tests of model parameter selection andatmospheric transport products as model inputs.
• Compare flux results to bottom-up estimates including thosefrom terrestrial biosphere models and inventories.

• Implement and operate models on high performance computingsystems (HPCs).

• Lead and contribute to the publication of research results inthe peer-reviewed literature (25%)
• Present research findings at internal meetings and national andinternational conferences (10%)

What You Should Know

• This is a 2-year appointment with the possibility of extensionbased on the availability of funding.
• A hybrid work modality with a mix of in-person and remote workmay be possible after an initial full-time in-person trainingperiod.
• This position will be rostered in CIRES at the University ofColorado Boulder, but will be located at NOAA’s David SkaggsResearch Center, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO.
• If you are the selected finalist, you will be required to passa federal laboratory background clearance for site access. Non-UScitizens without green cards may have limited building access andrequire an escort in the building.
• Given project deliverables, candidates must be eligible forfull-time work and successfully complete a federal backgroundclearance process by the targeted start date of January 1,2027.

What We Can Offer

• CIRES offers a generous compensation package.
• The annual hiring salary range for this position is$65,000-$70,000. Salary is commensurate with education andexperience and determined based on our CIRES internal career trackclassification.
• Some relocation funds are available to help offset expenses,following CIRES and the University of Colorado’s relocationprocesses and procedures.
• CIRES and the University of Colorado Boulder offer a robusttraining curriculum, opportunities for professional development anda Mentorship Program.
• Boulder is a vibrant community withaccess to mountain parks, dog parks, miles of trails, rivers,lakes, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, theaters, museums, and sportsvenues.
• As an employee at CU Boulder, you will have free access to theregional public transit system , anoutstanding network of buses, and light rail systems that serviceBoulder and connect to Denver, the Denver airport, and surroundingcommunities.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we arecommitted to supporting the holistic health and well-being of ouremployees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuitionassistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for localtransit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulderoffers an inspiring academic community and access to world-classoutdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one ofForbes' America's BestLarge Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Coloradoand #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks andprograms through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be driven. Be unique. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• A Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, Earth System Science, DataScience, Applied Mathematics or a related field. Candidates musthave successfully defended their doctoral dissertations and havefinalized all manuscript revisions by the targeted start date ofJanuary 1, 2027.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing and visualizing largedatasets using scientific programming languages such as MATLAB,Python or R.

What You Will Need

• Strong skills with analysis and visualization of large andcomplex observational and model datasets.
• Ability to critically interpret and diagnose model output.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to clearly communicate results to thescientific community via peer-reviewed publications andpresentations at scientific meetings.
• Ability to collaborate productively in a team as well as theability to formulate independent ideas.

What We Would Like You to Have

Please note that while the position details both required andpreferred skills and experience, we invite applicants to apply evenif they do not have the preferred skills and experience outlined inthis section. If you meet the requirements and have a passion forthe work, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on-the-jobtraining for any additional skills or knowledge that becomerelevant to the position.

• Experience with numerical modeling, preferably onhigh-performance computing systems (HPCs).
• Familiarity with the carbon-cycle and land biospheremodels.
• Knowledge of Bayesian inverse modeling approaches.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Andrew Jacobson

Posting Contact Email: [e-mail]