Postdoctoral Scholar - Synchronous Ice Sheet-Earth System Modeling

University of California - Irvine; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefits

PSBP

Two-year term

Job summary

University of California, Irvine invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar to work on NSF-funded projects examining two-way feedbacks between ice sheets and the ocean in a coupled Earth system context. The start is flexible between Jan 1, 2027 and Sep 1, 2027, with a two-year renewable appointment and generous benefits.

The candidate will develop, run, and analyze fully-coupled experiments using CESM3 with dynamic ice sheets, calibrate basal melt and calving parameterizations, and mentor

Qualifications

• PhD in Physical Oceanography, Glaciology, or related field is required.
• Experience modifying, running, and analyzing ocean and ice-sheet models.
• Strong programming skills in one or more of Python, Matlab, Julia, Fortran, or C++.
• Excellent analytical and quantitative abilities.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and run fully coupled CESM3 experiments with dynamic Greenland/Antarctic ice sheets and two-way coupling to CISM3.
• Evaluate and calibrate basal melt and calving parameterizations.
• Create process-based diagnostics using remote sensing and in-situ data to assess simulation fidelity.
• Run mechanism-denial experiments to isolate effects of feedbacks.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students and disseminate results at conferences and in journals.

Skills

Python

Fortran

C++

Matlab

Julia

Education

PhD in Physical Oceanography or Glaciology

Job description

Position overview

Salary range: $69,073 - $82,836

Application Window

Open date: September 1, 2026

Next review date: Sunday, Nov 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Final date: Sunday, Jan 31, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

Professor Henri Drake in the Department of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine is seeking a postdoctoral scholar for an NSF-funded project that aims to use computational models to investigate the role of ice sheets in the global Earth System, with a focus on advancing understanding of two-way feedbacks between the cryosphere (grounded ice sheets, floating ice shelves, ice bergs, and sea ice) and the ocean - and their role in global climate dynamics. The start date is very flexible, anytime from Jan 1, 2027 to Sep 1, 2027.

The selected candidate will conduct cutting-edge research, including:

• Developing, running, and analyzing fully-coupled experiments using novel configurations of the Community Earth System Model (CESM3) with dynamic representations of the Greenlandic and Antarctic ice sheets, utilizing two-way synchronous coupling to the Community Ice Sheet Model (CISM3).


• Evaluating and calibrate newly implemented parameterizations for basal melt and calving


• Developing and applying new process-based diagnostics to evaluate the fidelity of the simulations, grounded in available remote sensing and in-situ observations.


• Running mechanism denial experiments to isolate the role of coupled feedbacks.

The selected candidate will contribute to our research program and advance their own careers by:

• Contributing to a supportive, collaborative, and vibrant group culture


• Collaborating closely with CESM3 and CISM3 developers at NSF NCAR


• Mentoring both graduate students and undergraduate students on related projects.


• Disseminating their results through conference presentations and journal publications.

Position perks:

This is a two-year position that is renewable, pending good progress and available funding. The salary will range from $69,073 tot $82,836 USD per year, scaling with experience as detailed in the Postdoc Salary Scale, and includes generous benefits, see Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plan (PSBP)

Perks of the ESS department and UCI Campus:

The Ocean and Climate Dynamics group led by Dr. Henri Drake uses theory and numerical simulation to study the multi-scale ocean processes that play an outsized role in global Earth System dynamics, with a recent emphasis on the ocean's overturning circulation, sea ice, and ice sheets. The group benefits from close collaborations with model developers at NSF NCAR (e.g., Bill Lipscomb in this project), DOE's LANL, and NOAA GFDL, and with field-going observationalists such as Eric Rignot right here at UCI and Andy Thompson at nearby Caltech.

The Earth System Science Department at UC Irvine is highly interdisciplinary. It includes 25-30 faculty with broad expertise, all devoted to the study of the Earth as a coupled system. UC Irvine is located in Orange County, about halfway between the diverse metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Diego. It is a sunny and pleasant place to live, surrounded by beaches, parks, mountains.

If you have any questions please email Professor Henri Drake ([e-mail]) with "Postdoc Application Question" in the subject line. You can learn more about our research group from our wesbite:

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• An expected or recent PhD in Physical Oceanography, Glaciology, or related field


• Experience modifying, running, and analyzing ocean, ice sheet, or Earth System models


• Expert at programming (Python, Matlab, Julia, Fortran, or C++)


• Strong analytical and quantitative skills


• Detail oriented with strong organizational and communication skills


• Extraordinary curiosity about how the Earth System works

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - An up-to-date curriculum vitae, including a publication list.


• Cover Letter - A cover letter that also describes your immediate and long-term research goals.

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

About UC Irvine

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.


• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy


• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties


• APM - 035: Affi

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location

Irvine, CA