Postdoc Position in Integrated Modelling of Flood and Adaptation

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands 🇳🇱

Job area: Postdoc

Educational Level: Postdoc

VU unit: Faculty of Science

Contract type: Temporary

Maximum FTE: 1

Minimum salary scale: €2,960 (scale 10)

Maximum salary scale: €4,670 (scale 10)

Are you a flood hydrologist who would like to expand expertise in key areas of climate science? Do you want to contribute to a highly multi-disciplinary project, studying the interactions between climate impacts, climate adaptation, and climate mitigation? Please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 0.8 – 1

JOB DESCRIPTION

At the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), we offer one fully funded postdoc position of 2 years. We are looking for a new colleague with a PhD title, with solid knowledge of hydrology, and with proven experience in hydrological/hydrodynamic modelling. The candidate should be interested in complex challenges related to climate change, and willing to expanding their expertise in a markedly multidisciplinary environment.

Your duties

  • work in the European project KNOWING (https://knowing-climate.eu/), funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe framework, where the VU/IVM participates along with 16 other institutes.
  • develop flood models for case studies of KNOWING, including Naples (Italy) and South Vietnam. We are interested in both coastal and riverine flooding, and we envision applying the new flood model SFINCS, develop by Deltares. The specific challenge will reside in finding creative and efficient ways to interface the model with datasets and models of land use, and to including multiple potential drivers of flooding, including climatic change, human hydrological interventions, and measures of adaptation and mitigation.
  • be part of the VU/IVM team for the KNOWING project, which bridges the section Water and Climate Risk and the section Environmental Geography. They will work closely with another postdoc and with two staff members, and they will be active in co-coordinating the institute’s contribution to the KNOWING project.
  • join a large, diverse and tight-knit group of researchers in the area of natural hazards, hydrology, climate extremes and climate risk in section Water and Climate Risk.

REQUIREMENTS

We are seeking an outstanding researcher, with a PhD in the fields of hydrology, climate or similar. You should also:

  • have advanced understanding of the processes leading to different types of flooding, proven expertise in flood modelling, and capacity to efficiently prepare and perform flood simulations.
  • be able to collaborate with scientists and stakeholders from other disciplines (climatology, land-use, soil, energy, transport, economy), and be able to critically analyse and operationalize processes across disciplines and environmental issues.
  • possess very good skills in programming and in analysing large datasets (preferably in Python). Experience with High Performance Computing is desirable.
  • have strong quantitative and statistical skills.
  • have excellent communication skills in English, since the work involves collaboration in a larger team of international researchers and stakeholders

WHAT ARE WE OFFERING?

A challenging position in a socially involved organisation. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,960 (scale 10) and a maximum €4,670 (scale 10), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The appointment will be for 2 years.
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

  • a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
  • 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
  • solid pension scheme (ABP)
  • contribution to commuting expenses
  • optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

ABOUT VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT AMSTERDAM

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science inspires researchers and students to find sustainable solutions for complex societal issues. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to medicines and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research programmes cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. We share knowledge and experience with leading research institutes and industries, both here in the Netherlands and abroad.

Working at the Faculty of Science means working with students, PhD candidates and researchers, all with a clear focus on their field and a broad view of the world. We employ more than 1,250 staff members, and we are home to more than 11,000 students.

About the institute
Established in 1971, IVM is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognised for its high quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The mission of the institute is to contribute to sustainable development and care for the environment through scientific research and teaching. IVM aims to do excellent problem-oriented research that is useful to a wide range of stakeholders in the Netherlands and internationally. A unique strength of our research is to understand sustainability problems in their social and economic context. IVM’s research community works within four departments: Environmental Economics; Environmental Geography, Environmental Policy Analysis; and Water and Climate Risk. Since 2001 IVM has been part of the Faculty of Science at VU Amsterdam (legal name Stichting VU).

The department of Water and Climate Risk studies hydrological and climate processes, and how these processes lead to risks and opportunities for society, the economy, and the environment. A defining characteristic of the department is a multi-disciplinary approach that combines expertise from natural sciences with knowledge from the fields of economics, e-Science and geography. This approach has led to a unique research portfolio of water and climate risk projects, and the department is a global leading institute in flood and drought risk assessment, and risk management research.

APPLICATION

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter by 16 January 2023. The job interviews are planned for late January 2023. Please also provide the contact details of two potential references, whom we will only contact after a potential interview. It is appreciated if you can provide a link to your PhD thesis.

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Dr Paolo Scussolini
Position: Assistant Professor
E-mail: p.scussolini@vu.nl
Website: www.vu.nl/ivm

No agencies


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