Local recruitment: Earth System Modeler Postdoc

Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research (CIGLR)

Ann Arbor, MI, USA 🇺🇸

JOB OPENING ID: 230019

WORKING TITLE: Earth System Modeler Postdoc

JOB TITLE: RESEARCH FELLOW

WORK LOCATION: Ann Arbor Campus, Ann Arbor, MI

FULL/PART TIME: Full-Time

REGULAR/TEMPORARY: Regular

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

ORGANIZATIONAL GROUP: School Nat Res Envir

DEPARTMENT: SEAS CIGLR

POSTING BEGIN/END DATE: 2/01/2023 – 3/03/2023

SALARY: $54,000.00 – $57,000.00

CAREER INTEREST: Research Fellows

Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) is seeking a candidate to join a team of modelers working on development, testing, and deployment of coupled, integrated earth system models of the Great Lakes basin. The purpose of this integrated earth system modeling project is to support development of a real-time three-dimensional circulation and flood forecast modeling system in the Great Lakes. The integrated earth system modeling components are designed to simulate physical processes including meteorology, hydrology, hydrodynamics, waves, and ice. Objectives of the project include calibration and verification of an unstructured three-dimensional baroclinic hydrodynamic lake model that includes the flood plains to predict coastal inundation. This lake model will be coupled to operational meteorological  models such as the atmospheric High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model (HRRR), the WAVEWATCH III wave model, and the hydrologic National Water Model (NWM). The candidate will work to explore, develop, and test coupling strategies between three-dimensional hydrodynamic models and three-dimensional hydrologic models. The ideal candidate will have strong technical skills related to hydrodynamic, wave, or similar model development and high-performance computing.  

The successful applicant’s appointment will be with CIGLR, which is part of the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. CIGLR’s mission is to lead research, develop applications and products, and engage with stakeholders to achieve environmental, economic, and social sustainability in the Great Lakes. CIGLR is a collaboration between the University of Michigan and NOAA that brings together experts from academia and government research labs to work on pressing problems facing the Great Lakes region. This person will spend their on-site work time at the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Remote and flexible work agreements may be made to allow for partial off-site work at a remote location.

Responsibilities*

  • Work with the project team lead to develop, implement, and test hydrodynamic models. This includes advanced model grid development for coastal inundation predictions.
  • Conduct extensive model testing and validation, including skill assessment to evaluate model performance against observations.
  • Develop and test model coupling infrastructure as part of an integrated earth system modeling approach.
  • Assist with the transition of model parameters and configuration from research to operational environment.
  • Post-process hydrodynamic model data and conduct analysis to assess model skill. 
  • Work in a high-performance computing (HPC) environment executing coastal hydrodynamic and wave models.
  • Document findings to internal and external audiences in reports, publications, and presentations.

Required Qualifications*

  • PhD in physical oceanography, atmospheric science, or similar field.
  • Experience configuring, running, and evaluating large scale earth system models in a high-performance computing environment.
  • Experience in processing large datasets in a variety of different data formats (ASCII, GRIB, or NetCDF).
  • Skill in working with data from surface meteorological stations, in-situ oceanographic observation, and/or numerical weather prediction.
  • Experience with handling data in a Linux/Unix high-performance computing environment and scripting data analysis software such as R, Python, or IDL.
  • Strong publication record in a relevant field, including at least one lead-author publication.
  • Strong communication skills and demonstrated ability to work independently in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team.
  • US citizenship or permanent residency required.

Desired Qualifications*

  • Experience with FVCOM, ROMS, SCHISM and/or WAVEWATCH III models. 
  • Experience in coupling hydrodynamic and hydrologic models (nearshore coupling).
  • Experience in coupling hydrodynamic and wave models.
  • Previous work on coastal inundation prediction.
  • Experience working with geospatial data and developing hydrodynamic model grids.

Additional Information

This position offers a highly competitive salary plus benefits. The initial appointment is for one year, with an opportunity for extension based on performance, need, and availability of funds. This position is open only to US Citizens or permanent residents due to federal security clearance required for access to NOAA GLERL facilities and resources.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.


U-M COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

COVID-19 vaccinations, including one booster when eligible, are required for all University of Michigan students, faculty and staff across all campuses, including Michigan Medicine.  This includes those working remotely and temporary workers.   More information on this new policy is available on the U-M Health Response website or the UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint websites.


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

You ad could be here!