Employer: Oxford University

Description:
A postdoctoral position in vegetation modelling of tropical forests

Grade 7.1 to 7.3 £26,666-£28,289pa

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral research associate position to work on developing a coupled high-resolution vegetation-atmosphere model for the lowland and montane forests of the Andes and Amazon, based at the Oxford University Centre for the Environment. The work will nest into an extensive ongoing field work program looking at the interaction between cloud forests and climate.

The postdoctoral position is to develop a high resolution vegetation physiology and dynamics model modified from existing vegetation models to incorporate key montane forest processes. It will work closely with an existing second postdoctoral position that is implementing a mesoscale meteorological model run in multiple nested modes from continental to sum-km resolution. The model development will utilise ecological and meteorological data being collected from our field sites, and use data assimilation techniques such as Bayesian network analysis to help inform model set-up and development. The ultimate aim is to develop a fully coupled vegetation-atmosphere model that utilises and integrates the field observations. There are likely to be opportunities to travel to the Andes to participate in field data collection

The researcher will be required to

1. Have strong computational and numerical skills, and experience in model development; experience in data assimilation techniques would be an advantage.
2. Be able to work closely with each other and with other members of the team.
3. Be able to implement model development on time as part of a team effort.
4. Write up and publish in the scientific literature.

The post would start in May 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter, and initially run for two years, with a strong prospect of further continuation if this initial phase is successful. The posts are funded by Microsoft Research and Oxford University’s John Fell Fund.

For further information please read the further particulars or contact the HR Office on Tel. 01865 285079. Informal enquiries should be made to Prof Yadvinder Malhi (yadvinder.malhi@ouce.ox.ac.uk). Closing date is 17 March 2008.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 7 April 2008. Depending on circumstances, interviews will take place either in Oxford or by telephone.

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Address: For further information please read the further particulars or contact the HR Office on Tel. 01865 285079. Informal enquiries should be made to Prof Yadvinder Malhi (yadvinder.malhi@ouce.ox.ac.uk). Closing date is 17 March 2008.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 7 April 2008. Depending on circumstances, interviews will take place either in Oxford or by telephone.

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Deadline: March 17, 2008