Job VU University Amsterdam (VU) - 2 Junior Researcher positions f/m

The sub-department of Climate Change & Landscape Dynamics, Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, has vacancies for two 3-year junior researcher positions. This project is funded by the 7th framework programme of the European Union, as part of the international CASE project: “The Changing Arctic and Sub-arctic Environment: a research and training programme on marine biotic indicators of recent climate changes in the high latitudes of the North Atlantic”. CASE is an international collaboration of VU University Amsterdam with the universities of Bordeaux (France), Tromsø (Norway), and Plymouth (UK), and the Norwegian Geological Survey, and the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (Kiel, Germany).

Research project: Modelling climate change in the Arctic

The Arctic environment has experienced rapid warming in the recent past. The current climatic conditions in the high northern latitudes are resulting from the relative influence of various forcing factors. Understanding how subtle changes in these forcing factors resulted in the past climatic variations, reflected by changes in ecosystem structures and related physico-chemical context of the marine environment, is the main aim of the CASE project. In order to achieve this overarching goal, the CASE consortium brings together a multidisciplinary group of European scientists from a large number of institutions, exploiting the latest cutting-edge and developing technologies to develop a project that integrates both paleoclimate reconstruction and modelling. The contribution of VU University Amsterdam to CASE consists of two research projects that focus on modelling of climate change in the Arctic and comparison with proxy-based reconstructions provided by CASE partners.  

Sub-Project 1) Transient response of the Arctic climate to external forcings during interglacials: climate model simulations for Holocene, MIS 5e and 11 compared to proxy-based reconstructions

Sub-Project 2) The freshwater budget of the Arctic Ocean during Holocene: insights from climate model experiments and evaluation using proxy archives.

These two sub-projects are expected to result in a PhD dissertation. The junior researchers will participate in the CASE training programme, consisting of relevant training courses organized in institutes participating in CASE.

 The junior researchers are expected to:

• set up, perform and analyze a range of climate model experiments;
• evaluate model results with proxy-based reconstructions;
• operate within the international CASE project team;
• have an excellent motivation, and social skills;
• write scientific papers and a dissertation.

We are looking for candidates (f/m) with a relevant university Masters degree in the fields of Geosciences or Geophysics. For this particular training programme, this Masters degree must have been obtained outside The Netherlands. Modelling experience is a strong advantage. The candidates need to be proficient in spoken and written English.

The positions will be available at VU University Amsterdam in the Climate Change & Landscape Dynamics Section. The appointment will be for 3 years, and is expected to result in publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and a PhD thesis. Further information about our excellent fringe benefits of employment may be found at www.workingatvu.nl

The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel, and depending on experience from a minimum of € 2.379,- gross per month (salary scale 10), based on full-time employment.

More information on our institute can be found at www.vu.nl/iva. Information on these particular positions can be obtained from Prof. Dr. Hans Renssen (e-mail: hans.renssen@falw.vu.nl, phone +31 20 59 87376)