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Job VU University Amsterdam (VU) - PhD position f/m

PhD position f/m

Job description

The sub-department of Climate Change & Landscape Dynamics, Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, has a vacancy for a PhD position. This project is funded by the 7^th framework programme of the European Union, as part of the international Past4Future project (www.past4future.eu). 

Research project: Modelling abrupt climate change during warm periods in the past: Reconstructions of past climates demonstrate clearly the ability for the climate system to jump abruptly—at a rate fast enough to impact ecosystems and societies. We know that these abrupt changes, regime shifts, and large scale ecosystem transitions have occurred during both our current interglacial and the previous one—a period with many climate features similar to those projected for our future. Yet, the underlying causes of these changes, their thresholds for activation, the rate at which they occur, and even the full extent of the areas they impact are still poorly understood. To improve our understanding of the likelihood and possible impacts of such climate changes and transitions in our future, there is therefore an urgent need to critically assess their past occurrences and underlying mechanisms using a combined data – model approach. In this project, numerical experiments are performed with climate models, testing several mechanisms for abrupt climate change. These model experiments are to be compared with similar experiments performed by other partners of Past4Future. All model experiments are evaluated using proxy-based climate reconstructions.

Tasks:The PhD student is expected to:

• set up, perform and analyze a range of climate model experiments;
• evaluate model results with proxy-based reconstructions;
• operate within the international Past4Future project team;
• contribute to tasks of the Climate Change & Landscape Dynamics Section, including for example assistance in teaching;
• have an excellent motivation, and social skills;
• write scientific papers and a dissertation.

Requirements

We are looking for a candidate (f/m) with a relevant university Masters degree in the fields of Geosciences or Geophysics. Modelling experience is an advantage. The PhD research candidate needs to be proficient in spoken and written English.

Conditions of employment

The PhD position will be available at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Climate Change & Landscape Dynamics Section. The appointment will be available initially for 12 months. After a successful evaluation the contract will be prolonged with 36 months. The appointment should result in publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and a PhD thesis. 

The salary is € 2.042,- gross per month in the first year, increasing to € 2.612,- in the fourth year (salary scale 85), based on full-time employment. Further information about our excellent fringe benefits of employment may be found at www.workingatvu.nl

Contract type

Temporary

12 months

Additional information

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

 

The short URL code for this job opening is: 3400
Direct link to this job www.academictransfer.com/3400