The permafrost area of Siberia is one of world’s largest stores of soil carbon. Thermokarst processes which are sensitive to climate change provide a very dynamic landscape in which thaw lakes and connecting waters can have access to  large amounts of carbon. The total emissions of greenhouse gasses from these inland waters and thaw lakes, primarily methane and carbon dioxide, can thus constitute and important positive feedback on climate change. Very few measurements exist for these waters and lakes, and the models used to predict future behaviour are generally poorly developed. You will join a team, partly funded by the Dutch excellence program Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC) and other sources (EU, Dutch science funding) to investigate these processes in the Siberian Arctic. 

Your duties

• Prepare a series of field experiments aimed at obtaining novel data on the emissions of inland waters and thaw lakes in the far East Siberian Arctic
• Take care of our long-term eddy-covariance setup at our field site
• Develop and expand methods (models, machine learning) to scale up the measurements to the pan Arctic
• Present results at conferences and in peer-reviewed publications

• PhD in Earth sciences, physics, chemistry or biology
• Experience with programming, preferably in Python
• Preferably: experience with fieldwork, sampling and (geochemical/isotopic) analysis of organic matter

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,709 (scale 10)
and a maximum €4,274 (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 0.9 FTE.

The initial employment contract will affect a period of 1 year, with the likelihood of extension with another two years (in total 3 years). The desired starting date is September 1st 2020 (depending on the Corona developments).

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 
• contribution to commuting expenses 
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

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 endeavour – 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 26,000 students. We employ over 4,600 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 around 6,000 students.