In this postdoc position you will focus on the Atlantic Ocean Circulation, in particular its zonally averaged component called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which is one of the tipping elements in the climate system. The AMOC is sensitive to freshwater perturbations and may undergo a transition to a climate disrupting state within a few decades under continuing greenhouse gas emissions. The potential climate impacts of such a collapse are enormous and hence reliable estimates of the probability of its occurrence before the year 2100 are crucial information for policy makers.

The work in this position will focus on the simulation of an AMOC collapse under climate change in one of the state-of-the-art climate models and investigate the climate impacts of such a collapse.

Are you ambitious about climate research and driven to focus on working on this physical problem? Join us! You will have to bring multiple of the following:

• a PhD in physics, applied mathematics, meteorology, geosciences or a related field;
• excellent skills in scientific programming and numerical/statistical analysis of simulated and observed data;
• experience with machine learning applications (considered an advantage);
• experience with climate modeling, preferably with the Community Earth System Model (CESM), and climate model output analyses;
• basic knowledge of (geophysical) fluid dynamics.

The selection will be exclusively based on qualification without regard to gender, religion, national origin. Disabled applicants with comparable qualifications will be given preference. Candidates should be able to demonstrate motivation and a strong eagerness to learn, and have the ability to both work independently and as part of a team.

• the opportunity to work in and with a team of leading experts;
• a full-time position for 2 years;
• A full-time gross salary ranging from €2,960 to €4,670 in scale 10;
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the employment conditions laid down in the cao for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. For example, there are agreements on professional development, leave arrangements and sports. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment yourself via the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we like to encourage you to continue to grow.

For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University.

Sharing science, shaping tomorrow. A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability. You can watch the Utrecht University Campus Tour to get an impression of our university.

At the Faculty of Science, there are 6 departments to make a fundamental connection with: Biology, Chemistry, Information and Computing Sciences, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Physics. Each of these is made up of distinct institutes that work together to focus on answering some of humanity’s most pressing problems. More fundamental still are the individual research groups – the building blocks of our ambitious scientific projects. Find out more about us by watching Working at the Faculty of Science.

The Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU) offers a unique research and teaching environment, in which the fundamentals of the climate system are studied. Research is organized in five themes: Atmospheric Dynamics, Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry, Coastal and Shelf Sea Dynamics, Ice and Climate and Oceans and Climate. In 2017, IMAU research quality and impact were qualified as 'world leading' by an international visitation committee. Currently, IMAU employs 15 faculty members and 10 support staff and some 20 Postdocs and 30 PhD students, and offers a friendly, open and international atmosphere.