PhD: Assessing Sub-daily Carbon and Water Exchange in the Amazon

The Amazon is an important ecosystem for carbon and water cycling. Because of climate change, the Amazon is in transition: experiencing more frequent droughts and taking up less carbon from the atmosphere. Monitoring the Amazon is challenging because of the relatively few local measurements, but through remote sensing we can observe the forest in great detail.

Your job
Within the project ACT-NOW (Amazon Carbon uptake Transitions - Novel space-based Observational frameWork), we aim to:

1. improve existing satellite algorithms and produce a new dataset of sun-induced fluorescence;
2. use geo-stationary satellite data to study changes in leaf-phenology during the day;
3. use evapotranspiration estimates to quantify changes in water-use efficiency;
4. organise an international workshop to disseminate our findings to the wider scientific community.

As a PhD candidate, you are expected to be able to work independently but also work in a team. An important aspect is to keep track of scientific literature, become an expert in the topic of research and engage in scientific discussion with other researchers. Importantly, you are expected to present your research findings at international scientific conferences and publish peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. You are expected to manage your time and contribute a minor part of your time (max 10%) to teaching activities.

You will work in a team of researchers from Utrecht University (UU), Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and University of Zurich (UZH).

Applicants are expected to have a completed or nearly finished (latest in summer 2024) MSc degree. Suitable MSc programs include, but are not limited to, Environmental Sciences, Remote Sensing, Physics, Atmospheric Sciences. Except for that, you have:

• prior experience in working with remote sensing data, or other geospatial data is valuable for this project;
• experience in programming languages (e.g., Python, Fortran, R) is also a strong asset;
• good communication skills, in speaking and writing, are important to work in this international team and field;
• knowledge about the climate system and ecosystem dynamics are valuable, but more important is the willingness to learn more about these topics;
• Other import aspects: curiosity, analytical framing, a problem-solving attitude and resilience in case of setbacks.

We offer:

• a position for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 36 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU);
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

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 Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The department Sustainable Development is more widely known as the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. The research in our institute, is centered around three central themes (transitions, governance, modelling) and five sustainability challenges (circular economy, energy, food, land, water). The project advertised here strongly links to sustainable land challenges.

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation, via the ‘apply now’ button.

The first round of interviews will be conducted as virtual meetings to offer similar conditions to the invited applicants. The first round of interviews are planned for the second half of June.