This vacancy is for the PhD project "Inverse modelling of the coupled COS and CO2 budgets" that is funded by the EU through an ERC advanced grant (2017-2022). A research team from Wageningen, Utrecht, and Groningen will perform observations and modelling on COS and its isotopes. This PhD position will focus on the modelling of the coupled COS and CO2 budgets with the global atmospheric transport model TM5. Sources and sinks of COS will be implemented, as well as a description of the COS isotopologues. Comparisons will be made with existing and new surface observations, and with satellite observations. Inverse modelling techniques will be used to learn more about GPP. The PhD is expected to closely work with other members of the COS-OCS research team, and to write publications that will be combined to a PhD thesis.

We are searching for a highly motivated candidate who is able to work independently as well as in our research team. The candidate should have

• A master degree in physics, chemistry, environmental sciences, or equivalent education is required.
• Excellent experience in programming and computer modeling, preferably using Python and Fortran
• Excellent English writing and communication skills
• Some practice in scientific writing.

We offer you a full time (38 hours/week) temporary position for a period of 4 years. The appointment will be initially for 18 months. After satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, it can be extended for a total duration of 4 years. Successful candidates are expected to register for a programme of study that leads to a PhD. Finalization of the PhD is expected in the end of 2021. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel, and amounts € 2.222,- gross per month in the first year up to € 2.840,- in the fourth year based on a full-time employment.

Wageningen University & Research

The Meteorology and Air Quality Group is part of the Department of Environmental Sciences. We aim to contribute to the further understanding of atmospheric processes and their relevance for weather, air quality and climate. We do research on a variety of topics and horizontal scales. The department of Environmental Sciences of Wageningen University provides fundamental research and academic education on our living environment: nature, landscape, land usage, adaptation to climate change, water and ocean management, and the various competing claims on space. This also includes biodiversity and the sustainability of management and production. Wageningen University is part of the Wageningen University and Research concern.
Carbonyl Sulfide (COS) is the most abundant sulfur compound in our atmosphere. It is emitted from the oceans and by some human activities, and taken up by the biosphere or destroyed in the upper atmosphere. However, the COS budget in our atmosphere is still highly uncertain. Since COS is taken up by plants by similar mechanisms as CO2, but not produced by compensating respiration terms, COS can potentially be used to better constrain gross primary productivity (GPP) of the biosphere. The uncertainty in its budget currently hampers this use of COS. There is thus a clear need to reduce the uncertainties in the COS budget.
Host organisation is the Meteorology and Air Quality Group of Wageningen University, which is an international oriented University which cooperates with partners from all over the world in education and research on the theme 'healthy food and living environment'. Wageningen University's hosts students from over 100 countries. Our mission is: To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. The research of the MAQ group focuses on the interaction between the Earth' surface and the atmosphere, which is relevant for weather, climate, and air quality. The group currently hosts about 12 PhDs that work on a variety in subjects.