CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship in Regional Sea-level Projections Ready

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The Opportunity

• Do you have a PhD in physical oceanography, meteorology, and/or climate science?
• Lead the generation of reliable sea-level projections that facilitate effective adaptation planning
• Be part of the CSIRO Environment team in this exciting 3-year postdoctoral role

CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorate and have less than three years of relevant postdoctoral work experience. These fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system.

Australia, as an island nation, faces vulnerability due to sea-level rise (SLR), a phenomenon driven by global factors such as ocean thermal expansion and the melting of land ice. Despite advocacy for strong emission reduction under the Paris Climate Agreement, the gradual responses of deep oceans and polar ice sheets will commit society to enduring SLR impacts for centuries. Good progresses have been made in understanding SLR, enabling us to reconcile historical sea level changes reasonably well and further produce projections for future SLR by encompassing all contributing factors. Regional variations in sea-level changes often diverge substantially from global mean changes, stemming from regional ocean dynamics, contemporary changes in land ice and water storage, and vertical land motion including long-term adjustments since the last Glacial Maximum.

The CERC Fellow will address this critical research area, characterized by substantial socioeconomic implications, by bridging existing knowledge gaps in regional sea-level projections. For instance, recent assessments in IPCC AR5 and AR6 presented notably differing regional sea-level projections around Australia. Stakeholders seek detailed and dependable sea-level projections with reduced uncertainty, currently lacking in availability.  Taking the lead, the CERC Fellow will generate reliable sea-level projections in high spatial resolution, employing dynamic downscaling through regional ocean general circulation models. The focus will involve designing and implementing regional downscaling experiments, evaluating sensitivity to model selection, parameterization, and configuration, and identifying an optimal model setup. Innovative techniques for downscaling various sea-level processes together will also be explored. Ultimately, the aim is to develop high-resolution regional sea-level projections that facilitate effective adaptation planning and policymaking to address the issue of SLR in Australia. 

Your duties will include:

• Developing regional dynamical downscaling using regional ocean general circulation models to simulate sea level and ocean state changes and variability around Australia.
• Evaluating impacts of ocean model selection, configuration, and parameterization on simulated sea levels, and identifying the optimal model setup for efficient downscaling.
• Incorporating downscaled dynamic sea level into high-resolution regional sea-level projection.
• Carrying out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes. 

 To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as physical oceanography, meteorology, and/or climate science. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Well-developed knowledge of sea-level rise, climate change and variability, ocean and climate modelling.
• Demonstrated experience in applying dynamical downscaling, or setting up regional oceanic or atmospheric models.
• Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and using sophisticated mathematical models to analysis and solve scientific problems.
• High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including the presentation of research outcomes at national and international conferences.

For full details about this role please view the Position Description.

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents or you must either hold, or be able to obtain, a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Flexible Working Arrangements

 We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

How to Apply

Please apply on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.