Dear colleagues,
we are inviting applications for a
PhD position (3 years)
at the Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany
Topics: Study of atmosphere - sea ice interactions; Image processing and development of retrieval algorithms; Spatial variability and temporal evolution of melt pond characteristics in the Arctic
Deadline: November, 18th, 2016
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The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) is a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF) and funded by federal and state government. AWI focuses on polar and marine research in a variety of disciplines such as biology, oceanography, geology and geophysics thus allowing multidisciplinary approaches to scientific goals.
The section "Meteorology of the Polar Regions" invites applications for a position as
PhD student
Tasks and Background:
The ice-albedo-feedback plays an important role in the recent Arctic climate change. It is influenced by meltwater ponds, which form on sea ice in summer. How strong the influence of melt ponds is depends especially on their areal fraction, their depth and on the thickness of the underlying ice.
Within the work, physical characteristics of melt ponds will be retrieved from existing aircraft data. Furthermore, the PhD candidate will be involved in situ measurements on sea ice and helicopter
measurements, which are planned to be carried out in addition. The data analysis is based on
image processing and on special retrieval algorithms, which are expected to be improved and optimized. The whole data set shall be used by the PhD candidate to investigate the spatial variability and the temporal evolution of melt pond characteristics in the Arctic. The work is expected to start on March 1st, 2017.
Requirements:
· M.Sc. degree or diploma in geophysics, meteorology, physics, mathematics or comparable scientific disciplines
· Good programming skills in at least one programming language (preferentially IDL, Python or Matlab)
· Good English skills (spoken and written)
· Knowledge in atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions is of advantage.
· Profound background in statistics, knowledge in image processing and in the analysis of laser scanner / laser altimeter data is of advantage
· The PhD candidate is expected to participate in expeditions to the Polar Regions
For more information or questions regarding the project, please contact Dr. Gerit Birnbaum
(gerit.birnbaum@awi.de) and Dr. Wolfgang Dierking (wolfgang.dierking@awi.de).
The position is limited to 3 years. The salary will be paid in accordance with the German Tarifvertrag des öffentlichen Dienstes (TVöD Bund), salary level 13 (66%). The place of employment will be Bremerhaven.
We offer you a multi-disciplinary, international, and fascinating professional environment with flexible working hours, state-of-the-art research equipment, and a first-rate infrastructure.
Disabled applicants will be given preference when equal qualifications are present. The AWI
fosters the compatibility of work and family through various means. Because of our engagement in the area of work-life compatibility we have been awarded the certificate "Career and Family".
As Ph.D. student at AWI you will obtain the opportunity to subscribe to the Helmholtz Graduate
School for Polar and Marine Research 'POLMAR' (http://polmar.awi.de).
Please forward your applications with the standard documentation (cover letter with motivation, CV and two references / letters of recommendation) by November 18th, 2016 referencing code
122/G/Kli to: Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Personalabteilung (human resources), Postfach 12 01 61, 27515 Bremerhaven/Germany or by e-mail (all documents merged into one PDF file) to: personal@awi.de.
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Regards,
Gerit Birnbaum and Wolfgang Dierking
