Assistant Professor, Geography – University of Nevada

I was alerted to this job announcement; please circulate to others also. See the url below for complete information.

Assistant Professor, Geography – University of Nevada

The Department of Geography, University of Nevada, seeks applications for a tenure-track faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor level in the area of climate science with an expected start date of July 1, 2013. We seek applicants with broad research interests in processes and mechanisms of climate science, such as interannual to multidecadal climate variability, interactions between Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces, regional-scale weather and climate processes in natural and human-modified landscapes, long-term coupling and feedbacks between climate and landscape evolution; and/or hydroclimatology of arid and semiarid regions.  The successful candidate will have strong quantitative skills, interest in collaborating with a range of natural and social scientists on interdisciplinary topics, and a commitment to quality teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A demonstrated track record in research and teaching is preferred. Candidates will be evaluated on previous experience, communication skills, publication record, grant and contract activities, ability to work both collaboratively and independently and personal area of expertise that complements existing faculty. We seek a candidate who will develop their own externally funded research projects as well as be willing to work collaboratively with department faculty and contribute to existing projects.

A Waste Of Money By NSF and NCAR? Are They Studying The Predictability Of Climate On Decadal Time Scales, Or Are They Just Providing Unverified Predictions To The Impacts Community?

Yesterday, I presented an example, in my view, of the misuse of models to provide climate forecasts decades into the future;

Another Scientifically Flawed Presentation Of Multi-Decadal Regional Climate Predictions – This Time It Is In The Intermountain West Climate Summary

I have also posted extensively on the funding by the National Science Foundation of multi-decadal climate model predictions which are not robust scienficially; e.g. see

The Failure Of Dynamic Downscaling As Adding Value to Multi-Decadal Regional Climate Prediction

In this context, I was sent an announcement concerning a set of jobs at the National Center for Atmospheric Research [NCAR] that involves the application of this (in my view) overreach of what models can provide. NCAR is funded in part by the National Science Foundation (I do not know the source of the funds, however, for this specific set of NCAR positions).

The NCAR announcement reads

From: Greg Holland <gholland@xxx>
Subject: [Tropical-storms] Job openings at NCAR in Regional Climate

Folks,

We are expanding our regional climate activities with four new
positions, as listed below. Please note that in NCAR parlance
Postgraduate Scientist is what you would normally call Post Doc. Note
also that these include physical and statistical scientists.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or James Done if you have any
questions.

Greg

Project Scientist:
https://ucar.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=216961&company_id=15947&version=1&source=ONLINE&jobOwner=962108&aid=1
Associate Scientist:
https://ucar.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=216964&company_id=15947&version=1&source=ONLINE&jobOwner=962108&aid=1
Postgraduate Scientists:
https://ucar.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=216962&company_id=15947&version=1&source=ONLINE&jobOwner=962108&aid=1
https://ucar.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=216963&company_id=15947&version=1&source=ONLINE&jobOwner=962108&aid=1

The decription of the job announcements read [highlight added]

Project Scientist III

Conducts independent research on regional climate with an emphasis on high-impact weather using the NRCM and MPAS models. Supports further development of the MPAS modeling system as a full earth system simulator including data assimilation approaches relevant to decadal climate prediction on regional scales. Designs numerical simulations to investigate high impact weather changes with climate variability and change. Develops and applies novel diagnostic methods for analyzing regional climate model output.

 Interacts with sponsor organizations, government and commercial, in support of research and development projects. Serves as PI or Co-PI on externally-funded proposals that further NCAR goals.

 Authors and co-authors manuscripts for publication in leading peer-reviewed scientific journals. Presents research findings to the scientific community and sponsor organizations at the national and international level.

 Provides scientific expertise and advice on regional climate and particularly its impact on severe weather throughout NCAR and the national and international community. Serves as a subject matter expert on regional climate and severe weather. Reviews articles related topics for academic journals and may serve on national subject committees.

 Supervises and mentors staff and provides indirect supervision for staff and visitors conducting research on a variety of atmospheric phenomena related to regional climate.

Associate Scientist II

Participates in the development of regional climate modeling and data analysis in support of regional climate research at NCAR.

Designs experiments and scripts to test and evaluate regional climate modeling techniques, including testing new code developments and code performance. Conducts multiyear regional climate simulations and performs data analysis.

 Works on coupling and testing of new Earth system components to regional atmospheric model systems including but not limited to ocean and land, atmospheric chemistry and decision support tools.

 Co-authors refereed papers, technical reports and conference papers. Makes presentations at scientific conferences.

 Assists scientific staff and visitors using regional climate models and data analysis. Attends meetings and contributes as a team member to the Regional Climate Research Section.

Postgraduate Scientist

BASIC JOB FUNCTION: Conducts research and develops modeling and analysis techniques in support of regional climate research at NCAR, involving dynamical and statistical regional climate modeling and development of improved decision-support tools for society.

DUTIES INCLUDE:

Conducts research in support of regional climate analysis and development with a particular emphasis on precipitation over the U.S. and extreme events including North Atlantic tropical cyclones.

Works with community physical and social scientists to develop decision-support tools for societal groups in parallel with regional climate model development as part of the NSF Earth and Atmospheric System Modeling program at NCAR.

Prepares results for publication in peer-reviewed journals and for presentation at meetings and conferences. Prepares summary reports or project progress reports as needed.

Contributes to the goals of the NESL/MMM program. May assist in the development of funding proposals and contribute to program planning.

Postgraduate Scientist

BASIC JOB FUNCTION: Conducts research into development of new statistical approaches and applications of relevance to regional climate assessment, with a specific emphasis on applications of extreme value theory. This will include working within the overall regional climate and high-impact weather program at NCAR, developing research collaborations with other statistical groups and advising industry and societal partners.

DUTIES INCLUDE:

Works independently and as a member of a team to support the research activities of the Regional Climate Research Section. Supports the development and application of advanced statistical techniques and recommends new statistical approaches to aid in the assessment of regional climate from numerical simulations, with a particular emphasis on multi-decadal simulation and prediction of high impact weather. Research will focus on quantifying high-impact weather risk and assessing extreme events including quantifying and communicating uncertainty and understanding the propagation of uncertainty through models.

Collaborates with scientists from NCAR and other institutions on relevant research.

As part of the Regional Climate Research team, attends meetings with partner and supporter organizations in academia, industry and society and present results on relevant research.

Conducts, presents and publishes results of personal research. Participates in national and international conferences, workshops and symposia.

Now, I am not certain that these individuals would provide regional climate predictions as the main function. Perhaps they will focus on the assessment of decadal predictability, as I discussed in my post

The Difference Between Prediction and Predictability – Recommendations For Research Funding Related to These Distinctly Different Concepts

In that post, I wrote

While the quantiative assessment of predictability is worthy of funding by the National Science Foundation, and other such funding agencies in the United States and elsewhere,  the production of multi-decadal climate predictions of regional impacts, whose skill cannot be verified until decades from now, are a waste of the available funds for research. A bottom-up, resource assessment of vulnerabilities, even without predictive skill  (i.e. see

A Way Forward In Climate Science Based On A Bottom-Up Resourse-Based Perspective)

is a much more scientifically robust approach.

In terms of Greg Holland’s, whether he studies quantitatively predictability, or, instead, focuses on decadal predictions to provide to the impacts community, should be an issue that is closely followed by those who manage and are funding this effort.  

source of image

Postdoctoral Opportunity In Southern Africa

One of my close colleagues, Dr. Jimmy Adegoke, is Executive Director of the CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment in Pretoria South Africa. There is an opportunity for outstanding young scientists to further develop their careers in

Faculty Position In Climate Science Advertised At Arizona State University

Atmospheric and Climate Sciences

We seek applicants with research interests such as regional-scale weather and climate processes; land-atmosphere interactions in natural and human-modified landscapes; long-term coupling and feedbacks between climate and landscape evolution; and/or hydroclimatology of arid and semiarid regions. While a range of techniques and methods are appropriate to address these topics, we are specifically targeting candidates with a strong quantitative/modeling background and experience in data analysis from ground and/or remote sensing platforms. A demonstrated track record in research, teaching and grantsmanship is preferred. Applicants with an interest in or on-going activities in the western U.S. or the US/Mexico border area are particularly encouraged. The ability to collaborate with a broad range of other faculty members across ASU is highly desirable, including SESE, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, School of Sustainability, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

Applications should include: 1) a cover letter that includes a description of the applicant’s research and teaching interests, 2) a current CV, and 3) the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references. Inquiries and applications must be addressed to Kip Hodges, Director, School of Earth and Space Exploration, and submitted electronically to sesenewfac@asu,edu. Submissions in pdf format are preferred.

Dr. Enrique R. Vivoni Associate Professor School of Earth and Space Exploration & School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment Arizona State University Tempe, AZ vivoni@asu.edu http://vivoni.asu.edu

Post-Doctoral Position With Luyssaert Sebastiaan Of The University of Antwerp On A Much Needed Research Topic

Luyssaert Sebastiaan  of the University on Antwerp in Belgium is announcing a post-doctoral research opportunity on surface interactions within the climate system.

The background presented in the announcement provides an example of the much needed broadening of the climate issues with respect to how the environment is affected. The text in the announcement reads

“We are seeking a POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE to strengthen a newly established ERC research team that aims to quantify and understand the role of forest management in mitigating climate change. Specifically, the team wants to challenge the current focus on the carbon cycle and replace it with a total climate impact approach. Hence, the whole forest management spectrum ranging from short rotation coppice to old-growth forests will be analyzed for its effects on the water, energy and carbon cycles. Climate response of forest will be quantified by means of albedo, evapotranspiration, greenhouse gas sources and sinks and their resulting climate feedback mechanisms.”

The responsibilites of the postion are

“The major focus of the position is placed on research and to a lesser extent supervision of research students. The successful candidate will reinforce and widen the expertise of the team while strengthening synergies within the LSCE. Research duties include literature study, data processing, model development (ORCHIDEE), model validation (ORCHIDEE-IPSL; a coupled climate land-surface model), participation in scientific conferences and publication in peer reviewed international journals. The successful candidate will be encouraged to generate external funding in her/his area and as such contribute to further establishing the team. The position is available for up to 5 yrs.”

The qualifications are

“Given the interdisciplinary nature of the research we are seeking for a highly motivated individual with a Ph.D. and broad interest in natural sciences more specific forest ecology (biogeochemistry, management, ecosystem services), climatology (boundary layer, albedo, roughness length, cloud formation) and their mutual interactions. Rather than for a specific training, we are looking for a candidate who is able to demonstrate her/his ability to publish peer-reviewed papers and communicate in English. Priority will be given to candidates who can demonstrate experience in programming, statistical analysis and manipulating large data sets. Of special relevance is proven ability to be dynamic, creative, open and work collaboratively with a team of scientists.”

This is an exciting opportunity for young researchers who want to significantly expand the understanding of the climate system.