Research Assistant/Associate in Climate

Research Assistant/Associate in Climate

Newcastle University

Newcastle, United Kingdom

The Role

We are seeking a Researcher to work on the ‘Role of natural climate variability in modulating climate projections’ project in the Climate+ Co-Centre. The Climate+ Co-Centre is a new initiative to address water challenges on the Islands of Ireland and Great Britain. Led by Trinity College, Dublin; Queens University Belfast, University of Reading; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Newcastle University, it is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Climate+ Co-Centre brings together over 60 leading researchers from 14 academic partner institutions in the UK over a six-year period. It will undertake research, providing evidence and urgently needed solutions for the interlinked climate change, biodiversity loss and water quality degradation crises on the islands of Ireland and Great Britain, and globally.

You will develop methods to examine the role of natural climate variability in modulating climate projections for different global warming levels. The GWLs concept provides projections of how the climate will look if global temperatures are stabilised at e.g. 1.5°C, 2°C or 3°C. Current projections of future change tend to focus upon the multi-model ensemble mean to extract a best estimate of the likely change. This down weights the substantial role of natural variability which could augment or mask an underlying climate signal on decadal to multi-decadal timescales, especially regionally over Ireland & the UK. This project aims to undertake research into and quantification of the potential impacts of natural variability on climate change projections through the balance of this century on the British and Irish Isles working with another researcher to be appointed at Reading University. Therefore, we are looking for candidates who can work well with other members of the team at Newcastle, as well as our academic collaborators.

You will use the latest model simulations from large ensembles including: (1) CMIP6 projections; (2) UKCP18 projections for the whole of Ireland & the UK; (3) Existing downscaled simulations of CMIP5 and CMIP6 with a specific GWL focus; (4) Regional climate projections produced by ICHEC (downscaled CMIP5&6), Met Eireann (TRANSLATE) and EURO-CORDEX; (5) Specific stabilized climate simulations.

Key Accountabilities

The overall project aims to

• Develop GWL-focussed projections for UK & Ireland, including quantification of natural variability.
• Develop a set of metrics relevant to the quantification of the impacts of climate change and climate variability of broad relevance to the co-centre and external users, and analyse these metrics for the model projections that have been identified.
• Examine the causes, spatial patterns and timescales of internal and natural climate variability, including large-scale atmospheric dynamics, for Ireland & the UK.
• Explore the physical mechanisms for why this variability occurs.
• Create a set of actionable outputs (products and timeseries) that can be used by internal and external users.

You will contribute to this by

• Contributing ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of your studies.
• Determining appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required.
• Assessing research findings for the need/scope for further investigations.
• Contributing to the writing up of your research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications.
• Presenting research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge and research experience in analysing climate model outputs and observational datasets.
• Evidence of planning and organisation of research.
• Experience in computer coding and handling of large datasets.
• A developing research profile with a track record of research publications appropriate to career stage.
• Ability to plan and implement research projects effectively and deliver outputs to meet tight deadlines.

Desirable

• Experience in statistical analysis of extremes.
• Experience in working with high resolution models.
• Ability to contribute to the development of funding proposals to generate external funding to support research (Associate level).

Attributes and Behaviour

• Capacity for original thought and initiating new research ideas.
• Ability to work independently, as well as to collaborate effectively with other researchers and project partners.
• An ability to communicate effectively via oral and written media.

Qualifications

• A PhD (or close to completion for Assistant level) in the field of environmental science, engineering or related discipline.

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United Kingdom      Academic      Earth Science      Environment      On-site      PhD Required      Newcastle University