Earth System Ice Sheet Modeller

Background/Overview

The Polar Regions may be at the ends of the Earth but what happens there affects us all. Understanding how our planet works, and in particular how it is responding to ever-increasing human pressures, is one of science’s greatest challenges.

For over a century Britain has been at the forefront of exploration and scientific research in Antarctica. The scientific advances that we made over recent decades have changed humankind’s understanding of planet Earth. The UK’s vibrant research community now plays a leading role in the international efforts to investigate and monitor environmental change in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

Within this context, BAS has identified a need for a new Earth System focussed Antarctic modeller. The modeller will sit between the existing Ice Sheet Modelling group at BAS and the existing Earth System Modelling group, and is expected to make strong connections with both groups. They will improve the connections between the different Earth System Model components, alongside the numerical representation of glaciological processes within the ice sheet model(s). This will improve BAS’s capacity to forecast Antarctic-related sea level changes over long time periods. The postholder will be expected to lead us in thinking about long-term Antarctic derived contributions to UK and global sea level change.

Purpose:

The new Earth System focussed Antarctic modeller will lead BAS’s contribution to the development and evaluation of the new Antarctic ice sheet sub model within the NERC-MetOffice UKESM earth system model. They will take a leading role in developing reliable projections of future long-term sea level change. They will have experience in implementing new physics in earth system models and may have experience of implementing physics and tracers in ice sheet models. They will play a pivotal role in UKESM core group, representing BAS and liaising with scientists from across CPOM, NCAS, NCEO, NOC, PML, UKCEH and the Met Office. The post-holder will develop their own research program which they will achieve by winning funding to support their research.

Duties:

• Undertake historical and long paleo UKESM ice-ocean-atmosphere simulations.
• Project future medium to long-term changes in the whole Antarctic ice sheet and related sea level changes.
• Use evidence of longer-term surface and ocean ice sheet forcing (e.g. ice cores and ocean cores) to help evaluate and force simulations.
• Lead BAS’s contribution to the development and evaluation of the new Antarctic ice sheet sub model within the NERC-MetOffice UKESM earth system model.
• Work with BAS and UKESM scientists on the UKESM ice sheet component – embedding appropriate physics in the UKESM ice sheet model and developing water tracers.
• Publish their research in leading peer-reviewed journals.
• Develop their own independent research program by winning funding and applying for studentships.
• Represent BAS as a UKESM core member.
• Contribute to activities within the Ice Dynamics and Palaeoclimate team and the wider BAS

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £39,748.00-£64,786.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Flexitime
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Referral programme
• Store discount
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Flexitime

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: BAS 23/57