Careers

Whenever there are any new positions available at the ICOS or related communities we will announce it on this page.

If you have information about related open vacancies, please send an email to ICOS Communications at icos-comms (at) icos-ri.eu

Open positions in the ICOS field

Postdoctoral Position, Stanford University, Earth System Science: Tropical methane emissions and the Global Methane Budget, Stanford University Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford, California

Stanford Earth Sciences (the Jackson lab) in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability is hiring a full-time postdoctoral scientist to contribute to a project quantifying tropical methane fluxes in Brazil, Peru, French Guiana, and Botswana as part of the FLUXNET-CH4 network we recently established. 

The postdoc will contribute to field and flux-tower measurements in tropical forests and wetlands with local partners and is likely to assist with regional synthesis, analysis, and scaling of methane fluxes across sites. The project contributes to the Global Methane Budget of the Global Carbon Project.

Applications close on 23rd September 2024, however prospective applicants are encourage to apply by 1st August 2024 to assure full consideration. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Read more and apply here: https://findajob.agu.org/job/8024037/-postdoctoral-position-earth-system-science-stanford-university/ 

Postdoctoral Fellow in Greenhouse Gases Emissions from Peat Soils, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

This position is fully funded for 3 years in an established team with a long history of expertise in eddy covariance approaches for farm scale assessments of greenhouse emissions.  You will collect, analyse, and publish data on carbon balances of drained peat soils using the eddy covariance technique coupled to other carbon flows in grazed farming systems. You will also analyse and publish previously collected carbon balance data. Our specific interest is how emissions are controlled by water table and peat water dynamics. Data will be used by modelling collaborators to develop improved prediction of CO2 emissions from drained peats for national inventories.

This full-time position (37.5 hours per week) is based at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand in collaboration with Manaaki Whenua–Landcare Research. Our research is part of a joint New Zealand-Ireland research programme with Teagasc.

Deadline for applications is 26th July 2024. Read more and apply here: https://elhs.fa.ap1.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/job/1001750 

Post Doctoral Fellow Combined Level 1/2 in Measuring and Modelling Carbon Emissions and Sequestration from Mineral Soils on Different Land-Uses and Managements, Teagasc Research Johnstown Castle, Ireland

Teagasc Research Johnstown Castle and Trinity College Dublin are currently recruiting an exciting position in the area of measuring C emissions and sequestration on managed mineral soils on different land-uses and farming systems in Ireland.

The position involves measuring and modelling carbon emissions and carbon sequestration from agriculturally used mineral soils to disentangle the effect of soil intrinsic characteristics, management intensities and environmental variables on carbon dynamics. The Postdoc will assist in co-ordinating tasks involving measuring and modelling C emissions and sequestration from a subset of the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory (NASCO) eddy covariance tower sites in Ireland over different land-uses, soil types and managements.

The successful candidate will organise the daily operations of the project work at Johnstown Castle, manage and maintain a subset of NASCO flux tower sites, and will assist the project co-ordinator and PI in collating reports and arranging project meetings. They will take the lead in data analysis and in writing progress reports, presentations and publication of scientific/technical papers.

Deadline for applications is 9th July 2024. Read more and apply here: https://topjobs-teagasc.thehirelab.com/LiveJobs/JobApply/84638?source=1&externalAgency=-1 

Postdoctoral researcher, Agricultural Micrometeorology and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Aarhus University, Denmark

The Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University, Denmark, is offering a postdoctoral position in agricultural micrometeorology and greenhouse gas emissions, starting 1 November 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. This is a full-time position for a 3-year period, with the possibility to extend it for another year.

Agriculture is a large source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems are rapidly needed to achieve net-zero production, while maintaining yields, avoiding pollution swapping, and promoting farmer’s engagement to adopt mitigation measures. This role contributes to the SmartField project, which seeks to develop a research and development platform renowned worldwide for its advanced monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions, especially nitrous oxide.

The chosen applicant will join efforts with a diverse, multidisciplinary team aiming to lower greenhouse gas outputs in Danish agricultural crop production. The chosen applicant will have the responsibility of focusing on micrometeorological and chamber-based measurements of greenhouse gases. The focus of the position will be on (i) the analysis of large biogeochemical datasets with the aim to assess mitigation measures of greenhouse gas emissions, and (ii) the management of research activities at a highly monitored experimental field site.

Deadline for applications is 1st August 2024, 23:59 CEST. Read more and apply here: https://international.au.dk/about/profile/vacant-positions/job/postdoc-in-agricultural-micrometeorology-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions 
 

Head of Science Team in the Technical Support Unit, IPCC, Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

The IPCC was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide policymakers with rigorous, transparent, and objective scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options. The IPCC is now undertaking its Seventh Assessment (AR7) cycle. The IPCC Working Group I (WGI) assesses the physical science underpinning past, present, and future climate change. The WGI Technical Support Unit (TSU) provides scientific, technical, operational and communications support that underpin and implement the WGI assessment.

The TSU works at the unique IPCC interface between science and policy in the provision of the climate knowledge and information that is relevant for policy needs and decision making. The team is responsible for facilitating and implementing the assessment process undertaken by the author teams and overseen by the WGI Bureau. We are seeking someone who is highly motivated to join a team that spans different areas of expertise including climate sciences (observations, climate processes, global and regional climate modeling), visual design and communication, digital information development and management, and international project management. The team is hosted by Université Paris-Saclay and located in the facilities of Ecole normale supérieure (ENS) Paris-Saclay in the Paris area.

We seek candidates that bring a broad understanding of state-of-the-art physical climate science, international research and coordinated activities, as well as demonstrated experience in team leadership and management, as well as international experience. We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic in supporting a high impact and rigorous WGI assessment and promote the value of information on the physical basis of climate change and its accessibility and usability by different communities around the world.

The deadline for this role has been extended, and applications will remain open until the position is filled. Read more and apply here: https://www.ipcc.ch/2024/03/28/head-of-science-team-wg1-tsu/ 

Postdoctoral researcher, Peatlands Science Working Group, University of Greifswald

The Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Peatland Science Group of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Greifswald seeks to fill a full-time researcher position at the earliest possible date, subject to the provision of funds, for a limited period of 9 years. Remuneration is according to pay group 13 TV-L Science. The position is suitable for part-time work.

The Peatland Science Working Group conducts research on many central topics of peatland research. In addition to basic paleo-ecological research, studies and projects on the sustainable use of peatlands (paludiculture), the analyses of carbon turnover and greenhouse gas exchange as well as the synthesis of available data on the role of peatlands and peatland sites in the Earth's climate system play an important role. Landscape-ecological peatland research is essentially co-operative and interdisciplinary. We combine basic research with application and practical relevance. Our strength lies in the breadth and integration of research with the implementation of rewetting and peatland restoration.

Deadline for applications is 30th June 2024. Read more and apply here (in German): https://www.uni-greifswald.de/universitaet/information/stellenausschreibungen/wissenschaftliches-personal/stellenausschreibung/n/wissenschaftlicher-mitarbeiterin-moorforschung-24-wi19-193473/ 

Post-Doctoral Fellowship - Exploring the evolution of aerosol properties along their transport through ground-based and satellite observations in the Southern Hemisphere, University of La Reunion, Saint-Denis, France

Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy) at University of La Reunion, Saint-Denis, France, is looking for a postdoctoral fellow. The objective of this post-Doc project is a characterization of the evolution of aerosols properties in the troposphere in the Southern Hemisphere. 

This work should help to answer the following scientific questions: 

• How do evolve the aerosol properties (size distribution, shape, absorption and scattering properties, hygroscopicity, and vertical distributions of these parameters) along their transport in the troposphere of the Southern Hemisphere? 
• What are the processes (mixture, growth, sedimentation, interaction with clouds and rainfall) governing this evolution? 

The work will be divided into 3 distinct parts: 

• Retrieval of aerosol characteristics at their emission using available databases, in situ and remote sensing (ground-based and spaceborne) observations 
• Retrieval of aerosol characteristics along their transport using in situ and remote sensing (ground-based and spaceborne) observations 
• Meso-scale simulations of plume ageing case studies.

Read more and apply here: https://lacy.univ-reunion.fr/activites/programmes-de-recherche/realistic/job-opportunity 

PhD Position, Exploring the climate-altering potential of biomass burning aerosols from wildfire origin on the regional climate in the South West Indian Ocean, University of La Reunion, Saint-Denis, France

Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy) at University of La Reunion, Saint-Denis, France, is looking for a PhD candidate. This thesis project intends to explore the climate-altering potential of biomass burning aerosols from wildfire origin on the regional climate in the South West Indian Ocean. The smoke belt (South America, Africa and Australia) is the targeted emission source. 

The thesis should bring light to the following scientific questions: 

• Is the aerosol impact on regional climate in the SWIO driven by biomass burning aerosols? 
• How comparable is this impact w.r.t. GHG climate impact? 
• What is the impact at the regional scale?

Read more and apply here: https://lacy.univ-reunion.fr/activites/programmes-de-recherche/realistic/job-opportunity 

Associate Professor or DTU Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Greenhouse Gas Emission Observations, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Lyngby, Denmark

DTU Sustain offers a position for an atmospheric scientist or engineer to support their team with advanced and novel atmospheric experimental and modelling skills and approaches. DTU Sustain performs technology-oriented research on greenhouse gas exchanges including technical and natural sources and sinks. The current research team consists of four faculty staff with research focus ranging from single process studies at the facility or farm scale to observation systems that continuously monitor GHG fluxes in, e.g. rural landscapes and cities. They see a great need and potential to develop this growing field further at DTU with advanced and strong atmospheric research expertise. The new professorate shall develop and increase our ability to understand, quantify and mitigate society’s impacts on atmospheric greenhouse gas budgets.

Primary tasks include:

• Perform research at the highest international levels in the cross-field of the societal impacts on the climate system.
• Build up new experimental approaches and methods for GHG observation (e.g., new mobile and stationary sensor platforms and networks, remote sensing of the atmosphere, forward and inverse modelling of GHG transports in the atmosphere and processes of GHG exchange from facility to national scales).
• Develop new and effective concepts for GHG exchange monitoring, verification, and reporting to support sustainable development in industrialized countries.
• Contribute and interact with relevant international research networks and databases and support the IPCC process.
• Collaborate with the group and create links with colleagues in related sections (e.g., environmental assessment, waste management and circularity, urban metabolism, sustainable development).
• Teach basic and advanced courses in climate change and atmospheric observation.
• Teach and supervise BSc and MSc student projects and be supervisor for PhD students and post-doctoral fellows covering a broad range of atmospheric and sustainability topics
• Provide public sector consultancy to inform decision making with regards to GHG management for sustainable development.
• Find effective solutions for sustainable development and climate change mitigation.

Deadline for applications is 17th June 2024 (23:59 Danish time). Read more and apply here: https://efzu.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/da/sites/CX_1/job/3492/share/300000673811122 
 

Postdoc or PhD student position on eddy covariance flux measurements at University of Goettingen, Germany

The Bioclimatology group at the University of Goettingen in Germany is looking for an enthusiastic early career researcher. The position can be filled either at postdoc or PhD student level. Starting date is as soon as possible. The position is limited to 31.12.2026. 

The project aims to quantify CO2, H2O and energy fluxes of an oil palm plantation using the eddy covariance technique and to assess climate regulation functions of landscape mosaic using multi-spectral as well as thermal imagery from drones. From the results you will evaluate climate regulation functions from tropical landscapes and study their interactions with landscape type and structure. 

In this project the candidate’s tasks will include operating and analyzing eddy covariance measurements for H2O and CO2; analyzing multi-spectral and thermal images from airborne missions; presenting results nationally and internationally, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. It is part of a group of five projects investigating conversion of tropical rainforest into rubber and oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia, focusing on landscape-scale changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and restoration pathways. The position is based in Göttingen, Germany, with temporary visits in Jambi/Indonesia. 

For any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Alexander Knohl (e-mail: bioklima-job@uni-goettingen.de with Subject ClimReg). 

Deadline for applications is 21st May 2024. Please upload your application in one pdf file including letter of motivation, CV incl. publications, references here: https://obp.uni-goettingen.de/en-us/OBF/Index/74492 

Atmospheric (post doctoral) scientist, methane (super-emitter) satellite research at SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Netherlands

SRON is the co-Principal Investigator Institute for TROPOMI, a Dutch instrument realised together with ESA and launched October 2017. SRON’s responsibilities include the development and maintenance of the operational algorithms for methane and carbon monoxide. We have various research projects focusing on methane emissions using the TROPOMI satellite data, also in conjunction with high spatial resolution satellites like GHGSat, Sentinel-2, EnMAP, etc. You will analyse TROPOMI - and other satellite - methane data to study methane emissions around the world including from super-emitters.

The focus of this position is on our contribution to the ESA MEDUSA (Methane Emission Detection Using Satellites Assessment) project that SRON is leading. MEDUSA brings together the leading institutes and companies in Europe and Canada in the field. In this project, we will be intercomparing and validating methane detection and emission quantifications of ‘point sources’ and urban-hot spots using different satellites (e.g. TROPOMI, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3, PRISMA, EMIT, EnMAP, GHGSat, …) and amongst different research groups. In addition, we will perform case studies including for example emission inversions quantifying both area and point source emissions for some of the important oil and gas producing countries that signed up to the Global Methane Pledge. These inversions will incorporate both TROPOMI and GHGSat data. Your work will fit in and complement our on-going research on methane (super-emitters) as part of UNEP’s IMEO-MARS, CAMS, and a GMH-funded landfill project.

Deadline for applications is 8 June 2024. Read more and apply here: https://werkenbijsron.nl/en/careers/atmospheric-scientist-1079264/ 

Postdoctoral researcher, resilience of forests to air pollution and climate extremes, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

The Grassland Sciences group at the Department of Environmental Systems Science, is looking for a reliable, enthusiastic, and highly motivated postdoc with a passion for science to join their team in Zurich. The research focuses on process- and system-understanding of the biosphere-atmosphere greenhouse gas exchange of forests and agroecosystems, in particular on their response to management and climate.

This position is embedded in a project on the Impacts of Air Pollution and Climate Extremes on the Resilience of European Forests (CERES), a collaboration with Prof. Mana Gharun at the University of Münster. It aims to improve the mechanistic understanding of how changes in tree ecophysiology in response to air pollution and climate extremes drive the forest ecosystem's CO2 and H2O fluxes and thus its capacity to sequester carbon and its evaporative cooling. The project will combine long-term deposition simulations, local meteorological measurements, existing tree level growth and water use measurements with whole ecosystem flux measurements to identify ecophysiological resistance and recovery responses to climate extremes under different air pollution along a climatic gradient in Europe. Moreover, we will use statistical (e.g., random forest, generalised additive models) and process-based (e.g., SPA) models to project future forest responses to global change drivers.

Applications are open. Candidate interviews are expected to be held in mid-June 2024. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The successful candidate is expected to start the role by 1st October 2024 (or upon agreement). Read more and apply here: https://jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOPG_ethz_TH9BBJOiwDr8L8j9G7 

Postdoctoral researcher, Improvement of surface-atmosphere flux estimation, ULiège, Belgium 

The TERRA Teaching and Research Center of the University of Liège invites applications for a 1.5 to 3-year fully funded postdoctoral fellowship for the investigation on surface-atmosphere flux estimation improvement on eddy-covariance flux-tower stations.

The research will be conducted in the framework of the AGROFLUX project (“Improving the agrosystem GHG budget through data-assimilation of surface fluxes”) funded by the Belgian Science Policy as part of the BRAIN2.0 program. This program supports the implementation of Belgian research action through interdisciplinary networks, and is dedicated to Challenges and knowledge of the living and non-living world. AGROFLUX is a partnership between ULiège, micro-meteorologists from the Royal Belgian Meteorological Institute and fluid dynamicists from the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve and Catholic University of
Leuven. 

Deadline for applications is 15th May 2024. Read more and apply here: https://www.icos-cp.eu/media/387