Ocean Modeling & Analysis

About the role

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Responsibilities

This opportunity is closed to applicants who are Senior Fellows (5-years or more past PhD).

The ocean plays a critical role in the Earth System taking up heat and carbon and other gases and trace elements and thereby helping regulate climate and climate change. At the same time the ocean undergoes significant changes, both in terms of natural variability as well as due to extreme events and climate change trends. At NASA-GISS we are seeking to better understand all ocean related processes, using models, the coupled climate model, modelE, as well as the NASA-GISS modelE-ESM, reanalysis products, observations, and machine learning, in present, past and future climates as well as in exoplanets.

The science themes in this call can be in any of the following broad areas:

• Uptake of heat and carbon in the Earth System; including studies of biogeochemical cycles, response to zero emissions and marine CDR
• Marine Extremes, such as marine heatwaves, low oxygen or high acidity extremes and others
• Stability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, including fingerprints of AMOC collapse; and early warning signals
• Emulators of climate scenarios; using machine learning or other statistical techniques

Requirements

Successful proposals will leverage observational and observation-based data of relevant geophysical variables, with emphasis in NASA mission products, reanalysis products, data assimilation & inverse models, and climate or ocean-only models, high resolution, regional or process models. The use of innovative analysis techniques, particularly machine learning, is encouraged.

Applicants preferred area of study: Mathematics/Physics/Engineering, Climate Science

Applicants desirable programing skills: Fortran, python, MATLAB or other similar visualization & analysis software.

Qualifications

Applicants must have completed a full doctoral degree in a relevant field prior to the start date of the appointment. The degree must have been completed within the last five years at the time of appointment.

Applicants must have received their doctorate after September 1, 2018.

Skills

Successful candidates will have demonstrated the ability to work independently and as part of a team, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and collaborators.

Benefits

The NPP provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement savings plans, and relocation assistance.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $85,000 - $100,000 per year.

Schedule

The fellowship is a full-time position, with a duration of one to three years.