Research Associate in Climate Physics

Imperial College London is hiring a Research Associate in Climate Physics for a 2-year postdoctoral position focused on stratospheric aerosol injection risks. The role involves generating simulations, analyzing model outputs, and translating climate variables into risk measures. Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant field and experience in climate modeling. The position is full-time, fixed-term, located on-site at the South Kensington Campus, with a salary range of £48,056 - £56,345.
Job number

NAT01956

Faculties

Faculty of Natural Sciences

Departments

Department of Physics

Salary or Salary range

£48,056 - £56,345 per annum

Location/campus

South Kensington Campus - On site only

Contract type work pattern

Annualised Hours - Full time Fixed term

Posting End Date

5 Jun 2025

About the role

We invite applicants for a 2-year postdoctoral position as part of the NERC funded activity “Advancing Holistic Risk Assessment for Measures to Address Climate Change”, which seeks to understand the risks of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI).

This work includes collaboration between researchers at Imperial College, the University of Leeds, the University of Exeter and the UK Met Office.

The position will be co-supervised by Dr. Paulo Ceppi and Dr. Colleen Golja and will be based in the Department of Physics. The successful candidate will have (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in an area relevant to climate science.

What you would be doing

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Generating simulations of specified SAI scenarios using the UKESM model
• Organising and processing outputs for use across institutions.
• Analysis of model outputs related to changes in atmospheric circulation
• Translation of climate variables into a measure of human-relevant risk

What we are looking for

Essential requirements
• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., climate science, meteorology).
• Track record of producing high quality research publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, commensurate with experience.
• Research experience involving global climate modelling and analysis of large datasets.
• Knowledge of and interest in climate change science and climate intervention strategies
• Understanding of essential physics and dynamics of the atmosphere.
• Knowledge of scientific computing programming languages such as Python, R or equivalent.
• Demonstrable communication skills in the English language.
• Strong physical insight, analytical ability, creativity and self-motivation.
• Excellent analytical and quantitative research skills.

What we can offer you
• A supportive group environment invested in helping you achieve your career ambitions
• Opportunities to engage with research leaders across the UK and develop a robust scientific network
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 38 days off a year)

Further information

The position is available for a fixed term period of up to 24 months starting in July 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.
• Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £43,003 - £46,297 per annum. Should you have any queries please contact Dr Paulo Ceppi, p.ceppi@imperial.ac.uk and Dr. Colleen Golja, c.golja@imperial.ac.uk

For technical issues when applying online, please contact: recruitment@imperial.ac.uk

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.

Available documents

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.

Our Culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.

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