Job Description

Web Announcement
Postdoctoral Research Fellow

The Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) of George Mason University is seeking a highly analytic and rigorously trained person for the position of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow to conduct original research in modeling the climate system, namely the role of land surface variability and change in modulating the variability and predictability of precipitation extremes. Using the NOAA Unified Forecast System (UFS), the incumbent will examine how land surface states (soil moisture and vegetation) connect to precipitation via a chain of linkages through surface fluxes, near-surface meteorology, boundary layer characteristics and cloud formation within a process-oriented investigation of recent past (late 20th century), present (2013-2023), and near future (~2030s) climate. The incumbent will work closely with other scientists in COLA to advance understanding of predictability and prediction of the Earth system on sub-seasonal and longer time scales.

George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

Diversity Statement:

George Mason University College of Science (Mason Science) is committed to advancing access, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (AJEDI) throughout our STEM community, including within our hiring and retention practices. At Mason Science, our values include fostering an organizational culture that promotes Anti-racism, belonging, respect, and civility. We believe that a diversity of opinions, cultures, and perspectives is what provides vibrancy, innovation and growth to an academic community. By prioritizing inclusive excellence in academics, teaching, research, and global engagement, we strive to attract a diverse pool of faculty and staff who exemplify the Mason Science mission and vision.

About the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies:

The Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) is a unique institution which allows Earth scientists from several disciplines to work closely together on interdisciplinary research related to variability and predictability of Earth’s climate on sub-seasonal to decadal time scales. The scientific premise for research at COLA is that there is a predictable element of the Earth’s current climate that makes it possible to accurately forecast climate variations. While the chaotic nature of the global atmosphere is known to impose a limit on the predictability of the state of the climate at a given instant, the hypothesis behind COLA’s research suggests that there is predictability in the midst of chaos, and that accurate climate forecasts with lead times longer than the inherent limit of deterministic predictability are possible.

COLA scientists utilize numerical models of the Earth’s global atmosphere, world oceans and land surface biosphere in numerical predictability experiments and experimental predictions, and use advanced techniques for analysis of observational and model data. By seeking to always use the best available climate models, such as the Unified Forecast System, COLA scientists remain on the leading edge of research advancements. By tightly coupling the predictability research and experimental predictions for real observed climate situations, COLA scientists find that the predictability results provide guidance for improving the experimental forecast, and the prediction results can be applied directly to experimental design for studying predictability and improving prediction models.

About the Position:

This is a two-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal subject to the availability of funds. The incumbent will report directly to the COLA Director and have the opportunity to interact with other scientists in COLA and the UFS community. The incumbent will plan, develop, and maintain procedures to ensure that the project is completed in a timely fashion.

Responsibilities:

Understanding and executing numerical experiments with the Unified Forecast System;
Maintaining and organizing data generated in model simulations and obtained from publicly available sources of observations and re-analyses;
Presenting results both internally to COLA scientists and externally to UFS community members and other scholars at national and international conferences; and
Preparing manuscripts documenting results for submission to scholarly journals.

Required Qualifications:

Doctoral degree in climate science or related field;
Record of scholarly publications;
Experience with climate modeling;
Experience with analyzing large geophysical data sets; and
Excellent analytical abilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Special Instructions to Applicants
For full consideration, applicants must apply at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.