[Met-jobs] PhD position in Meteorology - Air-Cryosphere-Sea interaction processes around Svalbard and in the Arctic

["Roger Brugge" <r.brugge@reading.ac.uk>]

PhD position in Meteorology - Air-Cryosphere-Sea interaction processes around 
Svalbard and in the Arctic

General
The Department of Arctic Geophysics (AGF) at the University Centre in Svalbard 
is now seeking candidates for a four years PhD position within meteorology with 
a focus on AirCryosphere-Sea interaction processes around Svalbard and in the 
Arctic. Currently the department constitutes 3 professors, 4 associate 
professors, 2 researchers, 1 post-doctoral research fellow, 4 PhD students and 
11 Adjunct Professors (20% position). The ACSI (AirCryosphere-Sea Interaction) 
group within the department focuses on the Air-CryosphereSea interaction 
processes through observation and model experiments.

Description of the vacant position
We seek a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with strong academic 
ambitions and who has an ability to work successfully in a team. The main 
objective of this PhD project is an enhanced understanding of the linkage 
between local and larger-scale weather conditions over the region of Svalbard, 
and related exchange processes connected to the atmospheric boundary layer such 
as orographically influenced flows and air-cryosphere-sea interactions. 
Specifically, the project will be connected to on-going research activity 
within the ACSI group, which focuses, amongst others, on the study of how 
changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns in recent years over 
Fram Strait and the Barents Sea region have led to increased inflow of warm 
Atlantic Water (AW) to adjacent coastal waters - resulting in a strongly 
reduced sea ice production during winter.

The successful candidate will have an active part in fieldwork around Svalbard 
for the collection of new datasets related to the research project. Furthermore 
he/she will have access to and make use of a broad range of scientific tools 
and databases including longterm climate records from automatic weather 
stations (AWS), atmospheric reanalysis datasets, numerical weather prediction 
models and various measurement platforms for atmospheric research, including 
AWS and novel, remotely piloted measurement systems. Experience with several of 
the aforementioned tools and datasets is therefore preferable.

The PhD candidate is expected to take an active role in producing peer-review 
papers within the mentioned topics that eventually will lead to the final PhD 
dissertation. Some teaching and supervision of undergraduate and Master 
students can be expected.

Qualifications
The successful candidate must have a Master degree in meteorology, oceanography 
or a related field and a good understanding of atmospheric boundary-layer 
and/or regional-scale processes is preferred. Experience from fieldwork and 
skills in using scientific instruments for making meteorological observations 
are an advantage, as well as experience with atmospheric models and reanalysis 
data sets. Good oral and written skills in English are important. Admission to 
the doctoral programme at the Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, is a 
condition of employment in the position as PhD student. The final plan for 
researcher education shall be approved and a contract signed with the mainland 
university at the latest six months after commencement. The candidate and the 
supervisors will prepare the application.

Employment conditions for the PhD position
The employment contract is of 4 years and includes mandatory duties of 25% 
including teaching and supervision.

Salary
All salaries are set in accordance with the Norwegian government's University 
salary scale. Ph.D student are offered a gross salary starting at salary step 
50, which currently is a gross salary of NOK 429 400.- As a resident in 
Svalbard an annual allowance of NOK 32 000.- (Svalbardtillegg) will be added to 
the salary. A Social Security contribution of 2 per cent, to the Norwegian 
Public Service Pension Fund, will be deducted from the salary. Income tax on 
Svalbard is 8 per cent, plus 8.2 per cent toward National Insurance coverage.

Selection and appointment
An expert Committee appointed by the Managing director of UNIS will evaluate 
the qualifications of the applicants. The Committee will review the 
applications in detail and summarize their assessments in a written report. 
This report and the derived recommendations form the basis for interviews, 
which will be summarized by the expert committee. They report to the 
Appointment Committee and Director of UNIS, which makes the final appointment.

Application and further information
Other inquiries about this position may be directed to:
Assoc. Prof. Marius O. Jonassen.
Email: marius.jonassen@unis.no<mailto:marius.jonassen@unis.no>,
or telephone: +47 79 02 3339.

Deadline for application is 15th of July 2015
Please apply online by using our application form found at 
www.unis.no/vacancies<http://www.unis.no/vacancies>
At the end of the form, please attach:
• A one page project description which outlines a plan for the PhD project that 
is within the scope of the research topics outlined in this announcement and 
that reflects your research interests. This description will form the basis for 
the final project description that will be formulated in collaboration with the 
candidate and the supervisor. • Copy of your CV
• Transcript of records
• Other documentation you find relevant for the application.

The announcement can also be found here:
http://www.unis.no/30_ABOUT_UNIS/4020_Vacant_Positions/documents/AnnouncementPhD-Meteorology_AGF_V2.pdf