Ecosystem Modeller

Research Associate for 3 years

Interviews to be held on 16th/17th December 2020

The Opportunity

The post holder will have the opportunity to work on a range of projects involving plant ecology, forestry, peatland science, and biogeochemical cycling, within the UK and internationally. A common theme across the work will be the interacting cycles of carbon and nitrogen, with particular application to quantifying GHG and pollutant fluxes to and from ecosystems. Current projects address topics including:

• quantifying greenhouse gas balances at national and local scales;
• assessing the potential of forestry, agriculture, and peatland management to mitigate climate change;
• modelling the resilience of ecosystems to environmental change.

The post holder will be responsible for creating and applying ecological models, including biogeochemical processes and land-atmosphere gas exchange. A knowledge of statistical modelling will be required for the handling of measurement data, uncertainty, and spatial modelling. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop their skillset through internal and external training provision.

Summary of Main Duties

• Developing ecosystem models, with an emphasis on biogeochemical and atmospheric exchange processes
• Processing and analysis of observational data at a range of spatial scales
• Integrating data with models using a range of possible techniques, such as Bayesian inference, data assimilation, and inverse methods
• Analysis and communication of results
• Writing journal papers and reports
• Developing project proposals in collaboration with colleagues and external partners
• Working with the Environmental Information Data Centre to make data available to the wider research community

About You

Knowledge and Qualifications

• A PhD, or equivalent experience, in ecology or environmental/physical sciences, with a multidisciplinary approach to their interactions

Experience/Proven abilities related to the position

• Strong track record of  developing and applying models, and knowledge of statistical methods for data analysis, with the motivation and capacity to develop new skills
• Excellent quantitative and computer skills, including experience in modern computing environments (such as R or similar) and data-handling

Essential Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (written and oral)
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail

Core Behaviours and Values

• You will demonstrate a commitment to promote and adhere to CEH values of Excellence, Integrity and Team work.

Desirable Skills

• Willing to travel overseas
• Knowledge and understanding of ecosystem processes which control the fluxes of carbon and greenhouse gases between the land and the atmosphere (such as photosynthesis and, plant gas exchange, vegetation dynamics, microbial processes in soil, turbulent gas exchange etc.)
• Some knowledge of high-performance computing
• Experience with modern version control methods and software
• Experience of spatial modelling, handling remotely sensed data and integrating data from different sources
• Experience with Bayesian approaches, data assimilation, model-data fusion, machine learning, or inverse modelling methods
• Some experience of interaction with policy makers, NGOS and other stakeholders

What We Offer

To find out the benefits of working with UKCEH, please follow this link.  

How to Apply   

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