Research Fellow in Climate Dynamics

This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have a background in atmospheric or climate science and an interest in the influence of wildfires on climate dynamics? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive Universities?

You will join the Climate Dynamics group at the University of Leeds led by Prof Amanda Maycock to work on the NERC funded Pushing the Frontiers project entitled The Wide-ranging Impacts of STratospheric smoke Aerosols (TWISTA). Smoke aerosol generated by intense wildfires has recently been detected in the stratosphere posing a new climate change threat. We hypothesise that the sustained presence of wildfire smoke in the atmosphere can influence major modes of atmospheric and climate variability. 

The successful applicant will test this hypothesis by performing new simulations with the UKESM1 model that incorporate improved representation of stratospheric smoke aerosol from wildfires. You will analyse the simulations to identify the influence of smoke aerosols on the climate system, including stratospheric dynamics and tropospheric and surface climate.

You will work closely with TWISTA colleagues at the Universities of Exeter, Cambridge, and Lancaster, as well as with project partners at the Met Office Hadley Centre, and the Universities of Leeds, Cambridge and Lancaster. You will be expected to produce peer-reviewed papers documenting the results.   

You will have, or be close to obtaining, a PhD in the field of Atmospheric or Climate Science, or a related discipline, and have experience of running global climate models on high performance computing platforms and analysing their output. You will have evidence of a strong commitment to publishing scientific results at an international level.

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.

For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/global-talent

What we offer in return

•    26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!

•    Generous pension scheme plus life assurance– the University contributes 14.5% of salary.

•    Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.

•    Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.

•    Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!  

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Professor Amanda Maycock 

Email: A.C.Maycock@leeds.ac.uk

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