The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Research Unit Potsdam, invites application for a
PhD Position on paleoclimate data analysis
within the Helmholtz Young Investigators Group ECUS, which deals with the reliability of paleo-proxy records and the quantitative reconstruction of past climate variability. The candidate will focus on quantifying the climate variability of the present warm period, the Holocene.
Determining the magnitude of natural climate variability is necessary for predicting the plausible range of future climates and to test climate models. As the instrumental record is too short to determine slow climate variations, the analysis of proxy records of the Holocene can provide crucial information about climate variations on decadal to millennial timescales.
Building on existing work, the successful candidate will derive estimates of the Holocene climate variability and the associated spatial scales based on a global collection of paleoclimate data from from different archives, in particular polar ice, lake sediments and marine sediments.
Tasks include data compilation, development and application of statistical methods and the analysis of climate model simulations. The work will be strongly linked to the other ECUS group members specialized on ice-core, terrestrial and sediment based climate archives. A three-month stay at a collaborating research institution is envisaged during the project.
Requirements:
The candidate should have strong analytical skills and hold a master or equivalent title in physics, mathematics, environmental science or a related field. He/she should be interested in statistical data analysis and thinking across the disciplines of climate sciences, physics and geology. Proficiency in a programming language and good English language skills are required.
Previous experience with climate research is an advantage. Furthermore, the candidate should have good teamwork skills and the willingness to actively cooperate with a diverse international working group.
The position is limited to 3 years with the earliest starting date 15th September 2015. The salary will be paid in accordance with the German Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst des Bundes, TVöD (salary level 13, 66%). The Phd students are given the opportunity to participate at the Helmholtz Graduate School POLMAR (www.polmar.de).
Location: Potsdam, Germany
Application deadline: August 10th, 2015
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