Postdoctoral Fellow

Gudrun Magnusdottir in the Department of Earth System Science (ESS) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks a postdoctoral scholar to work on a research project that examines processes in the atmosphere and in ocean/atmosphere interactions that can lead to improved S2S (2-8 weeks) to seasonal (2-6 months) prediction of precipitation for the west to southwest United States. The work will be in close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team consisting of an atmospheric/climate scientist (Dr.

Yannick Peings, Associate Researcher ESS) as well as graduate and undergraduate students in ESS, and a computer scientist (Prof. Erik Sudderth, Departments of Computer Science and Statistics), and graduate and undergraduate computer science students who are developing novel prediction approaches by integrating deep generative models of the ocean and atmosphere.

This is a two-year position that is renewable, pending good progress and funding. The salary will range from 69,073 to 82,836 USD per year, see Postdoctoral Salary Scale, and includes generous benefits, see Postdoctoral Scholar Benefits.

The department of Earth System Science at UC Irvine is highly interdisciplinary. It includes 25-30 faculty members with broad expertise, all devoted to the study of the Earth as a coupled system.

This position is located in Irvine, CA, which is in Orange County, south of the diverse metropolitan area of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. Residents of Irvine enjoy a Mediterranean-type climate, and are surrounded by beaches, parks and mountains.

Basic Qualifications (required at the time of application)

• An expected or somewhat recent PhD in atmospheric science, or related fields; or a PhD in computer science, applied math, statistics, or related fields with demonstrated interest and publications in atmospheric/climate dynamics.
• Strong quantitative skills as well as detailed domain knowledge of teleconnections and climate patterns, both tropical and extratropical.
• Excellent programming skills including some experience with Python. Experience with deep learning software frameworks like PyTorch is preferred.
• Ability to manipulate and analyze large, and complex operational model output datasets, such as those collected from hindcasts or from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as evidenced by peer reviewed publications and presentations.
• Ability to work independently as well as effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment.
• The ideal candidate will also have some experience with running Global Climate Model experiments and/or AI-based weather prediction experiments using high-performance computing environments.

• Curriculum Vitae - a recently updated CV that includes publications and presentations.
• Cover Letter – 1 page maximum that describes immediate and long-term research goals.

• 3 required (contact information only)

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the…