Earth System Model Development and Analysis Postdoc

Help build water isotope ratio and numerical tracers into one of DOE's flagship Earth System models - and run it on some of the world's fastest computers. The Modeling and Observations of Earth Systems Group in the Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has an immediate opening for a postdoctoral research associate with experience in Earth system modeling and/or water isotope ratio data synthesis.

You will work as part of a team working on implementing, validating, and conducting experiments with water isotope ratio tracers in the atmospheric component of the Department of Energy's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM). These tracers will be used to understand hydrological processes in coastal and urban settings and improve representation of these processes in E3SM.

You will be expected to publish results in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and present your work at conferences.

The term of the appointment is two (2) years, with the possibility to extend to a third year depending on performance and funding availability. This is a computationally intensive position: the successful candidate will spend a substantial fraction of their time modifying, building, debugging, and running a large Fortran/C++ codebase on leadership-class HPC systems.

• Ph.D. in Earth System science, atmospheric science, computational science, or stable isotope geochemistry.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, supported by peer-reviewed publication and presentation records
• Ability to set and pursue research priorities with guidance from mentors, and to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries
• Demonstrated research experience with high-performance computing
• Demonstrated experience reading and modifying scientific code written in a compiled language (C, C++ and/or Fortran)
• Demonstrated experience with a large, existing scientific codebase (e.g., E3SM, CESM, WRF, MPAS, ICON, or comparable), including building from source, debugging, and/or running regression or unit tests

• Proficiency in C++ and/or Fortran in an MPI-parallel context, programing for GPUs (e.g. Kokkos), or performance profiling
• Fluency with Git and collaborative development workflows
• Proficiency in Python for analysis and visualization of large, gridded datasets (e.g., xarray, dask, NetCDF/Zarr); equivalent experience in R, MATLAB, NCL, or Julia also considered
• Experience with environmental or numerical tracers, such as stable isotope ratios or other geochemical tracers
• Demonstrated experience with AI/ML emulators or foundation models as applied to Earth system science
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance (see Eligibility requirements below)

Candidates must have received a Ph.D. within the last five years in a STEM field, or will have completed all Ph.D. requirements by commencement of appointment.

Work Location:

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

LANL postdoctoral researchers start with a minimum annual salary of $99,500. Candidates may be considered for a Director's Fellowship or Chick Keller Fellowship and outstanding candidates may be considered for the prestigious J. Robert Oppenheimer, Darleane Christian Hoffman, Richard P. Feynman, or Frederick Reines Distinguished Fellowships. For general information about the application processes and LANL fellowships refer to the LANL Postdoctoral Program page.

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security.

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and vision insurance
• Free basic life…