Coupling Stratospheric Variability and Convection

Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers one‑to‑three‑year fellowships that allow highly talented scientists to contribute to NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or an affiliated research institute. Fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, and related fields.

The project seeks to investigate how stratospheric variability influences tropical convection and climate, using the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) ModelE middle‑atmosphere climate model in conjunction with NASA reanalyses and remote‑sensing data such as GPM, Cloud Sat, CALIPSO, CERES, and COSMIC. Topics include:

• Modulation of the Madden‑Julian Oscillation (MJO) by the quasi‑biennial oscillation (QBO).
• Modulation of the QBO by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
• Interactions between stratospheric polar‑vortex variability and the QBO.

The successful candidate will develop and run global climate simulations to study stratosphere‑troposphere coupling and to improve physical parameterizations in the GISS climate model.

• Analyze satellite and reanalysis data to characterize stratospheric processes.
• Implement and run GISS climate model simulations.
• Integrate observational data with model output to quantify coupling mechanisms.
• Contribute findings to model development, including gravity‑wave drag parameterizations.
• Prepare scientific reports and disseminate results through publications and presentations.

• PhD in atmospheric dynamics, meteorology, or a related field.
• Strong mathematics, programming, and data analysis skills.
• Experience with stratospheric dynamics, datasets, and climate model coupling.
• Desire to bridge observations and modeling in a research environment.
• Expertise in running global climate simulations (desirable).
• Doctoral degree is required.

• U.S. citizens; U.S. lawful permanent residents.
• Foreign nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J‑1 visa.
• Applicants with pending LPR, asylum, or refugee status holding a valid EAD card and I‑485 or I‑589 forms in pending status.
• Applications from citizens of designated countries not accepted, unless the applicant is a legal permanent resident of the United States.
• Senior fellows (5+ years past PhD) are ineligible.

Clara Orbe, gavin.a.schmidt, (212) 678‑5572