Research Associate in Glaciology

Research Associate – Glaciology (36 month role)

The School of Geography and Planning is inviting applications for a Research Associate in Glaciology to join Adapt

AIR, a major six-year European Research Council-funded project. Adapt

AIR is a collaboration between the University of Sheffield, King’s College London, the University of Guelph, and IIT Delhi. The project investigates the emerging use of Artificial Ice Reservoirs (AIRs) across the Indian Himalaya – engineered bodies of ice created by releasing groundwater into the winter air, acting as seasonal water stores. As glacier‑fed water supplies decline, rural Himalayan communities increasingly rely on AIRs for agriculture, livelihoods, and wellbeing.

Their long‑term climatic feasibility, environmental implications, and social impacts remain poorly understood.

Adapt

AIR brings together physical scientists and social scientists to build the first integrated evidence base for AIR installation and governance. This interdisciplinary approach recognises that effective and equitable water solutions emerge when scientific, cultural, and community perspectives are considered together. With the support of project PI Dr Jeremy Ely and the wider Adapt

AIR team, you will play a key role in producing the glaciological foundation for this work.

• Quantify patterns of glacier change across the study region using field‑based measurements and remote sensing methods.
• Assemble remote sensing data into a unified geodatabase and reconstruct glacier extent and volume over the past ~250 years.
• Apply photogrammetric techniques to derive mass‑balance estimates from archival satellite imagery.
• Assist in developing field plans and, if desired, participate in Himalayan field campaigns to deploy monitoring equipment.

Because Adapt

AIR is a co‑designed, interdisciplinary research programme, the focus of the work may evolve over time in response to insights from partner institutions, community stakeholders, and social science findings – such as perceptions of climate change, local water practices, and the cultural significance of particular landscapes. You will therefore join a dynamic research environment where perspectives are shared openly and collaboration is encouraged and valued.

Specifically, you will work with a researcher at King’s College to examine archival material to reconstruct glacier extent.

You will have opportunities to engage with various other projects and to disseminate project results to a range of audiences, including through scientific publications, conference presentations, and public outreach activities. You will benefit from dedicated project funding to support your training and skills‑development needs, specialist computing requirements, and conference and collaboration travel. You will also receive mentoring and support for publication writing and conference paper development within the project, including a dedicated writing retreat for early‑career researchers.

As a member of the School of Geography and Planning’s highly esteemed “Ice and Climat

E Research at Sheffield” (ICERS) research cluster you will be part of an active and supportive research community with interdisciplinary expertise across terrestrial and planetary glaciology, geomorphology, remote sensing, and climate science.

To learn more about the School of Geography and Planning at Sheffield, visit