Research Fellow in Climate Modelling of Future Low-carbon Aircraft

Registration website

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have a background in atmospheric science? Do you want to further your career in one of the world’s leading climate-research groups? 

You will join a team of climate and atmospheric scientists at the University of Leeds to work on an EPSRC funded project (Towards Zero-Carbon Aviation - TOZCA). You will work with Dr Alex Rap and Prof Piers Forster to investigate non-CO2 climate impacts of aviation and develop a contrail cirrus parameterisation in the UK Earth System Model (UKESM). The work will also involve developing improved analytic response functions with respect to aviation emissions within the Finite amplitude Impulse Response (FaIR) emission based climate model.

TOZCA is a collaborative project involving research groups at the University of Leeds (in the School of Earth and Environment and in the Institute for Transport Studies), University College London, University of Southampton, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The overarching aim of the project is to develop a comprehensive tool suite to simulate the most cost-effective transition towards a net zero-carbon aviation system by 2050 and the sustainability of the system until a later 2070 date. Within TOZCA you will collaborate closely with all research teams involved, but you will primarily work on the work package investigating the global climate impact of aviation.

You will have, or be close to obtaining, a PhD in the field of Atmospheric Science (or a closely related field) and have extensive experience of using climate models. You will have knowledge of radiative forcing and will have had experience communicating your science to policy makers. Experience of developing model parameterisations and of using simple climate models are desirable. You will have evidence of a strong commitment to publishing scientific results at an international level and also of writing for boarder audiences.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Dr Alex Rap, Lecturer in Atmospheric Science

Email: [email protected]  

Professor Piers Forster, Professor of Climate Physics

Email: [email protected]   

Location: 

Leeds - Main Campus

Faculty/Service: 

Faculty of Environment

School/Institute: 

School of Earth and Environment Category:  Research

Grade: 

Grade 7

Salary: 

£33,797 to £40,322 p.a.

Please note, an offer will not be made above £35,845 p.a. due to funding restrictions

Working Time: 

100% - We will consider job share / flexible working arrangements

Post Type: 

Full Time

Contract Type: 

Fixed Term (Until 31 October 2024 due to external funding)

Release Date: 

Thursday 16 September 2021

Closing Date: 

Sunday 10 October 2021

Reference: 

ENVEE1493

Downloads: 

Candidate Brief