Postdoctoral Research Associate in Arctic Atmospheric Dynamics(UK Visa sponsorship available)

Job Description

Role Overview

The Arctic is warming faster than any other region on Earth, creating major uncertainty in climate change projections and significant challenges for decision-making in both Arctic and mid-latitude regions. Reduced summer sea-ice is increasing human activity in the Arctic, making the region more vulnerable to extreme weather events. Improving forecasts of these events, and long-term climate change, requires addressing key gaps in our understanding of polar atmospheric dynamics.

Recent research suggests that Arctic weather systems behave differently from those in mid-latitudes. Instead of wave-like features along jet streams, Arctic dynamics appear to be dominated by vortices interacting across multiple scales. This has important implications for predictability and climate interactions.

As a Postdoctoral Research Associate, you will contribute to this cutting-edge research through theory, modelling, and case study analysis, working within the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading, and in collaboration with the University of Oxford, the Met Office, and other partners.

Key Responsibilities

Characterize Arctic flow structures and their scales.

Explore vortex behavior using theory and idealized model simulations.

Test the new polar dynamics paradigm with case studies from the NERC-funded Arctic Summertime Cyclones campaign (2022).

Analyze data from the latest regional reanalysis and operational/bespoke Met Office model outputs.

Assess implications of findings for Arctic weather and climate predictability.

About You

You will have:

A PhD (or near completion) in atmospheric science, physics, mathematics, engineering, or a closely related field, or equivalent research experience.

Strong skills in analyzing observational, model, or reanalysis atmospheric data, with ability to interpret results critically.

Experience in implementing and assessing idealized and/or complex atmospheric numerical models.

Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across institutions and disciplines.

Motivation to apply your expertise to understanding atmospheric dynamics in polar regions.

Equality and Inclusion

The University of Reading is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We support the Athena SWAN Charter for gender equality, the Race Equality Charter, and champion LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time, and flexible working arrangements are welcome.