Techniek vacatures in Benthuizen

What happens up there, starts down here.

SRON

What happens up there, starts down here.

SRON

PhD student in Earth Science (INFLAMES-Project)

• Leiden
• MSc
• Fulltime

Max € 43.500,- per year on a fulltime basis

Are you our new colleague?

Are you an ambitious and highly motivated student with a strong interest in fire-aerosol--climate interactions and experience in the interpretation of atmospheric (satellite) data and climate modeling? Then you are the person we are looking for.

Your work at SRON will enable a better quantification of the effect of fire on climate. You will make use of satellite observations and climate models. The NASA PACE mission (launched February 2024) with onboard the SPEXone instrument will play an important role. SPEXone is being developed by a Dutch consortium consisting of SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands (Airbus DS NL). The scientific lead is in the hands of SRON.

Your position and team

You will be part of the aerosol-cloud research line in the Earth Science Group (ESG) of SRON. The ESG consists of approximately 40 scientists (permanent, postdocs, PhD students) that work on the data processing and interpretation of satellite measurements as well as the definition of new instrumentation and guiding the development. About 12 scientists work in the aerosol-cloud research line on retrieval algorithm development, aerosol modeling, data assimilation, and quantification of aerosol radiative forcing from satellites. You will also be a guest researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where you will work together with experts in aerosol modeling and where you will obtain your PhD degree.

Your project

Wildfires impact ecosystems, air quality, and the climate, with human activities and climate change making them more intense. The INFLAMES-project (https://inflames-project.github.io/), a collaboration between Dutch universities and knowledge institutes funded by NWO, takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining Dutch atmospheric satellite data, computer models, and field research to understand how wildfires evolve and affect the environment around the world. Your research will focus on the effect of fires on climate through the emission of smoke aerosols. These aerosols can either cause warming (through absorption of radiation) or cooling (scattering of radiation and affecting cloud properties) of climate, depending on their specific properties and altitude in the atmosphere. You will work on improving climate model simulations by combining them with data from novel satellite observations from PACE and Earthcare. The goal is to perform long term climate projection of fires using the improved climate model together with a model that predicts future fires, also developed within in the INFLAMES consortium. The

Position requirements

The qualified applicant should have a MSc degree in (atmospheric) physics or similar with strong foundation in programming (preferably Python and Fortran). Experience in aerosol-cloud-climate modeling, machine learning and knowledge on aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions would be an asset. Good English language skills (speaking and writing) and the ability to both work in a team and independently are a no-brainer for us.

What we offer

The position we offer at SRON is a full-time position in which you will be employed by NWO-I (The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research Institutes) and will initially be for a period of 18 months. This will be extended to 4 years when your performance evaluation after 9 months is satisfactory. The salary will be in accordance with the salary scales of NWO-I, starting at €3.115,- in the first year and rising to €3.989,- in the fourth year of employment. Compensation for commuting expenses will be provided.

NWO has good secondary employment conditions such as:

• An end of year bonus of 8,33% of the gross yearly salary;
• A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross yearly salary;
• 42 days of vacation leave a year on full-time basis;
• An excellent pension scheme;
• Options for (additional) personal development;
• Excellent facilities for parental leave;
• Ample training opportunity's;
• Possibility of flexible working hours;

Why SRON

SRON's mission is to achieve breakthroughs in international scientific research from space. To this end, SRON develops groundbreaking technology and advanced space instruments. SRON promotes societal applications for space technology. We have a strong international reputation as 'excellent in space research'. The quality and societal relevance of our science is considered 'world-leading'.

More information about SRON can be found at www.sron.nl . For further information about the content of the position, please contact ( ). Applications can be submitted through our website www.werkenbijSRON.nl until the position is filled.

About SRON

SRON is the Space Research Organisation Netherlands. Based at locations in Leiden and Groningen, SRON combines fundamental scientific research, technology innovation, and instrumentation development to enable breakthroughs in astrophysics, exoplanet research, and earth atmospheric research from space. In partnership with leading international partners and space agencies such as ESA, NASA and JAXA, SRON provides scientific and technological contributions to international space missions as well as expertise and support to the Dutch and international scientific communities.

SRON is the national base for the Netherlands participation in the ESA science program.

At SRON we believe that a workforce diverse in gender, age, and cultural background is key to performing excellent research.