PhD Position The Potential of Climate Interventions in Complex Cloud Systems

Can we change clouds to cool the Earth? Join our team of researchers investigating how clouds influence our climate and whether climate interventions targeting clouds could be effective.

Job description

Climate change impacts are becoming more and more visible across different regions of the Earth. Climate interventions (i.e., changes to the radiative budget of the Earth) have been proposed as a transitionary solution to achieve a surface cooling while we increase our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. However, the effectiveness of climate interventions is highly uncertain and more research is needed to inform future decisions.

Within this project, you will develop a modelling framework to investigate climate intervention approaches targeting clouds in the Arctic where temperatures are increasing rapidly. To assess the potential of climate interventions in the Arctic, we need to capture the complexity of cloud systems in model simulations. However, many of the processes related to cloud formation are not taken into account adequately in models. Therefore, we will work with traditional parameterizations for cloud microphysics, but also explore how physics-enhanced machine learning can help us to develop new ways of describing cloud processes in models.

You will join the dynamic climate science community at TU Delft with many opportunities to engage with other PhD researchers across different disciplines. Within your PhD project, you will supervised by Isabelle Steinke, Stephan de Roode and Pier Siebesma.

Requirements

To be considered for this position, you must hold a scientific degree (MSc or equivalent). As a suitable candidate, you may come from a range of backgrounds including, but not limited to, Climate Science, Geoscience, Physics, or Environmental Sciences. Prior knowledge of atmospheric science and cloud microphysics is not a mandatory requirement but you should have a good foundation in physics and a strong drive to learn more about atmospheric science. We further expect practical programming/modelling experience (e.g., Python or Fortran), ideally including data analysis and visualization. You should communicate fluently in English (oral and written) and will present your results to the scientific community in the form of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international scientific meetings.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Civil Engineering & Geosciences

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.