Postdoctoral Researcher in Climate analysis (M/F)

Job Description

Missions

A 18-month post-doctoral position is proposed at Biogéosciences Laboratory in Dijon (France) in the framework of the ANR project DYSCATTI (DrY Season in northern Central Africa: variabiliTy, evoluTion and Impacts on forests). DYSCATTI's aim is to document and understand the intra-seasonal to interannual variability of the December-February dry season in northern Central Africa, its long-term evolution (since the past 6000 years) and its impact on the tropical moist forests.
Unlike the rainy seasons, where the intra-seasonal variability is essentially characterized by a modulation of occurrence and intensity of rainfall events, the dry season (DS) in Central Africa is a heterogeneous period during which various combinations of atmospheric parameters (temperature, humidity, precipitation, solar radiation…) define a large variety of local weather types [LWTs]. For instance, rainless days may be either cloudy, moist and cool, or warmer at daytime but drier. The concept of LWTs (Hidalgo et al. 2018) has been rarely applied to tropical climates, but it proved to be highly relevant to depict day–to-day bioclimatic variations at Singapore (Acero et al. 2020).
The position is embedded in DYSCATTI's work-package 3 (“Dry season intra-seasonal variability and compound events”), whose objectives are to characterise the LWTs constitutive of the DS (especially those associated with the dry air spells), to depict their intra-seasonal distribution, to assess how changes in their frequency shape the DS interannual variability and the recent and future DS trends, and how they are controlled by the synoptic- and large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns.

Activity

- Task 1 (Months 1-6):
LWT definition: Data acquisition, methodology set up, LWT statistics, intra-seasonal structure and spatial patterns.

- Task 2 (Months 7-18):
* LWT controls and dynamics: relationship to dust outbreaks ; relationships with intra-seasonal synoptic-scale circulation patterns; relationships with the DS properties at interannual timescale ; observed trends, interannual variability of LWTs frequency and their large-scale atmospheric / oceanic drivers
* LWTs in global climate models (CMIP6/7 historical simulations).

A research paper based on task 1 (LWT definition) and parts of task 2 (LWT controls) is expected to be submitted during the contract period. The candidate is expected to contribute to the supervision of 1st or 2nd year Master students.

Your Profil

Skills

Candidates must hold a PhD or equivalent degree in climate dynamics, meteorology, atmospheric sciences, physical geography (climatology), or a related field. Some knowledge on climate dynamics in the tropics would be appreciated.

Expected proficiency in :
- Python or R or Matlab
- Manipulating large databases
- Univariate/multi-variate statistical analysis methods applied to time series and spatial fields
- Writing scientific papers and presenting results orally in English.

Research activities may be conducted in either French or English; however, it is desirable for non-French-speaking candidates to make an effort to acquire basic French skills to facilitate communication and their integration into the laboratory.

Your Work Environment

The position is based in Dijon, France, at the Université Bourgogne Europe main campus, BIOGEOSCIENCES Laboratory, CRC team. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with the project partner, IGE Grenoble.
The BIOGEOSCIENCES research unit currently comprises over 120 members, including full-time CNRS researchers, professors and associate professors from Université Bourgogne Europe, Institut Agro Dijon, and EPHE (École Pratique des Hautes-Études), as well as technical staff, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and visiting researchers.

BIOGEOSCIENCES (https://biogeosciences.u-bourgogne.fr/) is organized into five interacting research teams with scientific activities focused on sedimentology, environmental sciences, climatology, paleontology, and ecology/evolutionary biology. CRC (Centre de Recherches de Climatologie) is one of the five BIOGEOSCIENCES research teams. It works on the detection, attribution, and projection of climate signals, as well as their causes and impacts—both present and future. Its activities focus on the regionalization of observed and projected climate conditions using statistical methods, spatial analysis, and regional climate models.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

from €2,500 net salary or €3,100 gross salary, depending on experience

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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