Job Title: Ice/Ocean? Modeller
Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment
Duration: 39 months.
Salary: Starting salary from £30,782 - £33,459 per annum.
Location: Cambridge
Closing date: 22nd March 2020
Interviews: 2nd April 2020

Job Advert: ​https://www.bas.ac.uk/jobs/vacancy/ice-ocean-modeller/

Description:
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are looking for an Ice/Ocean? Modeller to apply the UK Earth System Model ocean and ice sheet components (NEMO and BISICLES) to the study of future sea-level rise from Antarctica.

What is the role about?
The successful candidate will develop and run regional coupled simulations of the ocean and ice sheet in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. These simulations will be used to assess the influence of improved model physics on projections of sea-level rise. To be successful in this role, you must have experience in the use of numerical models of ocean circulation and experience of computer programming on linux-based systems.

Who are we?
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Its skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet.

Purpose:
Physical scientist, modelling coupled ocean and ice sheet geophysical processes to understand future sea-level rise from West Antarctica. The scientist will develop and apply UK Earth System Model ocean and ice sheet components (NEMO and BISICLES) to the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. The scientist will conduct numerical experiments to determine and quantify the key sources of uncertainty in projections of sea-level rise from this region. The scientist will examine the hypothesis that important model structural uncertainty exists in the ice-shelf and iceberg modules, and will compare these with forcing uncertainty from wider climate models.

Qualification:
First degree in physical science/mathematics plus PhD (or equivalent experience).

Duties:

• Develop and apply a regional coupled ocean—ice sheet model focussed on the Amundsen Sea region. Produce an ensemble of regional sea-level projections, using existing model physics and forcing from UKESM simulations.
• Formulate and implement an improved representation of ice-shelf melting in the ensemble, building upon recent advances in our understanding of the ice/ocean boundary layer. Quantify the influence on sea-level projections of model structural uncertainty in the melting formulation.
• Evaluate the representation of icebergs within the ensemble, and develop its dynamics and thermodynamics to better represent the Amundsen Sea. Quantify the influence on sea-level projections of model structural uncertainty in the iceberg module.
• Quantify forcing uncertainty by systematically varying the oceanic and atmospheric forcing on the ensemble. Quantify the roles of climate model structural uncertainty (different climate models), internal climate variability (different model realisations), and anthropogenic forcing scenario uncertainty (different greenhouse-gas pathways). Compare these sources of uncertainty to the structural uncertainties examined previously.
• Present sea-level projections and conclusions about key sources of uncertainty in the scientific literature and at international scientific conferences.