POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER: SATELLITE-BASED HYDROLOGICAL DATA ASSIMILATION
(ref. BAP-2019-543)

Last modification : Thursday, August 1, 2019

We are seeking a highly qualified and enthusiastic candidate for a postdoctoral research position to work on hydrological and land surface data assimilation. The successful applicant will assimilate microwave remote sensing data (backscatter, brightness temperature) into a land surface model to improve ensemble predictions and reforecasts of discharges for major rivers in Belgium. The position is embedded within a Belspo research project on “Improved early warning through Earth observation data assimilation and hydrological retrospective forecasts (EODAHR)”. 

You fit our team if you are an experienced researcher with a keen interest in remote sensing and land surface processes and eager to work in an international setting. You will be part of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the KU Leuven under the supervision of prof. dr. ir. Gabrielle De Lannoy, and collaborating with the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) of Belgium. 

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Responsibilities

• Implementing a backscatter assimilation scheme for major Belgian river basins using the NASA Land Information System
• Disseminating results via peer-review publications and attendance of international conferences
• Collaborating with other postdoctoral researchers and PhD students in our team

Profile
Only applicants with all of the following skills will be considered: 

• PhD in Bio-Science Engineering, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Meteorology, Hydrology, Remotely Sensed Earth Observation, Physics, Mathematics, Geography or equivalennt
• Experience with data-processing applications such as Matlab/Python, IDL, GrADS, R, or other.
• Experience with data assimilation
• Experience with land surface remote sensing, hydrological or land surface modeling
• Experience with programming and scientific computing
• Excellent motivation and grades
• Creative, critical, analytical and innovative mindset
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
• Willingness to work with PhD students
• Proven research experience in scientific publications

Offer

• Fully funded position for 1 year, and a possible limited extension with good performance.
• Multi-disciplinaryand international professional environment.
• Leuven is a charming historical university town, with a central location in Western Europe.

Interested? 
Only persons strictly matching the above profile should apply. Submit your resume, along with a motivation letter, and two names for references on-line. The starting date can be negotiated, but should not be later than January 2020. For more information, please contact prof. dr. ir.Gabrielle De Lannoy, tel.: +32 16 37 67 13, mail:gabrielle[dot]delannoy[at]kuleuven[dot]be.

You can apply for this job no later than October 01, 2019 via the online application tool

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.