Do you want to play a key role in developing a leading global chemistry-climate model to include the crucial role of small-scale gravity waves in the transport of chemical constituents? Would you enjoy working with an international team from the UK, US, China and Japan in achieving this goal?

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated researcher to join the Atmospheric and Planetary Chemistry group within the School of Chemistry. The WAVECHASM (Wave-Induced Transport of Chemically Active Species in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere) project, funded by the NERC in the UK and the NSF in the US, will bridge the gap between high-resolution regional models and global climate models in representing transport of constituents by gravity waves. It will contribute to a much deeper understanding of the key small-scale wave-induced constituent transport processes (advection, turbulent mixing, dynamical transport and chemical transport), their global characteristics and their impact on atmospheric chemistry.

By making use of a recent novel theoretical approach and developing this to incorporate these transport processes into global atmospheric chemistry models, this project will significantly enhance our ability to simulate the global constituent structure of the upper atmosphere. We will focus on the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT, between 70 and 120 km), which is sensitive to upward propagating atmospheric waves from below, and solar radiation and energetic particle precipitation (i.e. space weather) from above, and is where interplanetary dust particles ablate. This role will be based at the University of Leeds (UK) but you will be expected to visit our project partners at the University of Colorado (Boulder, USA) twice during the project, for two weeks at a time.

You will have a PhD (or have submitted your thesis before taking up the role) in meteorology, atmospheric physics, atmospheric chemistry, applied mathematics, geophysics or a closely allied discipline, together with a strong background in computer programming, code development and using large numerical codes and/or datasets. Experience of working directly on research problems related to the earth’s mesosphere and lower thermosphere would be beneficial.

To explore the post further, or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

John Plane, Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and PI of WAVECHASM

Tel: +44 (0)113 3438044 or email: j.m.c.plane@leeds.ac.uk

Daniel Marsh, Priestley Chair in Comparative Planetary Atmospheres

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 9296 or email: d.marsh@leeds.ac.uk

Wuhu Feng, NCAS Scientist 

Tel: +44 (0)113 3433438 or email: w.feng@leeds.ac.uk

Further information

The Schools in the Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences are proud to have been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze or Silver Award from the Equality Challenge Unit, the national body that promotes equality in the higher education sector. Our equality and inclusion webpage provides more information.

Location:  Leeds - Main Campus
Faculty/Service:  Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences
School/Institute:  School of Chemistry
Category:  Research
Grade:  Grade 7
Salary:  £33,797 to £40,322 p.a.
Post Type:  Full Time
Contract Type:  Fixed Term (Up to 36 months due to grant funding)
Release Date:  Tuesday 28 April 2020
Closing Date:  Tuesday 26 May 2020
Reference:  EPSCH1017
Downloads:  Candidate Brief