Postdoctoral Research Associate in Modeling and Observing Internal Waves
The University of Southern Mississippi is currently accepting applications for the position of Postdoctoral Research Associate in Modeling and Observing Internal Waves.
| Position Details |
| Location |
John C. Stennis Space Center
1020 Balch Blvd
Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, 39529
United States
|
| Division |
Marine Science |
| Position Type |
Staff |
| Employment Status |
Full Time |
| Grant Funded |
Yes |
| Pay Grade | NG |
| Posting Close Date |
Open Until Filled |
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applications
must be submitted through the jobs.usm.edu candidate portal. For full
consideration upload 1) a cover letter with a brief description
of present and future research interests and how they align with the NOPP
research project, 2) a CV including demonstrated scholarly output (e.g., list
of publications and presentations), 3) names and contact information of three
references. All attachments must be
uploaded at the time of submission. For questions regarding this position,
please contact Dr. Maarten Buijsman by email: maarten.buijsman@usm.edu.
Job Summary
The School of Ocean Science and Engineering
(SOSE) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) invites qualified
applicants for a full-time, post-doc position in Physical
Oceanography to begin in Fall 2022. The successful candidate will work
on a three-year National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) project “Diagnosis
and Validation of the Time and Spatial Variability of Remotely Generated
Internal Waves in Global Ocean Simulations”, which is supported by a grant from
the Office of Naval Research. This is a collaboration between observationalists
and numerical modelers of USM, Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), University of
Michigan (U-M), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Scripps
Oceanographic Institution (SIO), and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). While
near-field internal waves are reasonably well measured and simulated, our
knowledge of far-field internal waves is lacking. In this project, an Internal
Wave Resolving (IWR) Array will be deployed off the US West Coast coinciding
with the swaths of the fast sampling and science orbit phases of the Surface
Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. The IWR data will be used to
validate global ocean simulations and improve our understanding of internal
wave processes. The generation, propagation, and dissipation of remote internal
waves is relevant for predicting coastal processes in regional simulations, the
de-tiding of SWOT measurements, and water-mass mixing, which impacts ocean
circulation and ultimately the Earth’s climate.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The
postdoc will help design the best configuration of the IWR array and diagnose
and validate the generation, interaction with background flows, and dissipation
of remote internal waves in global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM)
simulations. The IWR array comprises a central mooring surrounded by current-
and pressure-sensor equipped inverted echo sounders (CPIES). The purpose of
this array is to differentiate between internal waves from multiple directions.
The successful candidate is expected to:
- Diagnose and validate remote internal waves in global HYCOM simulations,
- Help design the IWR array, and analyze its data,
- Collaborate with project scientists and students,
- Travel to SIO and WHOI to discuss IWR array design and data processing,
- Write first-author manuscripts for peer-review publications (~1/year) related to the NOPP project and participate as co-author on other manuscripts,
- Disseminate scientific results at national/international conferences and ONR meetings,
- Contribute to annual report preparation, as required by the funding agency, and
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants
must have a Ph.D. in physical oceanography or similar field awarded no later
than December 2022. Applicants must
also have a publication record that illustrates the ability to conduct and
communicate independent research and experience with diagnosing ocean model and
observational data, coding, time series analysis, and internal wave processes. The successful candidate will be required to pass a USM employment background check and a NASA background security check to work at Stennis.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Background in math and (ocean) physics.
- Coding skills.
- Time series analysis skills.
- Ability to write scientific publications.
- Good communication and oral presentation skills
- Ability to work in a team or independently.
Preferred Qualifications
The preferred candidate has experience in coding in MATLAB and
Fortran, diagnosing HYCOM simulations, diagnosing CTD, ADCP, CPIES, and SWOT data
sets, diagnosing internal wave energy equations, time series analysis (e.g., regression
and Fourier analysis), and vertical mode decomposition.
About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. Founded in 1910, USM is one of only 131 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education's "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity" designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and large event venue safety and security, among others. USM is also one of only 37 institutions in the nation accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM generates an annual economic impact of more than $600 million across the state. USM welcomes a diverse student body of more than 14,000, representing 71 countries, all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman Scholarships and 37 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while also leading Mississippi with 27 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit www.usm.edu.
As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer/Americans with Disabilities Act institution, The University of Southern Mississippi encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.