Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Academic

Job Category
Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Title
Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Department
Research MEOPAR Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences Faculty of Science (Susan Allen)

Posting End Date
October 30, 2022

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

The Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British
Columbia invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in the field of coupled biologi-
cal/chemical/physical ocean modelling. The successful applicant will conduct research into
the interplay of oxygen stressors in a diverse coastal environment at time scales from seasonal
to decadal. They will work as part of a research group developing and using SalishSeaCast
(salishsea.eos.ubc.ca/nemo), a coupled numerical model, based on the NEMO model,
of the Salish Sea. The position is for one-year, renewable for a second and third year and
preferred start dates are Dec 2022-Feb 2023. Applications will be reviewed starting Oct 10,
2022 but are open until a suitable candidate has been found.
 

Project and Responsibilities
This project will focus on oxygen in the coastal ocean, specifically, in the Salish Sea. The
Salish Sea is a diverse coastal region that includes deep basins, long straight straits, and
connected fjords. Parts of the region are strongly stratified by river outflows and parts are
strongly mixed due to tides. Some of the region is in close proximity to large urban centers
and other parts are remote. The oxygen cycle is complex. As well as direct changes in the
incoming oxygen from the ocean, oxygen is also changing due to changes in the incoming
temperature and nitrate and thus changes in the biological productivity. It is also being
impacted by excess nutrient inputs. This diversity of phenomena within one region makes
the Salish Sea an ideal test bed for modelling the interplay of oxygen stressors.
 

The primary tool will be SalishSeaCast which runs in real time and also has a >15 year
hindcast. SalishSeaCast includes a physical model, lower trophic biological model, oxygen
and carbon models and is forced by realistic atmosphere, river, sea surface height and open
boundary conditions. It has been shown to reproduce the physical, biological and carbon
state of the Salish Sea with high fidelity. The candidate will confirm the oxygen formulation
within SalishSeaCast and evaluate the oxygen results against available Canadian and US
observations. They will update the nutrient fluxes, particularly the nitrate flux, from the
rivers and add those appropriate for the municipal outfalls. The next step of the project will
be to investigate the main controls of oxygen in the system and compare to previous analyses,
including those for nitrate and carbon. Sensitivity to the parameters/parameterizations

of
the major controls will be estimated. The applied component of the project will include
nutrient manipulations from rivers and municipal outfalls to determine the impact of these
loadings on the system. In collaboration with the larger group at UBC, an investigation of
the past and future oxygen cycling including stressors from the open ocean will be made.
Additional responsibilities will include: reporting to the funding agency, publication of
the main results in peer-reviewed international journals and partial supervision of undergrad-
uate students working on this project and mentoring graduate students working on other
aspects of SalishSeaCast.
Minimum Qualifications and Experience
A Ph.D. in oceanography or a related subject with a good background in oceanography
as it relates to oxygen cycling and a strong background in deterministic numerical ocean
modelling including in modifying a model and evaluating a model against observations. Such
a background could, for example, be demonstrated with one or more published papers in the
field. The position is for one-year, renewable for a second and third year and preferred start
dates are Dec 2022- Jan 2023. Salary is dependent upon educational level and experience; the
minimum salary is $60,000 per year plus benefits including medical benefits. This position
has the option of a hybrid work arrangement.
 

How to Apply
Applications, including a CV, copies of two relevant publications, and the names, e-mails
and phone numbers of three referees should be uploaded through this search board.

Organizational Status
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from
members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.