Ocean Modeller

Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment - 37 months

Location: Cambridge

Salary: £42,688 - £46,957 per annum (pro rata)

Closing date: 23 March 2026

Purpose

We are looking for a post-doctoral physical scientist in the field of ocean modelling to investigate the impact of internal tsunamis generated by glacier calving events on ocean mixing, heat and carbon transport, and biogeochemistry. The postholder will develop a high-resolution ocean-sea ice model of Marguerite Bay, west Antarctica, and will liaise with observationalists and modellers, building on their conceptual models, to develop and implement a parameterisation of calving-induced mixing. The parameterisation will then be implemented in a physical/biogeochemical model with circum-Antarctic coverage to assess the large-scale impact of internal tsunamis on mixing and ventilation of water masses, biological productivity, and drawdown of heat and carbon. This work forms part of a large interdisciplinary project, POLOMINTS (Polar Ocean Mixing by Internal Tsunamis), which combines intensive dedicated observational campaigns, data mining, Earth observation studies, deep-learning techniques, and innovative modelling. Informal enquiries about the post are very welcome and should be addressed to Emma Young (eyoung@bas.ac.uk).

Duties

• Develop a high resolution (~1 km) ocean-sea ice model of Marguerite Bay using the NEMO-SI3 framework, and verify the model by comparison with existing in situ data.
• Work collaboratively with observationalists and modellers in the POLOMINTS team across institutes to develop and implement a parameterisation of calving-induced mixing within the NEMO framework.
• Through a series of process tests, investigate the regional-scale impact of internal tsunamis on ocean mixing in relation to other drivers of mixing (winds, tides).
• Implement the new parameterisation in a large-scale NEMO-Medusa model, liaising with Earth observationalists in the POLOMINTS team to derive circum-Antarctic calving data for the parameterisation.
• Perform targeted simulations to investigate the large-scale impacts of internal tsunamis on mixing and ventilation of water masses, biological productivity, and heat and carbon transport, for the present day and for future climate change scenarios.
• Present model developments and scientific results in the peer-reviewed literature, at project meetings, and at conferences.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience

Essential

• Experience developing and running ocean models or geophysical fluid dynamics models
• First degree in physical science/mathematics plus PhD in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience
• Experience in the numerical solution of partial differential equations
• Experience with Linux
• Experience with compiled parallel code (e.g. Fortran)
• Programming experience (e.g. Matlab or Python)
• Proficient in English language
• Track record of publication in high-quality journals
• Able to set own priorities and manage time effectively
• Able to work effectively as part of a team

Desirable

• Background in Physical Oceanography
• Experience of NEMO-SI3 ocean-sea ice modelling at high resolution
• Experience working in a Linux-based High-Performance Computing environment
• Knowledge of Antarctic oceanography
• PhD in ocean modelling (or equivalent experience)
• Track record of presentation at international conferences
• Experience with outreach and communicating science to the general public

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.