Postdoctoral Position in Civil Engineering
University of California Berkeley
United States

Salary range: The UC postdoc salary scales set the minimum pay determined by experience level at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2023-24/oct-2023-acad-salary-scales/t23.pdf.
The current minimum salary range for this position is $64,480 - $71,908. Salaries above the minimum may be offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: January 1, 2024

Position duration: 2 years with the possibility of renewal depending on performance and availability of funding

Application Window

Interested in using your atmospheric modeling skills to help address climate change? The Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology group at UC Berkeley invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to participate in a modeling project whose broader impacts are to reduce emissions of methane, a short-lived climate pollutant and potent greenhouse gas, from landfills. The postdoc should also eed to mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

The project is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and we will be working in close collaboration with the University of Delaware, UC Davis, and industry partners.

Project overview:
Landfills contribute 26% of anthropogenic methane emissions in the US and are now widely recognized as key mitigation targets for climate change action. Accurate emissions estimates are required to keep track of annual emissions and to identify landfills emitting too much methane so that mitigation strategies such as landfill gas capture can be implemented to reduce emissions. There is, however, limited knowledge on which measurement technologies actually provide accurate measures of the emissions from landfills. In this work, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model will be used to predict methane emissions at two landfills with extensive field data available. The WRF model will be used to assess the accuracy of several current or emerging measurement technologies that rely on wind to generate the downwind plume. We expect that this project will improve uncertainty estimates for methane emissions from different measurement technologies at much less cost than field testing alone.

The postdoc will gain important research experience in moving promising numerical and field-research findings towards novel and societally impactful methane measurement technologies. This includes gaining experience in the design, setup, evaluation, and interpretation of atmospheric simulations. The postdoc will gain experience working with field data, model output, and collaborating closely with research and industry partners.

Under direct supervision of and direct interaction with the Principal Investigator, the Postdoc Employee will:

Lead the team effort in atmospheric modeling of methane emissions from landfill sites, including evaluation of emerging measurement technologies.
Participate in the analysis, organization and interpretation of data collected from landfill sites and from model output.
Write scientific peer reviewed papers for publication, periodic reports to funders, present results at select conferences with presentations and posters.
Participate in weekly meetings, in developing ideas for new technical advances, in writing proposals.

Labor Contract: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/px/index.html

Lab: https://chow.ce.berkeley.edu/

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

PhD or equivalent international degree, or enrolled in a PhD or equivalent international degree granting program.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

PhD or equivalent international degree.
The candidate should have no more than three years of post-degree research experience.

Preferred qualifications

Desired skills:
In addition to a PhD in a relevant atmospheric science or engineering field, candidates should possess the following skills and training or a demonstrated ability to fill in gaps in their background:

1. Strong computational fluid mechanics experience with demonstrated skills in code creation compatible with the WRF code structure and language, including data processing with python
2. Knowledge of/experience in large-eddy simulation, turbulence modeling, atmospheric dispersion, and field observation data analysis.
3. Strong public speaking and writing skills, demonstrated by a record of conference presentations and public seminars and creation of refereed conference or journal papers, and a desire to work on an interdisciplinary team.

• 3 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04094

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Berkeley, CA