Job #JPF09268
- JOINT INSTI REG EARTH SYST SCI/ENGR / L&S Physical Sciences / UCLA
POSITION OVERVIEW
Salary range: 87,100 – $109,200
APPLICATION WINDOW
Open date: March 12, 2024
Next review date: Friday, Apr 12, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Friday, Apr 12, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The UCLA Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE) invites applications for a position of Assistant Researcher. The research includes the following:
Part 1. Coasts are highly susceptible to the compounding impacts from climate change and other anthropogenic activity. Climate change is driving increases in the frequency and severity of wildfires, which can significantly alter flows of water, carbon, sediment and other nutrients into nearshore coastal waters. Climate change is also driving sea level rise, increasing the vulnerability of coastal habitats particularly as it relates to saltwater intrusion and storm surge, underscoring the important of adaptation and developing climate resilience. Coastal ecosystems are regions of high productivity and biological diversity and play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. Tasks for part 1 in this statement of work include:
• Run Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to model watershed response to wildfires, leveraging a variety of remote sensing and in situ datasets to support calibration / validation of model
• Support remote sensing-based analysis of ocean color products, focusing on nearshore systems, and the impacts of coastal darkening on kelp ecosystems
• Support investigation into post-wildfire impacts on regional water balances in coastal California
• Support partner engagement on topics of wildfires and coastal resilience
Part 2. Imaging spectrometers like the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) onboard the International Space Station enable the identification methane and carbon dioxide emission sources, attribution of emissions to specific sectors (oil & gas, waste, energy sectors), and estimation of emissions. These measurements offer the potential to increase understanding of anthropogenic emissions as well as the potential to mitigating global warming. This research effort will contribute both to the planned NASA Greenhouse Gas Center and to the currently operating EMIT prototype, VISIONS.
• Assist with expansion of the GHG VISIONS portal to include CO2 point source emissions
• Critically evaluate methane and carbon dioxide concentration retrievals derived from EMIT images, including comparisons across methods to distinguish credible methane plumes from false positives
• Evaluate plumes detected by a developing machine learning based detection system to improve future retrieval performance and plume identification
• Support user engagement activities, as time permits, including capturing use cases and assisting with documentation.
QUALIFICATIONS
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Required qualifications include:
- Ph.D. in one of the earth science disciplines or related fields.
- Direct experience with Soil Water Assessment Tool
- Experience or interest in aquatic remote sensing
- Experience or interest in water cycle research, investigating land-sea connectivity, and water resources, and other climate change applications.
- Experience or interest in visible to shortwave infrared (VSWIR) applications, including but not limited to, GHG emissions tracking
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Experience or interest in Earth science applications
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Document requirements
- Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
- Cover Letter
- Statement of Research
- Statement of Teaching (Optional)
- Statement on Contributions to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – An EDI Statement describes a faculty candidate’s past, present, and future (planned) contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion. To learn more about how UCLA thinks about contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion, please review our EDI Statement FAQ document.
- Reference check authorization release form – Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
- Misc / Additional (Optional)
Reference requirements
n/a
Apply link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF09268
Help contact: nancy@jifresse.ucla.edu
ABOUT UCLA
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.
The University of California 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: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy.
JOB LOCATION
Los Angeles, CA and Pasadena, CA
