University of Lausanne

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In the framework of a newly-funded project by the Swiss National Science Foundation, we are seeking to fill a 3-year Postdoctoral Researcher position in ice sheet modelling at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), within the ICE group (https://wp.unil.ch/ice/) in the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics (IDYST). The project is a collaboration with the University of Zurich (UZH), led by Andreas Vieli.

Project Summary: The future of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and its contribution to sea level rise is a pressing concern. Despite recent advances in ice sheet modelling, projections still vary widely due to significant uncertainties. Critical challenges include model calibration and running large ensembles of high-resolution simulations spanning millennia.

Recent breakthroughs in deep learning and parallel computing are transforming the field, enabling models to run faster by orders of magnitude and improving data assimilation. While these techniques have shown considerable promise in modeling mountain glaciers, they have yet to be applied to marine ice sheets. This project aims to address that gap, providing an opportunity to improve uncertainty quantification and model fidelity.

Our approach will develop the Instructed Glacier Model (IGM, https://github.com/jouvetg/igm), equipping it to simulate marine ice sheets and ice shelves (calving, ocean melt, grounding line, …). By leveraging GPUs, we aim to significantly accelerate model performance compared to traditional CPU-based methods. In the second phase, we will exploit these computational gains to achieve an optimized initialization of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, ensuring alignment with observational data, followed by high-resolution ensemble simulations to reduce uncertainty in future projections.

Role of the Candidate: The Postdoctoral Researcher (based at UNIL, with close collaboration at UZH) will be responsible for co-developing and setting up the model IGM for the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Candidates should have strong expertise in numerical glacier or ice sheet modelling, preferably with experience in model development and Python programming. Experience in machine learning is a plus. Excellent writing and communication skills in English, as well as the ability to collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary and cross-institutional research environment, are essential.

The working environment: The institute (IDYST) offers excellent working conditions, including access to state-of-the-art research facilities, a collaborative and vibrant academic community, and a strong commitment to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of its operations. In addition, postdoctoral positions come with attractive salary packages.

Application Details: To apply, please send a cover letter, CV (including publication list), and contact information for references as a single PDF file to Guillaume Jouvet (guillaume.jouvet@unil.ch). The first review of applications will begin on December 2, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. The start date is flexible.