Post based at Northumbria University, Newcastle City Campus. The role is fixed term for 24 months.

The closing date for applications to this post is Monday 26th February.

CPOM is a community of UK universities led by Northumbria University, working in partnership with the British Antarctic Survey on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council. We also have active and long-standing partnerships with a range of external organisations, including the European Space Agency, NASA, and the UK National Centre for Earth Observation. In this role you will work with Professor Andrew Shepherd at Northumbria alongside a large group of cryosphere researchers within the Department of Geography and Environmental Science.

Applications are invited for a two-year research fellow position to support CPOM’s participation in the Drivers and Effects of Fluctuations in sea Ice in the ANTarctic (DEFIANT) project and our National Capability objectives. The successful candidate will work within the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM), based in the Department of Geography & Environmental Sciences within the Faculty of Engineering and Environment at Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK.  The work is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council’s DEFIANT project, and its program of national capability science.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The focus of this role will be to develop and validate a retrieval for the depth of snow on ice from airborne radar data with the aid of in situ measurements and regional climate predictions. You will apply the snow depth retrieval to satellite radar altimeter observations acquired by relevant satellite missions, oversee the design, production, and testing of a drone-based radar system, and support work on the CPOM sea ice altimetry data processing software system.

You will also be required to maintain up to date documentation of processes and produce regular reports on your progress towards achieving CPOM’s national capability objectives.

Further information about the requirements of the role is available in the person specification. 

ABOUT YOU

The successful candidate will have a PhD in a quantitative subject such as physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, or in a related, numerate discipline such as geophysics or meteorology. The successful candidate will have a high level of ability and experience in scientific programming, a track record of analysing and interpreting large geophysical datasets, and the ability to independently develop and successfully carry out their own research ideas. Knowledge and experience of satellite altimetry or similar Earth Observation techniques is essential. 

We would like this post to start as soon as possible. For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Professor Andy Shepherd (Andrew.shepherd@northumbria.ac.uk).

To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now', and submit a covering letter and a CV. 

Please note that if you do not have permission to work in the UK, Northumbria University may not be able to obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship for you to take up this position.

Academic staff will normally be on campus for approximately two days per week when face to face teaching is scheduled, and as required to undertake research using specialist facilities.

ABOUT US

At Northumbria, we embrace tomorrow. We pursue new thinking, forge new partnerships, create, and exchange new knowledge, and find new solutions. Our inspirational academics, partners and students work together to tackle tomorrow’s challenges head on. We are ready for the future whatever it may hold.  

Awarded the title of University of the Year in the 2022 Times Higher Education Awards, Northumbria University is a research-intensive modern university with a global reputation for academic excellence.  

Northumbria recorded the biggest rise of any UK university for research power in the Research Excellence Framework for the second time in 2021 and is now ranked top 25 for this measure.  

One of the largest universities in the UK with over 37,000 students from 137 countries, filled with world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and students at the heart of an outstanding experience, Northumbria is a new kind of excellent university. Discover more about us.   

Northumbria University is a great place to work. We empower our exceptional people to achieve shared ambitions and promote a positive work life balance. To say thank you, we offer a wide range of benefits including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, a generous holiday entitlement, continued commitment to your learning and development and more.  

We are an on-campus organisation where colleagues work regular patterns of hours and on campus, with some flexibility on the timing of their hours and the location of their work in discussion with their manager.  

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our staff. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers.   

Our Northumbria Values are guiding principles that define who we are, what we do and what is important to us. Our Values are: Academic Excellence; Innovation; Inclusivity; Collaboration; and Ambition.

Our Behaviours describe how we do things and how we work together at Northumbria, reflecting our culture and our decision-making. Our Behaviours are: We listen and learn, we support one another to success, we respect everyone and their contributions, we trust in ourselves and each other and we are bold.

Our Behaviours were co-created by colleagues from a range of roles across the University, who worked collaboratively to consider what it feels like to work for Northumbria, and where we need to continue to transform together to achieve what’s important to us. 

Please visit Our Values and Behaviours page to find out more.

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our staff. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers.

The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.

We are committed to keeping your data safe so it's important for you to know how we use any personal data you give us. For more detailed information, access our Privacy Policy.