Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant
- Exeter
- Temporary
- Full-time
20 academic and associated partners (NGOs, Industry & Government organizations) for delivering an interdisciplinary, integrated and transferable career skills programme.Individual projects within FutureForests programme maps into four key interrelated science objectives with a focus on assessing responses of 1) tree functional processes including leaf metabolism, growth, C and water relations, 2) soil processes including nutrient cycling and soil organic matter dynamics, 3) impacts of global change on biodiversity and tree vulnerability to pest and diseases, and, 4) advancing modelling of forest responses to climate extremes and fire risk reduction. FutureForests combines excellent training for doctoral researchers, diverse supervisions and international mobility for impactful research to benefit society and the economy and to inform forest policies under the EU Green Deal and international climate mitigation efforts (Paris Climate Agreement, 2015). FutureForests is to provide next generation scientists with skills and knowledge “most wanted” in academic and non-academic employability sectors.This specific Doctoral Graduate Researcher Assistant position focuses on simulating heatwaves in European forests. The work will capitalize on the new generation of plant hydraulic representation within land surface models that now exists, which have only been tested for tropical forests. Given the recent increase of heatwaves and the variety of drought manipulation experiments in European forests, there is now a unique opportunity to test and inform these models using this new data.Key objectives of this PhD studentship are 1) to use observations from soil and atmospheric drought manipulation experiments from different European forest types to improve representation of European forest responses to recurrent droughts (soil and atmospheric) within the Land Surface model (LSM) of an Earth System Model (ESM), and 2) Use the improved model to simulate impacts of recent heat waves on European forests; and alternative ecosystem level observations, of carbon and water exchange between the forest and the atmosphere, during these events to evaluate model improvements.Where to apply WebsiteRequirementsResearch Field Geography Education Level UndergraduateSkills/QualificationsApplicants will be educated to first degree level or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study or equivalent experience and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes. Applicants will be able to :
- Learn to run the Joint UK land Environment Simulator (JULES), land surface model of the UK Earth System model and understand the representation of vegetation carbon and water cycles within the model
- Use Unix and Fortran and also either R or Python for data analysis and JULES model output
- Understand state of the art representations of plant hydraulics and heat stress within vegetation in land surface models
- Prepare JULE simulations at experimental sites from FutureForests
- Use experimental site observations to improve and evaluate JULES
- Perform region wide JULES simulations
- Write 3 articles/chapters and introduction for PhD completion
- Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
- Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
- An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
- Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
- A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around
- A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon
- Full employment contract with competitive salary for three years.
- Mobility allowance (~£5800/year), and family allowance if applicable (~£4090/year) adjusted for the cost of living in the host country (in this case UK). Values subject to exchange rate when appointment is made.
- Access to state-of-the-art forest manipulation facilities, laboratories and expert supervision.
- International secondments and training events and networking with 14 fellow PhD students from FutureForests.
- The University pay scale will be subject to a cost of living review each year, but you will not receive annual increments.
EURAXESS