PhD position on the interaction between mountains and precipitation

Do you want to contribute to a unique project investigating high-altitude snow and rainfall in Asia’s mountain ranges? Then this opportunity might be for you! 

Your job

Mountains are the water towers of the world. They receive a disproportionately large amount of precipitation due to orographic lifting. The most important water towers are Asia’s mountain ranges, particularly the Himalaya, the Karakoram and the Pamir. These mountains contain the largest ice reserves beyond the polar regions and are therefore often collectively referred to as the Third Pole.

Here, mountain precipitation feeds glaciers and snowpacks, generating river flow that supplies major reservoirs and sustains millions of people downstream. At the same time, extreme mountain precipitation triggers floods, landslides, debris flows, and avalanches. Without understanding the drivers and magnitude of mountain precipitation, quantifying the mountain water cycle is virtually impossible. You will work as a team member in the ERC Advanced project DROP, which focuses on understanding how mountains, land-surface feedbacks, and large-scale atmospheric circulation control the distribution of mountain precipitation in time and space on the Third Pole.

In this PhD project, you will focus on understanding the interaction between mountain ranges and precipitation using observations and large-scale remote sensing at the synoptic scale. You will combine observations, remote sensing, and outputs from an atmospheric model to investigate and explain seasonal differences in the large-scale orography-precipitation interplay. You will work closely with another PhD candidate and a postdoc in the same project.

To support academic and personal development, PhD candidates follow courses and assist in teaching Earth Sciences at the Bachelor's and Master's levels. Together, these activities amount to twenty percent of the contracted time.

Your qualities

This project may be the right fit for you if you have:

• an MSc in meteorology, hydrology, civil engineering, geosciences, environmental science, or a related field;
• a passion for mountains and the ability and willingness to conduct fieldwork in challenging conditions;
• strong quantitative methodological skills, particularly in (spatial) data analysis, remote sensing, and atmospheric and/or hydrological modelling;
• experience with programming languages (Python/R), preferably using spatial datasets;
• basic theoretical understanding of mountain meteorology;
• an interest in interdisciplinary collaborations and motivation to work in a close team;
• excellent English oral and scientific writing skills, with a willingness to learn Dutch.

Our offer

We offer:

• a position for 1 year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2.770 and €3.539 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)); 
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus; 
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU. 

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The team at the Department of Physical Geography excels in research and education at the BSc, MSc, and PhD levels. We study the processes, patterns, and dynamics of Earth's systems, from the mountains to the sea, and the interactions in between. This knowledge is essential for the sustainable management of our planet and to ensure the availability of resources for future generations. We are a lively department with an active early career community of PhD students, researchers, and lecturers. We ensure a warm welcome for every new member.

More information

For more information, please contact Prof. Dr Walter Immerzeel  via w.w.immerzeel@uu.nl

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.

Apply now

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.

To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation, via the ‘apply now’ button. Additionally, if you have an international (non-Dutch) Master's degree, you will be requested to send your BA and MA degree certificates and grade lists (in English).

The interviews are scheduled for 16 October. The first round can be conducted online via MS Teams. The preferred starting date is 1 January 2025.

The application deadline is 15 September 2024.