Earth System Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Earth System Sciences Department is seeking an Earth System Sciences postdoctoral fellow to support two DOE-funded projects, HyperFORMANCE and CASCADE.

HyperFORMANCE aims to improve the accessibility and usability of hydrometeorological information for resource managers and flood planners, while CASCADE investigates the nature and predictability of hydrometeorological extremes affecting water-energy systems.

This two-year position, with potential extension, will be split equally between the projects and involve interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists, statisticians, social scientists, and stakeholders. Candidates should have experience in Earth system modeling, high-performance computing, and data analysis, along with knowledge of water cycle processes and land-atmosphere interactions. Experience in mountain hydrometeorology is particularly encouraged. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential, and opportunities to co-mentor students may be available.

The postdoctoral research will use DOE’s Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) and may involve one or more of the following topics:

1. Recreating storyline flood or extreme heat events and investigating their land-atmosphere interactions

2. Exploring subseasonal-to-seasonal predictability of flood or extreme heat events

3. Performing perturbed parameter ensemble experiments on subgrid-scale physics schemes that control mountainous water cycle processes

4. Developing and applying weather feature tracking algorithms on atmospheric rivers, extratropical cyclones, and their associated meso- to local-scale features (e.g., frontal rainbands)

We’re here for the same mission, to bring science solutions to the world. Join our team and YOU will play a supporting role in our goal to address global challenges! Have a high level of impact and work for an organization associated with 17 Nobel Prizes!

Why join Berkeley Lab?
We invest in our postdoctoral scholars by offering benefits and resources designed to support your well-being, professional growth, and life outside of work:

• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage

• Retirement savings through the UC Defined Contribution Safe Harbor Plan, with additional voluntary UC retirement savings options available

• 24 days of Personal Time Off (PTO) per fiscal year, plus sick leave and paid holidays

• Eight weeks of Postdoctoral Paid Family Leave for qualifying family and parental needs

• Opportunities to connect, network, and grow through the Berkeley Lab Postdoc Association, including social events, professional development, and scientific exchange

• A collaborative and inclusive culture where you can grow your research career and belong

You will:

• Run Earth system model simulations (e.g., E3SM) on high-performance computing systems.

• Analyze model outputs and datasets to investigate hydrometeorological extremes, water cycle processes, and land-atmosphere interactions.

• Develop and apply computational, statistical, and data analysis methods to evaluate model simulations and investigate Earth system processes.

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams to advance project objectives and contribute to scientific findings.

• Present research results at national or international conferences.

• Effectively communicate research results in peer-reviewed journals.

Additional Responsibilities as needed:

• Co-producing science with water-energy resource managers or flood planners.

• Ethical application of artificial intelligence or machine learning techniques to accelerate scientific workflows.

We are looking for:

• A Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, Hydrologic Science, Earth System Science, Physics, or a related discipline.

• Demonstrated proficiency working in a supercomputing environment (e.g., NERSC Perlmutter or NWSC Derecho).