Associate Research Scientist on GHG modeling (ref.no. CARE‐C_ARS_21_06)

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a non‐profit research and educational institution with a strong scientific

and technological orientation, emphasizing international collaborations, cross‐disciplinary research,

innovation, and post graduate education. CyI, through its established research centers, addresses

challenging issues that are important at both the regional and international levels. Many of its research

activities are being carried out in partnership with leading institutions in the respective

thematic areas.

The Cyprus Institute invites applications for an Associate Research Scientist in Atmospheric

Sciences at the CyI's Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE‐C) in the

framework of the EU‐H2020 “EMME‐CARE” (Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate and

Atmosphere Research Centre; http://emme ‐care.cyi.ac.cy/; TEAMING Grant no. 856612), and in

cooperation with EU Advanced Partners (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany; University

of Helsinki in Finland; and CEA in France).

Position Description 

Greenhouse gases (GHG) and pollutants emissions from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East

(EMME) region have been rising quickly in the last decade and mitigation efforts will be required to

keep the goal of the Paris Agreement. In support of national inventories, atmospheric in‐situ and

satellite observations of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) and co‐emitted pollutants (NO2, CO) can be

used to quantify emissions and their variability in response to human activities and climate change.

We seek for a motivated researcher in the field of atmospheric modeling and / or data assimilation

to build and apply inversion models that will reduce uncertainty on greenhouse gas and co‐emitted

pollutants emissions from the EMME region. The goal is to develop new emissions monitoring tools

using satellite observations of column integrated CO2 concentrations from OCO2 and OCO3

instruments and of CH4 and NO2 / CO e.g. from S5P TROPOMI and GOSAT. The main system could

be the LMDZ PYVAR CIF atmospheric data assimilation system built at LSCE (Laboratoire des Sciences

du Climate et de l’Environnement, CEA, France) with a regional zoom over the region of interest.

The selected candidate will be expected to develop a successful research activity on modeling

atmospheric GHGs within CARE‐C (Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, The Cyprus Institute,

Cyprus), as part of a long‐term collaboration with the LSCE, under the responsibility of Prof. Philippe

Ciais and Dr. Frédéric Chevallier. The main output will be new estimates of greenhouse gases and

pollutants emissions with a low latency, in support of regional mitigation awareness and policies.

High profile scientific publications are expected from the research as well as policy relevant material

such as comparison with official inventories, and regular bulletins of the greenhouse gas budgets of

different countries and cities in the Mediterranean and Middle East area.

Supervision and co‐supervision of graduate students, the development of new research projects and

involvement into existing ones will be facilitated and supported by scientific and administrative staff

at CARE‐C. The successful candidate will be expected to support new research thrust with the

highest international standards, leveraging CyI and CARE‐C resources (45 million euros in the

framework of EMME‐CARE) and utilizing the highly competitive research facilities of the Cyprus

Institute such as the “Cy‐Tera” HPC (http://web.cytera.cyi.ac.cy/ ) and the Cyprus Atmospheric

Observatory (CAO, http://www.cyi.ac.cy/index.php/cao.html ) which is part of international

networks (WMO‐GAW, EMEP, ACTRIS, TCCON).

The successful candidate will be working in a highly international team at CARE‐C (100 research staff

from 15 different countries), within a green and peaceful environment (Athalassa Forestry Park)

next to all commodities, where English is the exclusive language (for both research and

administration). This position may be renewed and possibly turned into an indefinite working

contract based on performance and funds availability.

Responsibilities/activities to be involved in:

• Adapt and apply the atmospheric inversion system LMDZ‐PYVAR to quantify greenhouse

  gas and pollutant emissions in the Mediterranean and Middle east region

• Compare top‐down atmospheric estimates of emissions with bottom‐up activity data and

  inventories and analyze their mutual consistency

• Work collaboratively with the Greenhouse Gases Emissions Group at CARE‐C and the

  SATINV team at LSCE

• Write peer reviewed scientific publications about the result of the research
• Develop new research projects with regional stakeholders and research teams in CARE‐C

  and teaming partners (CEA, MPIC, Univ. Helsinki)

• Supervise graduate students and staff working on the relevant projects