Postdoc research fellow focusing on the glacial-hydrological systems in Norwegian and Chinese mountain regions

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We have a vacancy for a postdoc research fellow within the field of Physical Geography (glaciology and hydrology branches) at the Department of Geography. The fellowship will be for two years with the possibility of an extension for a maximum of six months.

The position is a part of the Groundbreaking research project ‘Glacier impacts On The Hydrological systems in Europe and Central Asia: A pilot study of drivers and societal impacts of freshwater discharge from glacial systems in Norway and the Chinese Karakoram (GOTHECA-NOCK)’ funded by the Norwegian Research Council. The candidate’s work will contribute to understanding the interplay between the climate system, glacio-hydrological change, local communities and infrastructure in Norway and Chinese mountain regions, as well as the development of a comprehensive risk assessment scheme for local climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The successful candidate will lead the work package focusing on the coupling of a snow evolution/runoff routine model and an ice flow model as well as simulating the historic and future glacio-hydrological changes in five glacierized drainage basins. Topics might include but are not limited to model input data acquisition through field observation and remote sensing, developing the coupling scheme, model calibration, sensitivity studies and model results validation.

The candidate will have freedom in the choice of models and the methodology.  The modeled high-resolution surface mass balance and glacier geometric changes will provide input to the ice dynamic-subglacial hydrology modelling of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the same project.

The candidate will co-lead the glacier fieldwork together with the project manager. Fieldwork on four glaciers in different parts of Norway will be carried out in collaboration with the research team in the Western Norway University of Applied Science. Two joint field expeditions in China with the Chinese Academy of Sciences are planned for 2023 but are subjected to changes according to external circumstances.

The candidate will work in a vibrant and international team of a researcher, two PhD candidates and several master research assistants under the umbrella project GOTHECA (https://www.ntnu.edu/web/geography/gotheca). He/she is also supported by other members in the larger research group focusing on natural hazards and the effects of climate change and other project participants.

This position must be filled by January 2022 and will report to the head of the department.