Observatori de l'Ebre

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Observatori de l'Ebre

We are looking for researchers with a PhD who want to apply for an 18-month contract focused on the study of drought using models and remote sensing data.

Deadline for applications: 28/04/2019

Title of the topic

Study of Drought processes in Iberia by means of land-surface modeling and remote sensing

Host institution

Ebro Observatory - Ramon Llull University.

Roquetes (Tarragona Province), Spain.
http://www.obsebre.es - http://www.url.edu

Supervisor

Dr. Pere Quintana-Seguí (Observatori de l’Ebre-URL)

Financial Framework

The Post-doc position is funded by the HUMID project (CGL2017-85687-R)

Salary

The gross annual salary is € 26,400.00

Profile of applicant

The candidate must have a PhD or equivalent degree in Physics, Hydrology, Meteorology, Climatology, Civil Engineering or similar.


  • Experience in the use of hydrological models, LSMs (land-surface model) or similar.
  • Experience in the use of remote sensing data, especially of soil moisture.
  • Capacity for scientific programming in Python, R, Matlab or similar and with FORTRAN (optional).
  • Ability to write and publish scientific articles in the English language and to participate in international scientific congresses also in the English language.

Description of the topic for the post-doc

The post-doc will work on large scale hydrological simulation with the SASER (SAFRAN-SURFEX-EAUDYSEE-RAPID) hydrological modelling chain and with downscaled remote sensing surface soil moisture data, with the objective to better understand drought processes in an anthropized environment (Ebro River basin and Iberia as a whole).


The specifics of the work will be decided with the contracted person, according to his/her experience and skills, always within the objectives of the HUMID project.

Description of the project

HUMID (Hydrological Understanding and Modeling of Iberian Drought) Project


Drought is a major climatic risk resulting from complex interactions between the atmosphere, the continental surface and water resource management. Droughts have large socioeconomic impacts in Spain due to the scarcity and the high level of use of water resources. Recent studies show that drought is increasing in frequency and is more severe. Future climate scenarios show that drought will continue to increase in intensity, severity and duration, causing more competition for water resources.


HUMID will study the utility of LSM models in a context of drought. The project will assess whether these models adequately reproduce the processes and characteristics of drought, both when operating independently (offline) and when used within a regional climate model (coupled). In addition, the SASER model, a distributed and physically based hydrological model for the Iberian Peninsula, based on the SURFEX LSM, will be improved. In this case, reservoirs will be introduced in the model to study the impact of these on drought processes. To this aim, models will be developed to reproduce the management rules of the main irrigation reservoirs of the Ebro basin.


In collaboration with an innovative company, HUMID will also use state-of-the-art remote sensing products, mainly soil moisture, to assess the usefulness of this information for drought monitoring. It will be evaluated how remote sensing data can be used to validate and to complement LSMs, by means of indices and, if possible, by means of data assimilation.


HUMID, in collaboration with stakeholders, will develop useful drought indices for managers, based on the observed data already in use, in combination with modelling and remote sensing data, ensuring that the results of the project will have a real impact on society.

Requirements

The candidates must:

  • be a national of any member state of the European Union or, in the case of citizens of countries that are not members of the EU, to certify legal residence and work permit in Spain.
  • Be of legal age
  • Certify official doctoral degree in Physics, Hydrology, Meteorology, Climate, Civil Engineering or similar.

Applications

Applications will be submitted by e-mail, sending a message to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. including the code "HUMID-Post-doc" in the subject line.


The deadline for submission of applications is April 28, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. (official time in peninsular Spain).


The applicants must satisfy the requirements of the previous section and also attach electronic copies of:

  • Curriculum vitae.
  • Doctor's degree (or certificate certifying that the defense of the thesis has been successfully completed).
  • Photocopy of official ID card, passport or any other identity document valid in the European Union.
  • Letter of motivation, not more than four pages in length.
  • Letters of recommendation (optional).
  • List of scientific publications of the candidate (doctoral thesis, project reports and / or scientific articles).
    • Electronic copies of the doctoral thesis, reports and articles that have not been published in open access will be supplied.

Complete rules

The complete rules of this call can be found at:


http://www.obsebre.es/images/oeb/pdfs/ca/Contractatacio/bases-contractacio-postdoc-humid_DAs.pdf

Contact

For any enquiry, please contact Dr. Pere Quintana-Seguí (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) adding HUMID to the subject line.

 

List of admitted candidates

04/30/2019 12:00: Following the rules of the call, we proceed to publish the list of candidates admitted to the selection process. We note that having a work permit in the EU was a requirement of the call. Candidates who wish to do so have 3 business days to submit amendments and possible claims, by sending an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Name

Surname

PhD diploma or 
defended PhD thesis

Work Permit

Admission to the
selection process

Babak

AMIRATAEE

Yes

No

No

Prasad

ANISETTY

Yes

No

No

Rémy

BONNET

Yes

Yes

Yes

Mukesh

BOORI

Yes

No

No

Somsubhra

CHATTOPADHYAY

Yes

No

No

Farid

FARIDANI

Yes

No

No

Jaime

GAONA

Yes

Yes

Yes

Laura

JIMÉNEZ LIÉBANAS

Yes

Yes

Yes

Faramarz

JUDY

Yes

No

No

Liu

KAI

Yes

No

No

Pradeepika

KAUSHIK

Yes

Yes

Yes

Hadush

KIDANE

Yes

No

No

Arnab

KUNDU

Yes

No

No

Yu

LI

Yes

No

No

José Andrés

LÓPEZ TARAZÓN

Yes

Yes

Yes

Adriana

MARQUEZ

Yes

No

No

Shifa

MATHBOUT

Yes

Yes

Yes

Louise

MIMEAU

Yes

Yes

Yes

Rajchandar

PADMANABAN

Yes

Yes

Yes

Shray

PATHAK

Yes

No

No

Hamidreza

RAHIMI

Yes

Yes

Yes

Amir

REZAI

Yes

No

No

Albert

ROVIRA

Yes

Yes

Yes

Ankita

SAXENA

Yes

No

No

Juan M.

SAYOL

Yes

Yes

Yes

Allabakash

SHAIK

Yes

No

No

Xavier

SÒRIA

Yes

Yes

Yes

Oleg

STEPANYUK

Yes

No

No

Rifat

SULTANA

Yes

No

No

Pezhman

TAHEREI

Yes

No

No

Yiwen

XU

Yes

No

No

 

Final decision

17/05/2019: The final decision has been published here, in PDF format.