University of Bremen

Open to unconventional approaches in research and teaching, the University of Bremen has retained its character as a place of short distances for people and ideas since its founding in 1971. With a broad spectrum of subjects, we combine exceptional performance and innovative potential. As an ambitious research university, we stand for research-based learning approaches and a pronounced interdisciplinary orientation. We actively pursue scientific cooperation in a spirit of global partnership. Today, around 23,000 people learn, teach, research, and work on our international campus. In research and teaching, administration and operations, we are strongly committed to the goals of sustainability, climate justice, and climate neutrality. Our Bremen spirit is expressed in the courage to try new things, in supportive cooperation, in respect and appreciation for each other. With our study and research profile and as part of the European YUFE network, we assume social responsibility in the region, in Europe, and in the world.

Homepage: https://seaice.uni-bremen.de

The Institute of Environmental Physics at the University of Bremen is offering at the earliest possible date a

2 PhD positions for 3-years (f/m/d)

German federal pay scale E13 TV-L (75 %)
(in accordance with § 2 WisszeitVG) in the research area

Satellite Remote Sensing of Sea Ice

as part of the
Transregional Collaborative Research Centre TR 172 “(AC)3 – Arctic Amplification: Climate Relevant Atmospheric and Surface Processes and Feedback Mechanisms”

The department “Remote Sensing” of the Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP) of the University of Bremen is among the leading scientific institutions in the area of satellite remote sensing of atmospheric trace and greenhouse gases and sea ice in polar regions.

(AC)3 is a joint collaborative research center of the Universities Leipzig, Cologne and Bremen together with the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, and the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research. Besides an international first-class research environment, (AC)3 offers an Integrated Research Training Group with a structured Ph.D. program. (AC)3 is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG. Find out more under www.ac3-tr.de.

Work content

PhD 1, project C01: Regional and Arctic-wide changes in melt pond fraction and sea ice albedo during recent decades and its connection to Arctic Amplification

Hypothesis: Changing sea ice properties and associated radiative fluxes enhance Arctic amplification.

Satellite observations are used to evaluate surface albedo on regional and Arctic-wide spatial scales. The strongest changes in sea ice albedo are caused by melt ponds during summer. An existing melt pond and albedo satellite retrieval will be applied to current and previous satellite sensors to create a long-term (>20 years) dataset that can be analyzed regarding its impact on Arctic amplification. Processes that influence the sub-footprint scale albedo and melt pond fraction variability like surface roughness and associated ice types will be evaluated by in–situ observations obtained during the year-long MOSAiC sea ice drift expedition. Based on the obtained process understanding melt pond schemes for coupled ocean-ice-atmosphere climate models will be improved together with project partners.

PhD 2, project D03: Impact of thinner and less compact sea ice on sea ice dynamics and Arctic amplification

Hypothesis: Enhanced sea-ice dynamics, and thinner ice thickness contribute significantly to Arctic amplification.

Satellite data will be used together with model simulation from project partners to answer how the observed changes in sea-ice dynamics and sea-ice thinning impact Arctic amplification. Based on existing methods an Arctic–wide data set of lead fraction from Sentinal-1 SAR will be developed. It will be combined with lead fraction datasets from MODIS infrared satellite data, ice thickness, ridge height and spacing from ICESat-2 data, and sea ice drift and deformation from Sentinel-1 SAR data. It will be analyzed how changes in ice drift and deformation impact the ice thickness, lead fraction and ridge distribution an vice versa. To answer the question, how are sea-ice dynamics affected by changing lead fraction and thinner sea ice? The impact on Arctic amplification will be analyzed in addition with a regional coupled ocean-ice-atmosphere climate model.

Both positions will be part of the research group for “Remote Sensing of Polar Regions” under the supervision of Dr. Gunnar Spreen.

Requirements

• Completed scientific university degree (Master’s/University Diploma) or equivalent in physics, oceanography, meteorology, remote sensing, geophysics, or related fields.
• Skills in scientific computer programming (e.g., Python, Julia, Matlab or similar)
• A strong interest to work in the field of satellite remote sensing
• Expertise in polar or sea ice research will be viewed favorable.
• Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken.

If you are interested in

• working in climate research and on one of the most challenging research questions, the understanding of the Arctic climate system,
• being part of an international and interdisciplinary team and yet are able to conduct independent research,
• improving your skills in satellite remote sensing and think that it is one of the key tools to improve our climate system understanding,
• being part of a cohort of about 30 Ph.D. students within a Research Training Group distributed over five of the top German climate research institutes,
• experiencing the thriving and lively city of Bremen in north of Germany,

please send us your application.

General hints

The Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP) provides a stimulating, international, and pleasant work environment and is strongly involved in the international climate and space science community. The focus of our work is the investigation of the atmosphere, the cryosphere, and the oceans. We have state-of-the art lab equipment, and high computational capacity, which is essential for the data processing of our satellite projects.

The University of Bremen is family-friendly, diverse and sees itself as an international university. We therefore welcome all applicants regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social background, religion/belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity.

In the case of equal personal aptitudes and qualification, priority will be given to disabled persons.

For more information, please contact Dr. Gunnar Spreen (phone: +49-421-218-62158; e-mail: gunnar.spreenuni-bremen.de).

Please send applications including standard documentation (CV, copies of diplomas, letter of motivation) and names of at least two references with reference to job advertisement number A140-24 until 05.04.2024 to

Universität Bremen
Institut für Umweltphysik
Dr. Gunnar Spreen
Otto-Hahn-Allee 1
D-28359 Bremen

or (as a single PDF file) by unencrypted electronic mail: gunnar.spreenuni-bremen.de.

Please indicate in which of the two positions you are interested in or if you are applying for both.

We kindly ask you to send us only copies (no portfolios) of your application documents, as we cannot return them. They will be destroyed after the selection process has been completed. Any application costs cannot be reimbursed.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

The official announcement is posted here: https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/university/the-university-as-an-employer/job-vacancies-1/job/3160