Research Assistant or Associate in next-generation contrail modelling

Location: South Kensington

About the role:

Applications are invited for a fully funded fixed-term at the Research Assistant /  Associate (PostDoc) level in next-generation contrail modelling.

Aircraft condensation trails (contrails) are estimated to contribute as much to climate change as all aviation CO2, but this is highly uncertain. A key driver of this uncertainty comes from disagreement between the (relatively few) models of early contrail development which operate at the plume scale, regional- to global-scale models of the cloud response, and real-world observations of both. The lack of a consistent contrail modelling framework makes it difficult to assess which models are performing better than others when compared to observations.

The objective of this project is to address this gap, developing a new contrail modelling framework which can represent multiple different representations of contrail physics, radiative transfer, and cloud feedbacks through either offline or fully coupled regional-scale modelling.

What you would be doing:

You will develop a new, high-performance computational framework for regional- to global-scale contrail modelling on the Imperial College London high performance computing (HPC) cluster. In addition to implementing two existing models of single-contrail development, you will be encouraged to explore new opportunities for contrail representation with a focus on novel options which do not rely on an assumption of independent contrail evolution. Leveraging expertise and assets already available at Imperial, you will need to compare the performance of your contrail modelling framework against satellite observations and identify key areas for future research in understanding the overall climate impact of contrails.

What we are looking for:

• PhD in aerospace engineering, software engineering, or physics*
• Expertise in numerical simulation, software engineering, and/or scientific programming
• Atmospheric science expertise preferred but not required
• Expertise in cloud physics or contrail physics preferred but not required
• Creative problem-solving skills and ability to work independently

Research Associate: Hold a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, or physics or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience

*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant.

Research Assistant: A first / masters degree (or equivalent) Aerospace Engineering, Software Engineering, or physics or a closely related discipline.

*Candidates with a PhD in other disciplines may be eligible if they can demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills and deep expertise in the development of complex computational models.

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to advance our understanding of, and ability to mitigate, climate change
• The opportunity to interact with experts from Imperial, Europe, and the US in both aerospace engineering and atmospheric science
• Access to a state-of-the-art, high performance computing cluster
• You would work as part of a dynamic team working to enable truly sustainable aviation at the Brahmal Vasudevan Institute for Sustainable Aviation
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• Grow your career: Gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).

Further Information

If you require any further details on the role please contact:

Dr. Sebastian Eastham [ s.eastham@imperial.ac.uk ].

Closing date: 2 March 2025

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