PhD student in Earth Science

HOURS: fulltime
LOCATION: Leiden

Are you our new colleague?

Are you an ambitious and highly motivated candidate with a strong interest in scientific data analysis for climate research? Then you are the person we are looking for.

You and SRON

SRON is the space research expert institute in the Netherlands, developing and using Earth observation satellite instruments for climate and air quality research. SRON is the (co-) Principal Investigator institute for a.o. the Dutch satellite instruments TROPOMI, SPEX-One, and TANGO. We work together with international partners such as the UN, ECMWF CAMS, Global Methane Hub, and the World Bank to turn these data into emission reductions. Your work at SRON will improve the detection, monitoring, and understanding of large methane emissions from (point) sources worldwide. You will make use of satellite observations, in particular from the recently launched Japanese GOSAT GW – TANSO-3 instrument. For this SRON collaborates with Japanese colleagues including from JAXA and NIES.

Your position and team

You will be part of the methane research team in the Earth Science Group (ESG) of SRON. The ESG consists of approximately 40 scientists (permanent, postdocs, PhD students) that work on the data processing and interpretation of satellite measurements as well as the definition of new instrumentation and guiding the development. Our team develops methods to detect and identify sources and quantify emissions of various trace gases using satellite data in conjunction with atmospheric modelling and machine learning. Our research aims to address topics with societal relevance.

Your project

Methane is responsible for about a third of global warming, and reducing methane emissions is the most effective way to slow down climate change on the short term. A large fraction of total methane emissions come from a limited number of super-emitting (point) sources. Within this project, you will expand our capabilities to detect, quantify, and analyze methane emissions from (point) sources using the recently launched GOSAT-GW TANSO-3 instrument. GOSAT-GW provides an exciting new view on global methane, including through a “zoom-in” mode that can capture methane concentrations at up to 1-km resolution. As a start, we will start exploring and utilizing these data by further developing and adapting our machine learning based plume detection algorithms originally designed for TROPOMI. We will look at both the global scale for the detection of super-emitters as well as the more local scale (e.g. urban, oil and gas fields etc.). The work will be done as part of our contribution to the UN’s International Methane Emission Observatory (IMEO) developed Methane Alert Response System (MARS) with the aim to support companies and governments to meet their international agreements such as the Global methane Pledge and the Paris agreement. Your work will fit in and complement our on-going research in the group on methane (super-emitters) to support of mitigation activities. You will also enroll in the SENSE Research School at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam as part of your PhD program.

Position requirements

We are looking for an ambitious, highly motivated, and research-focused student. The qualified applicant should have an M.Sc. degree in (atmospheric) physics or a similar field with strong experience in programming. Experience with the application/use of machine learning and/or experience with atmospheric observations would be an asset. Good English language skills (both oral and written) and the ability to both work in a team and independently are expected.

What we offer

The position we offer at SRON is a full-time position in which you will be employed by NWO- I (The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research Institutes) and will initially be for a period of 18 months. This will be extended to 4 years when your performance evaluation after 9 months is satisfactory. The salary will be in accordance with the salary scales of NWO-I, starting at €3.115,- in the first year and rising to €3.989,- in the fourth year of employment. Compensation for commuting expenses will be provided.

NWO has good secondary employment conditions such as:

• An end of year bonus of 8,33% of the gross yearly salary;
• A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross yearly salary;
• 42 days of vacation leave a year on full-time basis;
• An excellent pension scheme;
• Options for (additional) personal development;
• Excellent facilities for parental leave;
• Ample training opportunity’s;
• Possibility of flexible working hours;

Why SRON

SRON's mission is to achieve breakthroughs in international scientific research from space. To this end, SRON develops groundbreaking technology and advanced space instruments. SRON promotes societal applications for space technology. We have a strong international reputation as 'excellent in space research'. The quality and societal relevance of our science is considered ‘world-leading’.

About SRON

SRON is the Space Research Organisation Netherlands. Based at locations in Leiden and Groningen, SRON combines fundamental scientific research, technology innovation, and instrumentation development to enable breakthroughs in astrophysics, exoplanet research, and earth atmospheric research from space. In partnership with leading international partners and space agencies such as ESA, NASA and JAXA, SRON provides scientific and technological contributions to international space missions as well as expertise and support to the Dutch and international scientific communities.

SRON is the national base for the Netherlands participation in the ESA science program. On the national level, it works in close collaboration with the Dutch universities, other NWO institutes, and governmental agencies to pursue a cohesive agenda for space-based research.

For more information, please contact

Furthermore

At SRON we believe that a workforce diverse in gender, age, and cultural background is key to performing excellent research. We therefore strongly encourage qualified applicants of all ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, members of minorities, persons with disabilities, and potential dual-academic-career hires to apply.

Online interviews and online screening may be part of the selection procedure.