Netherland : PhD researcher on Feedbacks between climate and antropogenic land use change

Assessment model IMAGE. The former is a Earth System Model that describes climate change and its forcing agents, the latter is an integrated assessment model that describes the environmental change as a function of anthropogenic activities. The PhD project will focus on identifying relevant climate feedbacks (e.g. changes in temperature, the hydrological cycle, and atmospheric circulation patterns caused by deforestation, changes in agricultural practice and irrigation) and executing stand-alone and coupled simulations with the modeling systems that are mentioned. The work aims to evaluate the significance and spatial structure of the feedbacks for each of the relevant land use aspects.
Qualifications
For this PhD position we are looking for a candidate that has expertise in climate modelling, land use modelling or system feedback analysis, with clear affection with the other relevant areas. Good skills in either Dutch or English (speaking and writing) are necessary, as well as experience with computer programming and quantitative analysis. The candidate's affilitation will be Utrecht University, but working locations may vary between IMAU, KNMI and PBL.

Terms of employment
We offer a fulltime temporary appointment for four years. Your gross salary starts with € 2,042.- per month in the first year and increases to € 2,612.- per month in the fourth year of employment. The salary is supplemented with a holiday allowance of 8% of annual salary and an end-of-year bonus of 8,3% per year. In addition we offer: partially paid parental leave, flexible employment conditions in which you may trade salary for vacation days or vice versa. The employment conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Dutch Universities.

Further details
Further information about this position can be obtained from Bart van den Hurk, e-mail: hurkvd@knmi.nl, or Bart Strengers, e-mail: bart.strengers@pbl.nl. More information can also be found at http://www.imau.nl/, http://www.knmi.nl/ and http://www.pbl.nl/.

How to apply
Applications, including a curriculum vitae can be submitted to the Personnel Department, Faculty of Science, P.O. Box 80010, 3508 TA Utrecht, the Netherlands or submit by e-mail to: Science.PenO@uu.nl. Please mention vacancy number 63007.
Deadline for applications is 31 May 2010.