Research Scientist, Dynamics of the Coastal Ocean – Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Explo[...]

The Laboratory for Ocean Physics and Satellite Remote Sensing (http://www.umr-lops.fr/en/The-lab) is a joint laboratory (UMR) of several French scientific institutions (IFREMER, CNRS, University of Brest, IRD) with about a hundred researchers, engineers, technicians, or students.

The Coastal Ocean Team gathers scientists working on marginal and coastal sea dynamics and its interactions with ecosystems.

Main Topics:

• Waves dynamics on the shelf (e.g. tide, internal tides, coastal trapped waves).
• Wind forced dynamics (e.g. upwelling, coastal jets).
• Frontal dynamics and associated (sub-)mesoscales processes or air-sea coupling (e.g. river plumes, thermal fronts).
• Interactions with the topography (outflows, slope currents, coastal jets).
• Interactions of the dynamics with ecosystems at small scales and/or at climatological scales.

These topics are addressed numerically, by in situ and remote sensing measurements, in coastal or regional areas with contrasting processes such as the extended continental shelves of the Bay of Biscay, the Newfoundland Shelf, or the Senegalese Petite Côte, the straits of the Arabian Sea, or the steep bathymetries of the Mediterranean or the western coast of South Africa.

The challenge is to develop an understanding of these meso- and sub-meso-scale processes, to rationalize their study, and to develop the conceptual framework necessary for the interpretation of observational data as results of numerical simulations.

The applicant will participate in the scientific activity in the “coastal team” and may be led to exchange and collaborate with researchers from the “ocean-atmosphere-wave interactions and remote sensing” team, “ocean scale interaction” team, or “ocean and climate” team.

General Areas of Responsibility:

• Participate in the study of (sub)-mesoscale processes present in the coastal or continental shelf environment (e.g. thermohaline front, river plume, tidal front, upwelling, slope current, instabilities, internal waves, shelf waves, horizontal and vertical turbulences, eddies).
• Pay attention to the multidisciplinary valorization of the work (e.g. impact on ecosystems or sediment transport).
• Focus on the dynamics of the French coastal marine areas (English Channel, Bay of Biscay, North Western Mediterranean Sea, or Overseas Region) when relevant scientific issues arise.
• Initiate and animate research projects on coastal seas.
• Propose interpretations of the results from field or numerical experiments.
• Write scientific publications.
• Include work in National, International, or European calls and thus participate in the funding of research projects.

Collaborative Work Environment:

Internal Collaborative Relationships:

The applicant will collaborate in the multidisciplinary environment of IFREMER and participate in scientific discussions in the framework of the LOPS.

External Collaborative Relationships:

• An ability to work in national or international networks is expected.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• PhD, Postdoc (or equivalent) in Physical Oceanography, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, or Meteorology is required.
• First experiences will be appreciated (at least postdoctoral positions).

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Characteristics:

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Skill in coastal physical oceanography.
• Interest in process studies related to in-situ measurements.
• Ability to conduct process studies using numerical and/or analytical tools.
• Writing and communicating in English (French would be appreciated).
• Ability to dialogue with collaborators from other disciplines.
• High autonomy.
• Creativity.

All applications are processed exclusively via our website.

At this first stage, the applicant will describe in their cover letter (one page maximum) how they will fit into their future team and what they will bring as approaches or innovations.

Selected candidates will be invited to write a scientific project (4 pages). The coherence with the roadmap of the coastal team and of Ifremer will be discussed during an interview.

The French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea, Ifremer (https://wwz.ifremer.fr/en/) contributes to the knowledge of the oceans and their resources, to monitoring of marine and coastal environments, and to the sustainable development of marine activities.

Ifremer undertakes research missions, offers expert advice, and acts as a funding agency, performing targeted applied research to address questions posed by society (climate change effects, marine biodiversity, pollution prevention, seafood quality, etc.).

Ifremer works in a network with the French scientific community, collaborating with international partner organizations in several national and international projects, including contractual activities.