Lead AI postdoctoral research fellow position in climate science

Lead AI postdoctoral research fellow position in climate science

Lead AI postdoctoral research fellow position in climate science

The implications of internal climate variability for future climate change are far-reaching, particularly when it comes to identifying and interpreting trends in regional-to-local scale signals and extreme events. Large ensembles of climate simulations are a key tool in such applications, but the computational cost of producing ensembles at high enough resolution and with enough members to adequately sample internal variability and capture rare events is a challenge. This project aims to explore data-driven Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI-ML) approaches to meeting this challenge. Possible topics include, but are not limited to : storylines for plausible narratives of regional climate change, novel algorithms for rare event sampling or ensemble boosting, and the development and use of hybrid climate models combining physics-based and ML components.

About the host research group and research theme

The postdoctoral opportunity is with the Geophysical Institute and the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research at the University of Bergen. The position is for a fixed term of three years and is open to either incoming or outgoing candidates according to LEAD AI mobility rules.

The LEAD AI fellowship programme supports training 19 postdoctoral fellows in artificial intelligence with high-quality inter- and transdisciplinary research and mentoring, enabling inter-sectoral exposure.

About the LEAD AI fellowship programme

LEAD AI is the University of Bergen\'s career and mobility fellowship programme for training 19 postdoctoral fellows in artificial intelligence. The programme has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. .

The LEAD AI programme offers high-quality inter- and transdisciplinary research and training opportunities in the area of artificial intelligence supported by dedicated supervision and mentoring, encouraging inter-sectoral exposure, in particular :

• academic freedom
• benefits from knowledge and skills transfer between disciplines, organisations and sectors
• structured, skill-based training
• high-quality working conditions
• personal career support
• equal opportunities
• Applicants must hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent degree in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, climate or oceanography. PhD-students may apply if defence of the PhD-thesis is completed by 31 December 2025. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded.
• Applicants should have a genuine interest in AI, and the research proposal must be related to artificial intelligence.
• Applicants cannot previously have been employed as a postdoctoral fellow at UiB and they cannot be employed by any other institution for the duration of the fellowship.
• Experience with AI-related research and / or innovation is an advantage.
• A strong background in statistics is required, as well as experience in atmospheric dynamics or climate dynamics, basic shell scripting, and Python / Matlab / R or similar languages.
• Experience with “traditional” climate modelling, data-driven climate modelling, and working with large ensembles of climate / weather model output are advantages.
• Outgoing fellowships require an uninterrupted stay of minimum 12 months at an institution outside of Norway, followed by a mandatory return period to the University of Bergen of at least 12 months.
• Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and have the ability to cooperate with others.
• Applicants must have excellent skills in oral and written English (self-assessed in the CV and demonstrated in the application).
• The application and relevant documents must be in English.

Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Research experience, ambitions and potential will also be considered during candidate evaluation.

Qualifications and personal qualities

Special requirements for the position : The University of Bergen is subject to the regulation for export control. The regulation will be applied in processing of the applications.

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow

The postdoctoral position is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The position may be extended by up to one year (maximum 4 years in total) if externally funded research stays abroad are granted. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

For all LEAD AI fellows, a Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP) will be developed jointly by the fellow, supervisor, and co-supervisor by the end of Month 3 of the fellowship, including a plan for the individual research budget and information on additional funding where applicable.

It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

We can offer

For more information see the LEAD AI webpage or contact

How to apply

Before starting the online application process, familiarise yourself with the Guide for Applicants and Application templates. All required attachments must be uploaded via JobbNorge. Please follow the portal instructions to minimize duplication of information.

Your application must include

The application and appendices with translations into English must be uploaded at JobbNorge.

Evaluation

We anticipate the evaluation procedure to take about 4 months from the application deadline. Eligible applicants will be evaluated by three international experts against criteria addressing excellence, impact, implementation, training, knowledge transfer, and networking opportunities (outgoing only).

General information

For details about the position, please contact :

Camille Li, Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen ( )

Stefan Sobolowski, Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen ( )

HR advisor Maria Svåsand, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Bergen ( )

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks. UiB encourages qualified applicants regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions. Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named. Applicants will be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply and aim to invite at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups to interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.

About the university

The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organized into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.

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