Scientist Atmospheric Composition

**:Functieomschrijving

Are you an expert in atmospheric aerosols and their impact on weather and climate? As an experienced scientist, you'll drive research to enhance our understanding of climate effects and risks linked to natural and human-made aerosols.

You'll lead projects developing global models of atmospheric composition and its interaction with meteorology, while fostering collaboration both within the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and with external institutes. Your work will directly support advising on aerosol-related climate risks. Does this sound appealing to you? Then join us at KNMI in De Bilt to make a meaningful impact

What will you be doing?
In the Atmospheric Composition cluster of the R&D Weather and Climate Models section, we actively develop and enhance models focused on atmospheric composition. Our work drives advancements in the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) for atmospheric composition monitoring services (IFS-COMPO), Lotos-Euros for air quality, and EC-Earth and OpenIFS for climate studies.

As a senior scientist, you’ll play a key role in advancing the understanding of atmospheric aerosol processes, particularly their impact on the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere (UTLS). Your research will focus on the interactions between aerosols, meteorology, clouds, radiation, and trace gases. This expertise is critical for climate risk assessments related to volcanic eruptions and potential Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) techniques aimed at climate intervention.

You’ll lead efforts to expand research on aerosol-weather-climate interactions, including initiating studies on processes tied to major volcanic events. Your primary focus will be on modeling within IFS-COMPO, aligning with climate modeling efforts in EC-Earth. You will actively collaborate with internal teams (e.g., those working on volcanoes, satellite data, and computational methods) and engage with the international scientific community to maximize the impact of our research. As part of this collaborative team, you’ll also contribute to advising and sharing insights about aerosol-related climate risks.

This gives you energy
As a senior scientist, you'll be motivated by the opportunity to push the boundaries of research on aerosol interactions in the atmosphere, knowing that your work contributes to a deeper understanding of climate risks.

You’ll thrive in a role where your expertise drives impactful projects, from improving climate models to advancing global knowledge on volcanic eruptions and potential climate interventions.

Your collaboration with international scientists and teams will shape innovative solutions that directly influence climate risk assessments and future policy decisions, making a tangible difference in how we approach atmospheric and climate challenges.

KNMI actively stimulates diversity and inclusivity. The department and the cluster atmospheric composition strives to improve the diversity of the team in terms of gender, age and background.

Would you like to know more?

We understand that you might want to learn more about this position. Feel free to contact Werenfried Spit, vakgroepmanager, at +31 (0)6 - 1017 0719 or Vincent Huijnen, coordinator, at +31 (0)6-2195 7297. They will be happy to assist you

Our unique task is the gathering of information about the atmosphere and the subsurface and the translation of that information to risks for society.

Would you like to learn more about how we strive to make our high-quality knowledge and information in the area of weather, climate, and seismology operationally available? You'll read more about it on our website.
**Functie-eisen
- you have a PhD degree
- you have over 10 years of experience as a scientist in atmospheric composition sciences
- you have hands-on experience with large scale models that include atmospheric composition components
- you are skilled in utilizing satellite data on aerosol properties and/or trace gases for model evaluation and data assimilation
- you have proven skills on the coordination of research projects

You recognize yourself in the following characteristics:

- As a scientist in Atmospheric Composition, you excel in managing research projects, ensuring they run smoothly and deliver impactful results. Your ability to navigate the intersection of science and policy is a key strength and your proven communication skills allow you to effectively convey complex scientific concepts to a range of stakeholders. You are fluent in English and are either knowledgeable in Dutch or eager to learn it, enhancing your ability to collaborate in a diverse, international environment. Additionally, you are adaptable, detail-oriented and able to take initiative in advancing both research and team objectives.
**Arbeidsvoorwaarden
- Salarisniveau schaal 12
- Maandsalaris Min €4.691 - Max. €6.907 (bruto)
- Dienstverband Arbeidsovereenkomst voor bepaalde tijd met uitzicht op onbepaalde tijd