Ecological Modeling Data Analyst University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR)
The Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) is seeking a candidate to work with the ecological and physical modeling teams at the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) to develop and improve experimental ecological forecasts linked to the Great Lakes Operational Forecast system hydrodynamic models. Under supervision of project principal investigators, the candidate will work on an experimental hypoxia forecast model for Lake Erie to evaluate model performance through statistical comparison of modeled and observed water quality, biological, and physical variables. In addition, the candidate will use a high- performance computing system to run a numerical hydrodynamic and biophysical model of Lake Erie, based on the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model and assist with model transition to real-time nowcasts/forecasts. The candidate will conduct data analysis in a scripting (computer programming) environment, building on existing scripts and developing new ones. The candidate will report findings to internal and external audiences in reports and oral presentations, and contribute to publications in scientific journals. The successful applicant’s appointment will be with the Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), which is part of the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. CIGLR is a collaboration between the University of Michigan and NOAA that brings together experts from academia and government research labs to work on pressing challenges. The candidate will spend the majority of their time at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) in Ann Arbor where they will work under the supervision of Dr. Mark Rowe. The University of Michigan is consistently ranked among the top American public research universities, and Ann Arbor is routinely ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. due to its affordability, natural beauty, preservation of wooded areas, vibrant arts program, and lively downtown. This position offers a highly competitive salary plus benefits. The initial appointment is for one year, with opportunity for extension based on performance, need, and availability of funds. Responsibilities •Evaluate the performance of ecological and hydrodynamic models of the Great Lakes by statistical comparison of modeled to observed water quality, biological, and physical variables in a scripting (computer programming) environment. •Run a numerical hydrodynamic and biophysical model of Lake Erie based on the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model on a high-performance computing system, and assist with model transition to real-time nowcasts/forecasts. •Report findings to internal and external audiences in reports and oral presentations. Required Qualifications •A bachelor or master degree in the natural sciences or engineering is required, with 1-3 years of related experience in analysis of ecological data (water quality, biological, physical) in research project and/or professional activities (e.g., large gridded data sets from model output or remote sensing, in addition to discrete sampling data). •The candidate should have strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work both as a member of a team and independently. Desired Qualifications •Master’s degree with some experience working in a research environment. •Preference will be given to candidates that have experience with hydrodynamic/ocean modeling. •Preference will also be given to candidates with a demonstrated ability to analyze data, quantify uncertainty, and report results in a timely manner. •Experience with handling ecological and geophysical data in various format such as ASCII, NetCDF, and relational databases as well as familiarity with a linux/unix high-performance computing environment and scripting data analysis software such as R, IDL, Python, or Matlab is highly desired. To apply: http://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/163864/ecological_modeling_data_analys t The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
