Senior Researcher: Wave-Current-Wind Interactions and Air-Sea Gas Exchange at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job: 

• The Southern Ocean Carbon Climate Observatory at the CSIR has a vacancy for Senior Researcher. The incumbent will investigate the role and interactions of waves, current and wind in driving surface ocean turbulence (mixing) and the subsequent role in modulating air-sea gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide).
• This will be carried out using in situ observations from co-ordinated twinned deployments of surface Wave Gliders and Slocum buoyancy gliders, equipped with microstructure shear probes, ADCP, wave height sensor, surface meteorological and CO2 flux sensors (VeGAS-pCO2).
• Integration with satellite-derived reanalyses products, wave model simulations, and turbulence theory will allow the researcher to assess how wind-wave-bubble mixing processes influence CO2 and exchange at event-to-seasonal scales, and  how these processes may contribute to regional differences in carbon and oxygen budgets.
• This position is based in Rosebank, Cape Town.

Key responsibilities:

• Contribute to experimental design and the implementation of the glider field campaigns;
• Ensure community best practices for pre-deployment calibration of glider sensors (oxygen) are followed, and assist in quality control of resultant datasets;
• Analyse, interpret, and integrate observational and modelling datasets to address the projects scientific objectives, publishing results in peer-reviewed journals and contributing to high-visibility science outputs.
• Participate in the broader collaborative activities of the SOCCO programme, with opportunities for international interdisciplinary research. 
• Work within a dynamic, world-leading team and help shape future strategies for ocean carbon-climate monitoring and management

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Doctoral degree in physical oceanography, environmental/Earth science, chemistry, physics with at least five years experience conducting oceanographic research with ocean robotics (gliders).
• Experience in measuring, post processing and interpreting glider data fields (e.g. temp, salinity, optics, oxygen etc).
• An understanding of upper ocean physical processes (surface boundary layer) and (sub)mesoscale dynamics
• Strong coding experience (Matlab/Python) towards data processing, analysis and visualisation.
• A desire to participate in research cruises.
• Demonstrated track record of international collaboration and publications in leading peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent communication skills, including capacity-building and postgraduate supervision.
• Capacity for independent work and working under pressure.
• A track record of conference presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience in analysis of ocean microstructure data.
• Experience of student supervision.