2003 NOAA Postdoctoral Program in Climate and Global Change

For more information on the NOAA Postdoctoral Program visit:
http://www.vsp.ucar.edu

For more information on the NOAA Climate and Global Change Program visit:
http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/

The deadline for applications is 15 January 2003
---------------------------------

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) announces the
continuation of the NOAA Postdoctoral Program in Climate and Global
Change.  UCAR manages this NOAA-sponsored program, which pairs recently
graduated postdoctorates with host scientists at U.S. institutions to
work in an area of mutual interest.  The objective of this program is to
help create the next generation of researchers needed for climate
studies.  It endeavors to attract recent PhDs in sciences that address
studies of relevance to the NOAA Climate and Global Change Program.
Refer to NOAA's Web site at:
http://www.ogp.noaa.gov

The NOAA Climate and Global Change Program seeks to provide an effective
national climate service based on the development and application of
global and regional climate forecast information.  The Program focuses
on observing, understanding, modeling, and predicting the climate system
on seasonal-to-centennial time scales and assessing the regionally
specific socioeconomic consequences of climate variability.  Specific
research foci include:

* Understanding and predicting both changes in, and regional
manifestations of, large-scale patterns of variability such as the El
Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO),
the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and the monsoon systems of North
and South America.

* Observing and modeling ocean, atmosphere, land and cryosphere in order
to characterize the coupled processes that give rise to climate
variability.

* Determining the impacts of radiatively important trace gases and
aerosols on global climate change, including the modeling of the
biogeochemical processes that cycle these constituents throughout the
earth system.

* Documenting and analyzing past climate change in order to understand
the full range of natural variability in the earth system, thus
resulting in more accurate climate predictions.

* Improving our understanding of how humans adapt to climate, which
includes the social and economic responses to both current climate
variability and potential long-term changes in climate, as well as the
potential use of climate information to improve human welfare.

* Analyzing and modeling hydrometeorological processes such as soil
moisture, rain, snow, vegetation, frozen ground and runoff generation.

Applications are solicited from qualified postdoctoral candidates.
Preference is given to those who have held a PhD for no more than five
years.  Awardees must change institutions in the absence of compelling
circumstances. A clear indication of the scientific areas to be pursued
and goals is particularly important.  A steering committee, broadly
representing the skills and interests covered by this program, selects
the fellows and recommends appointments with U.S. agencies and
institutions. The selection criteria used by the steering committee in
making these awards may be found on the internet at:
http://www.vsp.ucar.edu
Please refer to the selection criteria for more details. The Web site
also includes a list of all present and past appointees to this program.

Advanced contact with potential hosts is encouraged.  An applicant may
wish to suggest more than one host institution, because the committee
takes an active role in distributing fellowships among institutions.  In
the case of specific laboratory needs, a letter should accompany the
application from the specific institute willing to provide the
resources. Interested host scientists are required to submit letters of
intent (two-page limit) and vitaes to help the committee in the
match-making process. They should be from an institution other than the
candidate's PhD institution.  Hosts are expected to mentor the fellow,
provide a reasonable office environment, a workstation and any other
unique research costs associated with this fellowship.

How to apply:

There is no application form. Qualified scientists are encouraged to
apply by sending the following materials to the UCAR Visiting Scientist
Programs:

* A cover letter stating the name of this program.
* Curriculum vitae with a list of publications.
* Names and contact information of at least four professional
references. Applicants are responsible for contacting referees to have
letters sent to UCAR/VSP by the application deadline. One letter must be
from thesis advisor, but not from a potential host, and letters from
more than one institution are encouraged. Referees should be directed to
online reference requirements located at:
http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/CGCref_req.html
* PhD thesis abstract, including title of thesis.
* Proposed project description.  Description must be titled, not to
exceed five pages including figures and appendices, (minimum 12 pt. type
size).  Proposals must describe an actual research project, and explain
why the proposed host institution is best to meet their research goals.
Applicants are encouraged to seek help from mentors in writing the
project description.
* Statement of relevance to the NOAA Climate and Global Change Program
(one-page limit).

Interested hosts should send:

*  One or two-page letter of intent to host a specific fellow or
describing the type of background preferred.
*  Curriculum vitae with a list of publications (two-page limit).
* A list of current and pending research support.

The program offers two-year postdoctoral fellowships, reviewed
annually.  Fellows receive a fixed annual salary.  UCAR benefits include
health and dental insurance, sick and annual leave, paid holidays,
mandatory participation in a retirement fund (TIAA/CREF), and life
insurance.  A relocation allowance is provided as well as an allowance
for scientific travel and other support costs.

The deadline for applications is 15 January 2003.  Appointments will be
announced in early spring 2003.

Send applications to:
   UCAR / Visiting Scientist Programs
   P.O. Box 3000
   Boulder, CO  80307-3000 USA.

For further information please call 303-497-8649, send
e-mail to: [email protected]
or visit web site: http://www.vsp.ucar.edu

The NOAA Office of Global Programs (Kenneth A. Mooney, Acting Director)
sponsors this program.
UCAR is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.