Postdoctoral Associate – Ocean Observation & Data Assimilation

About the role

The Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the University of Miami seeks a full‑time Postdoctoral Associate for a two‑year, NOAA‑funded project. The research focuses on quantifying how diverse ocean observations improve the Marine JEDI analysis system and enhance coupled ocean‑atmosphere models used for tropical cyclone forecasting.

Key responsibilities

• Design and execute Ocean Observing System Experiments (OSEs) to evaluate the impact of in‑situ data (e.g., gliders) on ocean analyses.
• Run OSEs for hurricane forecasts using the weakly coupled data assimilation within the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS).
• Improve and troubleshoot the high‑resolution MOM6 regional model to reduce errors.
• Conduct MOM6 analyses with the Marine JEDI variational data assimilation framework.
• Analyze results, present findings at scientific meetings, and publish in peer‑reviewed journals.

Required profile

• Ph.D. in oceanography, applied mathematics, statistics, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience running numerical ocean, atmospheric, or coupled Earth system models and/or data assimilation systems.
• Strong problem‑solving and troubleshooting abilities.

Required skills

• Linux operating system
• FORTRAN programming
• Python programming
• C++ programming
• MATLAB or R for data processing
• Machine learning concepts
• Parallel and high‑performance computing
• GPU programming