Postdoctoral Opportunity – Wave and Sea Ice Coupling in Polar Oceans (LOCEAN, Paris, France)
The NEMO team at LOCEAN (Paris, France) is seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher for a 2-year position to contribute to the CLIMArcTIC project (https://climarctic.cnrs.fr).
The successful candidate will investigate the influence of ocean waves on polar ocean dynamics, with a focus on developing, validating, and analyzing the physical coupling between the WaveWatch III (WW3) wave model and the NEMO-SI3 ocean–sea ice model. A particular emphasis will be placed on wave-induced processes in the Marginal Ice Zone, such as the fragmentation of sea ice floes and their feedback on the coupled ocean–ice system.
Laboratory
The work will be carried out at LOCEAN, a laboratory of about 200 researchers, engineers and PhD students, located in central Paris and affiliated with Sorbonne University. This multidisciplinary laboratory brings together experts in physical oceanography, sea-ice, climate science, marine biogeochemistry, and ecology.
Team
The candidate will join the NEMO team, which specializes in ocean and sea ice modeling. The strength of this team lies in its ability to develop the state-of-the-art NEMO model and leverage it to generate original, cutting-edge scientific research. The candidate will work alongside experts in sea ice (M. Vancoppenolle, C. Rousset), ocean dynamics (G. Madec, C. Delavergne), and coupling (S. Masson, E. Maisonnave), and will benefit from close collaboration with wave modeling specialists such as F. Ardhuin at LOPS in Brest.
Salary
The annual gross salary ranges from €56k to €78k, depending on experience. This corresponds to a net income (after taxes and including social security, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and retirement contributions) of approximately €30k to €42k per year. Additional income tax, typically between 5% and 12%, is expected depending on the candidate’s personal situation.
Benefits
The position includes access to France’s generous social security system, comprehensive health insurance, 45 days of paid annual leave (excluding public holidays), and the flexibility to work remotely up to two days per week.
Requirements
Applicants should hold a PhD in wave, ocean, or sea ice sciences. They must demonstrate strong programming skills, effective oral and written communication abilities, and a solid background in wave modeling. Experience in polar ocean physics is desirable.
Expected work
- Develop a coupled wave-ocean-sea ice model of the polar oceans
- Validate the model using available observational datasets
- Perform process-oriented numerical studies to investigate the role of ocean waves in polar regions
Practical details
Applicants are invited to submit a motivation letter, CV, and references to Dr. Sebastien Masson and Dr. Clément Rousset via email: sebastien.masson@locean.ipsl.fr , clement.rousset@locean.ipsl.fr
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the successful candidate is expected to start anytime from September 2025.