Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Posting Number: F-0915
College/Unit: College of Science and Engineering
Home Department: Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Employee Group: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Employment Status: Full-Time
Position Type: 12 month
Position Classification: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Position Begin Date:
Position End Date:

Position Summary:

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Central Michigan University is seeking an Earth System Modeling & Precipitation Extremes Postdoctoral Research Fellow. This position is initially for a one-year appointment with the potential for renewal. The successful applicant will join a dynamic group investigating future climate impacts on precipitation and how that affects flood conditions and community resiliency.

The postdoctoral research fellow will work as part of a team on the Building Predictive Capacity to Enhance Stormwater Infrastructure and Flood Resilience project. This project is focused on providing community-relevant information for Michigan to enhance resilience to flood hazards. The project aims to produce data and tools that will help communities plan for and become more resilient to climate change in three pilot watersheds in Michigan: the Chippewa River, Lower Grand River, and Rouge River watersheds. The project will use both statistical and dynamical downscaling of near-term climate model projections to develop local precipitation models to allow the team to simulate future risks of floods and torrential rains. The project will use the DOE COMPASS - GLM coupled system to include lake processes within these projections. Analysis techniques will also include extreme value analysis and statistical analysis under non-stationary frameworks. The project is supported by the Department of Energy Climate Resiliency Center program and will involve engagement of community partners to assess relevant data.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science or in a closely related field.
• Experience in working with climate model data, modeling using the Weather Research and Forecasting platform, statistical analysis, high-performance computing, and an interest in developing community-relevant projections.
• Ability to carry out research responsibilities with limited guidance.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Message to Applicants:

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering a broadly diverse and inclusive campus that respects all social identities, experiences, and perspectives. In an effort to further this initiative, we are especially interested in candidates who will advance and promote an inclusive and supportive environment for every member of our university community.

The position is available immediately but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled, with a preference given to those that can start in January 2025. To apply for the position at Central Michigan University, candidates must submit an online application in addition to a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, transcript copies, and contact information for three professional references. You may contact Professor John Allen with questions at [email protected] .

This is a grant funded position and is dependent on the status of the funding. A second year extension of the position after the initial one-year appointment is contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued grant funding.

Letters of interest may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

About the Department:

Earth and Atmospheric Sciences ( EAS ) at CMU is a multidisciplinary department with expertise spanning Earth System Science, with a vibrant and collaborative environment and a strong reputation for scholarship and student outcomes. EAS offers B.S. degrees in Environmental Science, Meteorology, and Geology, and participates in the interdisciplinary Earth and Ecosystem Sciences Ph.D. program. We serve approximately 100 majors and minors across our programs and have a strong history of successful internship, career, and graduate school placements. More information about our department can be found at .

Posting Begins: 11/04/2024
Posting Ends:
Open Until Filled: Yes

About CMU:

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
To apply, visit

CMU , an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex‐based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see OCRIE ).

If you wish to see “EEO is the Law” posters, please click here .

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Phone: 989-774-3253

Office: 103 E. Preston St.

Bovee University Center, suite 306

Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

Email: [email protected]