IceOcean Modeller

British Antarctic Survey

BAS 26/35

Contract type: FTA (24 months)

Location: Cambridge

Salary: D S2 42688

Closing date: 22/03/2026

Interview date: 14^th-15^th April 2026

Background/Overview:

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is looking for an ice-ocean modeller to join our Ice Dynamics and Polar Ocean teams. This post forms part of a collaborative UK-wide project ISOTIPIC focused on tipping points in Antarctica and Greenland. ISOTIPIC brings together ocean and ice modelling groups at various UK universities (e.g. University of Bristol and Northumbria University).

At BAS youll join an interdisciplinary team of oceanographers and glaciologists working closely together to improve our understanding of the evolving ice and ocean dynamics in Greenland and Antarctica. Youll help us to deliver exciting and impactful scientific research on one of the biggest questions facing society: how much and how fast will ice sheets melt influencing North Atlantic climate and causing global sea-level rise

Purpose:

We are looking for a post-doctoral physical scientist in the field of ice/ocean modelling to investigate the role of ice-ocean interactions in ongoing ice loss from the Amundsen Sea sector of West particular the Ice/Ocean Modeller will investigate whether the ice loss in this region has already passed a tipping point and so is committed to causing substantial future sea level rise. The postholder will run and evaluate existing standalone and coupled regional models of the ocean and ice sheet in this region. These models will be used to assess the contribution of historical tipping and anthropogenic forcing to the changes in this region and to assess the potential for future tipping points.

The role is based within a collaborative grouping of ice and ocean scientists in the Polar Oceans and Ice Dynamics teams at BASwhich includes ice sheet and ocean modellers as well as observational and field scientists. Assessing the future contribution of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets to sea-level rise and North Atlantic climate is the core research goal of this grouping.

We support the individual needs of our colleagues within a wider culture that is friendly respectful open and honest. We want the postholders to have freedom to pursue this science in the direction they think best though we will of course offer full training in the technical aspects and modelling specifics and provide guidance on the research questions. There will also be plenty of scope to tailor the project to the candidates interests within the remit of the broader ISOTIPIC project.

This post is advertised in parallel with the Ice Modeller/Emulation Scientist role. Applicants are encouraged to apply to both roles which will be combined into a single interview. Please submit identical applications for each role you are interested in; we unfortunately cannot consider you for any roles to which you do not apply. Please ensure your cover letter and CV show how you meet the criteria below and include a list of your publications.

If this role appeals to you wed love to hear from you whatever your background. Full training in all aspects of the modelling will be provided. The role is available immediately but our top priority is to recruit the best candidate and we would consider any start date. Informal enquiries about this post are very welcome and should be addressed to Rosie Williams () Paul Holland () or Robert Arthern ( ).

Duties:

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Using targeted experiments with the coupled ice/ocean WAVI-MITgcm model to assess whether a tipping point has been passed in the Amundsen Sea sector of West Antarctica

• Using historical simulations to quantify the contribution of the historical tipping and anthropogenic forcing to the ongoing changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

• Quantifying uncertainties in future sea level contribution from this region due to ice sheet initialisation methods and future forcing scenarios

• Publishing papers in the scientific literature and presenting at international scientific conferences

Skills Qualifications and Experience

Qualifications

Essential:

• First degree in physical science/mathematics plus PhD or equivalent experience

• Experience in the use of numerical models (e.g. ice sheet or ocean models) or equivalent related experience

• Experience with computer coding (e.g. Julia Python Fortran)

• Experience of Linux and PC based systems

• Track record of publication in high-quality journals and presentation at international conferences

• Proficient in written and spoken English

• Able to set own priorities and manage time effectively

• Able to work effectively as part of a team

Desirable:

• Background in numerical modelling of ice/ocean interactions or ice sheet flow

• Knowledge of ice-ocean interactions

• Experience with MITgcm

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.