Postdoctoral Researcher in Aerosols, Clouds and km-scale Modelling
We are looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join our in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics at the University of Oxford, working at the frontier of aerosol-cloud-climate research and next-generation km-scale Earth system modelling. The post is available immediately for a fixed-term period of 30 months.
The position is part of the European RealESM project and offers an exciting opportunity to investigate how aerosols influence clouds, precipitation, convection and climate as Earth system models move towards kilometre-scale resolution.
A central scientific question is how our understanding of aerosol-climate interactions changes when models begin to explicitly represent convective systems and other atmospheric structures that have traditionally been parameterised. The researcher will use regional and global km-scale simulations with ICON to explore aerosol effects on cloud development and organisation, precipitation and extreme events, alongside their contribution to effective radiative forcing and cloud feedbacks.
The project provides considerable scope for fundamental science. The modelling will be confronted with a rich range of observations, including EarthCARE satellite measurements, established satellite and ground-based observing systems, and observations from recent field campaigns such as ORCESTRA. This creates opportunities to connect process-level understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions with their implications for regional weather systems and the global climate response.
The researcher will contribute to the further development and application of efficient aerosol and cloud representations within ICON, including the HAM-lite aerosol framework, but model development is a means to enable the science rather than the sole focus of the position. There will be scope to shape the scientific direction of the work and develop innovative analysis and modelling approaches.
You will join a highly collaborative research environment in Oxford and work closely with leading groups across Europe. There will be opportunities to co-advise doctoral students, contribute to teaching, present research at major international conferences and publish in leading journals.
Applicants should possess, or be close to completion of a PhD / Doctorate in in atmospheric physics or related fields. The ability and drive to work collaboratively, yet independently, as part of a team is essential.
Please direct enquiries about the role to Philip Stier <philip.stier@physics.ox.ac.uk>.
You will be required to upload a supporting statement, CV and details of two referees as part of your online application. Further particulars and the application form can be found on the .
Application deadline: midday 16 November 2026.
PhD Students
We are keen to recruit exceptional PhD students. Please check our graduate admissions webpages for details on the application procedures and funding opportunities. The next application deadline will be in January 2027.
Fellowships
We may be able to support the application from outstanding applicants through fellowships. Please find a comprehensive list of fellowship schemes as well as our internal selection deadlines on our fellowship webpages and direct informal enquiries to Philip Stier.