The CLEVER Planets team and Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences at Rice University are seeking applicants for a fully funded postdoctoral scholar position who would explore magma ocean-atmosphere interactions in rocky planets and how such interactions affect the planetary evolution and habitability. The contract will be initially for a year and is renewable for up to 3 years based on progress and performance. The salary would commensurate with experience.

As a postdoctoral scholar, the candidate will work on developing a deeper understanding of the coupled thermo-chemical evolution of magma oceans and atmospheres of terrestrial planets within our solar system and on exoplanets. The candidate will design, develop, and use numerical models such as energy balance models coupled with models of mantle convection and surface processes to understand the planetary evolution over a large parameter space.

The candidate will interact closely with the geodynamicists, geochemist, planetary scientists, and fluid dynamicists in the team who are using laboratory experiments and numerical models to study mantle convection, impacts, and weathering.

As a minimum qualification, the candidates are expected to have

– Completed a doctoral degree in geophysics, atmospheric science, planetary science, or a related field at the time of the appointment;

– Experience with numerical analysis and high-performance computing

– A strong background in at least one of the following areas: geophysics, atmospheric/climate science, or fluid dynamics;

– Demonstrated effective written and verbal communication skills.

Please visit http://cleverplanets.org/positions/ for more details.