Antarctic Atmospheric Modeller

Research Scientist (APS6 - EL1) - $88,408 - $124,403 per annum plus superannuation
- Australian Antarctic Division
- Kingston, TAS

**Who we are**
The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) is part of the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. As primary agency for Australia's Antarctic Program (AAP), the AAD is responsible for achieving the Australian Government's Antarctic goals.

These goals are to:

- maintain the Antarctic Treaty System and enhance Australia's influence within it
- protect the Antarctic environment
- understand the role of Antarctica in the global climate system
- undertake scientific work of practical, economic and national significance.

The AAD also has responsibility for administering the Australian Antarctic Territory and the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands.

The AAD Science Branch leads, conducts and supports a world class program of scientific research and environmental management, consistent with national priorities through the Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan. The branch provides research and advice to support Australia’s Antarctic policy objectives, including participation in the Antarctic Treaty system and other international committees, commissions and intergovernmental panels. It manages and administers the Australian Antarctic Science Program (including project requests, assessment, and reporting) and provides scientific and research advice to support regulatory and management decisions. The branch provides scientific advice for Antarctic capability projects, conducts impact assessments and develops strategies to address environmental legacies, and undertakes targeted outreach promoting the value of Australian Antarctic science.

**The Job**
This position will lead the AAD’s atmospheric modelling to improve climate projections, variability, trends and interactions over the high southern latitudes.

The person in this role will develop improved parameterisation schemes within the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS), in collaboration with Australian Antarctic Program partners. These will include, but are not limited to: precipitation processes, correct cloud phase partitioning, improving the sulphur cycle. A key responsibility will be to engage proactively with the national ACCESS-NRI community, and also internationally, especially with the UK Met Offices’ Unified Model (UM). The person will work closely with AAD and external experimental scientists to plan future observational campaigns to target key high-latitude process studies to evaluate and improve climate models, and develop and test new parameterisation schemes.

Responsibilities will include:

- under broad guidance, developing atmospheric modelling approaches within the AAD and research partners to improve climate projections, variability and trends of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean
- developing, improving, implementing, and evaluating new parameterisation schemes of relevance to the Antarctic atmosphere for climate and Earth system models, including precipitation, cloud-phase partitioning and the sulphur cycle
- engaging with the Australian ACCESS-NRI (National Research Infrastructure) community and the UKMO (UK Met Office) Unified Model community to deliver outcomes for the Antarctic
- working closely with experimental scientists to plan future observational campaigns to obtain the observations required in order to address outstanding issues within climate models
- working collaboratively across the AAD and with whole of government partners to deliver the government’s strategic objectives
- supporting the delivery of national and international engagement activity
- presenting research findings through reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at relevant workshops and conferences
- working collaboratively across AAD and the Australian Antarctic Program and with whole of government partners to deliver the government’s strategic objectives, and to actively support an inclusive culture of safety, compliance and continuous improvement within the Science Branch.

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
- A demonstrated track record in scientific research relevant to the AAD’s interests in the Antarctic atmosphere, particularly in research associated with observational and modelling studies of atmospheric processes, as evidenced through peer-reviewed publications.
- Experience conducting climate model simulations over a range of scales, ideally including performing sensitivity experiments.
- A demonstrated track record of fostering collaboration and contributing to a positive and inclusive team culture.
- Demonstrated experience in atmospheric modelling and model development, including the running of a climate or Earth system model.

**Skills and capabilities**
- Proven high-level skills in the analysis, quantitative interpretation and management of complex large scientific data sets and dat