Postdoctoral Researcher - Greenhouse gas measurements, 1 FTE, School of Natural Sciences, 011741

Organisation/Company University of Galway Research Field Environmental science " Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 12 May 2026 - 17:00 (Europe/London) Country Ireland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number 011741 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time fixed term position as Postdoctoral Researcher - Atmospheric Scientist undertaking inverse modelling of greenhouse gases (GHG's) within the Ryan Institute's Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies at the University of Galway.

This position is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and is available from 1st June 2026. The position is initially for a two-year period with a possible extension up to 12 months thereafter.

Overview of the project:

This project will further develop a methane emissions verification system for Ireland to identify sources and sinks. The three critical components of this emissions verification system are firstly, an operational network of precise long-term methane measurements; secondly, a top-down inversion model, which can generate accurate methane emissions estimates with the network measurements as one of the key inputs driving the model; and thirdly, new and innovative satellite data available will be used to constrain the inversion data. Data for the inversions will be augmented by the recently established Valentia Island (VTI) site and the site location (close to areas of high agricultural activity) should reduce the uncertainty of the inversions in these key areas. In this project we utilise a modelling network called FLEXINVERT. This is a Bayesian inversion framework developed to optimise surface to atmosphere fluxes of an atmospheric species that has linearised chemistry based on atmospheric measurements at mobile or fixed stations.

Green House Gas measurements will be made under the auspices of the Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS). ICOS is a research infrastructure that has been born out of European scientific communities' grand idea of having a consistent, sustained measurement network operating under exactly the same technical and scientific standards to enable high-quality climate change research and increase usability of the research data. Observations will be undertaken at 4 sites in Ireland including the University of Galway's flagship Mace Head Research Station.

This site is one of the most recognized and respected atmospheric research facilities both nationally and internationally. It has >1,000 publications associated with it, leading to >3,000 citations per year, and an h-index of >92. The facility continues to grow in national and international importance, breaking new ground, not only in terms of operational monitoring of new pollutants in the atmosphere and delivery of real-time in-situ and remote sensing data but also in terms of fundamental research with the highest impact.

Salary: Postdoctoral Researcher salary scale €46,805- €59,654 per annum, (subject to the project's funding limitations), and pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts.

The default position for all new public sector appointments is the 1st point of the salary scale. This may be reviewed, and consideration afforded to appointment at a higher point on the pay scale (subject to the project's funding limitations), where evidence of prior years' equivalent experience is accepted in determining placement on the scale above point 1, subject to the maximum of the scale.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 (Irish Time) on 12/05/2026. It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date.

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