Postdoctoral Research Associate in Planetary Atmospheric Science

This postdoctoral position at the University of Leicester focuses on planetary atmospheric science, leveraging data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground-based observations. The successful candidate will contribute to the ERC-funded ‘JWSTVoyager’ project, investigating the origins, compositions, and variability of the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Using radiative transfer tools like NEMESIS, the role involves spectral inversion, climatological parameter derivation, and preparing for future missions like ESA’s JUICE. The position is ideal for researchers with expertise in planetary science, remote sensing, and computational modelling.

• Analyse infrared and microwave spectra from JWST and ground-based observations to derive climatological parameters (temperatures, winds, composition, clouds).
• Develop and apply radiative transfer and retrieval tools (e.g., NEMESIS) for spectral inversion and atmospheric modelling.
• Compare atmospheric structures and compositions across the four giant planets, addressing key scientific questions about planetary origins and variability.
• Collaborate with the JWSTVoyager team to prepare for future missions, including ESA’s JUICE and the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).
• Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at international conferences.
• Contribute to data processing pipelines and code development for spectral analysis (preferably in IDL, Python, or Fortran).
• Engage in international scientific consortia and represent the project at conferences and workshops.