PhD Student - Emissions and air quality modelling (R1)

The Atmospheric Composition group from the Earth Science department at the BSC-CNS is looking for an eligible candidate to fill a PhD student position on the topic of emissions and air quality modelling. The candidate would presumably focus on the use of in situ observations and numerical models to investigate the associated impacts of the COVID-19 mobility restrictions upon primary emissions and air pollution in Spain. The topics to be addressed includes quantifying how have anthropogenic emissions and air concentrations of key pollutants changed spatially and temporally, during and after the lockdown period. The results of this work could potentially be useful for evaluating the effectiveness of long-term emission abatement measures for improving air quality in Spain and in specific urban areas. The candidate will be working with multiple numerical tools developed at Earth Science department at the BSC-CNS, including the High-Elective Resolution Modelling Emission System (HERMESv3) and the Multiscale Online Nonhydrostatic AtmospheRe CHemistry model (MONARCH). The work will be done under the supervision of Dr. Marc Guevara and the framework of the VITALISE national project, funded by the State Investigation Agency (PID2019-108086RA-I00 / AEI / 10.13039/501100011033) and which objective is to assess to what extent can current and future air quality management strategies improve urban and regional air quality levels. In order to obtain the PhD student position, the candidate will have to apply for a competitive grant for pre-doctoral contracts for the training of doctors under the framework of the State Program for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability in R + D + i.

Key Duties

• Collection and processing of activity and emission data for use in model development.
• Development and assessment of emission estimation methodologies.
• Analysis, benchmarking and inter-comparison of emission inventories and air quality data.
• Setting up, running and interpreting results from regional and urban air quality, emission and meteorological models.
• Interact with atmospheric composition scientists.
• Publish of scientific papers in high-impact journals.

The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences Department

We offer a full-time contract, a good working environment, a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, tickets restaurant, private health insurance, fully support to the relocation procedures

Duration: Temporary - FPI grant renewable

Salary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in Barcelona

Starting date: asap