The interdisciplinary Marie-Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) Initial Training for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (ITARS) invites applications for 11 Early Stage Researcher (ESR, 3 year PhD) positions in 7 European countries. Four Experienced Researcher (ER, Post-Doc, 2 years) positions will be announced here in due course.

Remote sensing has significant potential to improve our understanding of key processes related to climate change, numerical weather forecasting, and atmospheric pollution. ITARS will develop and implement a pan-European training framework for all relevant aspects from instrument to application involving academia and the private sector. For more information on ITARS, please click here.

ITARS aims at improving our understanding of aerosols, clouds, and aerosol-cloud interaction processes and their role in both climate and weather. For this purpose, the PhD projects will focus on high-end ground-based remote-sensing instrumentation, synergistic observations and/or mathematical methods.

We offer

• research and training in an exciting European network;
• a highly competitive gross monthly allowance ranging from €2679 to €5012 (before all taxes), depending on host country and family status;
• secondments to our industrial partners;
• and excellent career-development opportunities.

We seek excellent candidates with an BSc/MSc degree (or equivalent) in Meteorology, (Atmospheric) Physics, Mathematics, Engineering or Geosciences.

Application Deadline: Review of applications begins on 1st of July, 2012, and will continue until the positions are filled.

Interview Period: early September 2012

Starting of Work: from October 2012 onward

The required qualifications and the details of the application process listed at the bottom of this page apply to all positions. Candidates who wish to apply for more than one position should send a combined application, providing a ranking of their preference. Please see the ESR project overview for details of the different projects.

• For most positions, applicants should possess an MSc or equivalent degree in Atmospheric Sciences, Geosciences, Engineering, Physics, or Applied Mathematics. For some institutions (specified in the project details), a Bachelor may suffice. Previous knowledge of atmospheric remote sensing, instrumentation, aerosol and cloud physics is helpful.

• Applicants must fulfil the eligibility criteria according to the regulations for fellowships in the Marie Curie ITN programme: At the time of recruitment the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc…) in the country of the host institute (for example, if applying for a position in Germany, they must not have been a resident in Germany) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to his/her recruitment under the project. He/she also should have less than 4 years of research experience. This is measured from the date they obtained the degree which formally entitles them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research training was provided. Nationality is not a selection criterion.

• Fluency in the English language (speaking and writing) is essential.

Applications should be sent to jobs@itars.net, preferably as a single pdf-document. Please state “ITARS application” and the position number(s) (i.e. ESR1, ESR2, …) in the e-mail subject line. Your application should contain:

• Cover letter outlining the motivation and qualification for the project position(s); more than one project can be named;
• Curriculum vitae (CV). Please make sure that your CV shows how you meet the Marie Curie ITN eligibility criteria for ESRs described above;
• List of publications (if available);
• Copies of university degree(s) and school certificates;
• Letters of reference (optional)

• Marie Curie Fellows Information Page
• EURAXESS
• Internal area