Postdoctoral Scholar in Ocean Sciences

The Ocean Sciences Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for the position, Postdoctoral Scholar in Ocean Sciences. The postdoctoral scholar will work under the direction of Professor J. Xavier Prochaska of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Department at UCSC with co-mentoring by Professor Maike Sonnewald at UC Davis. As part of the Collaborative Research: Leveraging AI to Observe and Predict the Drivers of Mixed Layer Heat Inventory Variability project, the successful candidate will be expected to conduct forefront research on topics related to applying artificial intelligence techniques to oceanographic problems, particularly focused on understanding ocean fronts and mixed layer heat inventory variability.

The selected candidate will have access to high-resolution ocean model outputs, remote sensing data products, and high-performance computing resources. They will work on developing and applying novel AI techniques, including Vision Transformers, to analyze and predict ocean dynamics across scales. The position includes opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with experts in physical oceanography, remote sensing, and machine learning.

This position will be based at University of California, Santa Cruz and will work closely with collaborators at UC Davis and other partner institutions.

Applicants with any of the following qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Scientific computer programming and circulation models
• Physical oceanography using models, theory, observations, or some combination
• Advanced statistics, supervised and unsupervised machine learning

The hiring unit will not sponsor employment-eligible immigration statuses for this position.

Ocean Sciences Department: https://science.ucsc.edu/department/ocea/

• Ph.D. (or equivalent foreign degree) in computer science, oceanography, physics, applied mathematics, or a related field. Ph.D. must be in hand at the time of the appointment (rather than at the time of application). However, given the appointment start date is negotiable, but will be no later than September 1, 2025, your application must provides evidence that your Ph.D. will be completed on or before August 31, 2025.
  
• Experience with machine learning techniques, particularly deep learning and computer vision.
• Programming experience in Python and experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• A demonstrated record of academic writing and communication skills.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees. Inquiries regarding the University's equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to the Equity and Equal Protection Office at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 or by email at equity@ucsc.edu.

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Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check (see https://www.uscis.gov/e-verify). The university sponsors employment-based visas for nonresidents who are offered academic appointments at UC Santa Cruz (see https://apo.ucsc.edu/policy/capm/102.530.html).

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If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at roberts@ucsc.edu (831) 459-4602.

UCSC is committed to addressing the spousal and partner employment needs of our candidates and employees. As part of this commitment, our institution is a member of the Northern California Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (NorCal HERC). Visit the NorCal HERC website at https://www.hercjobs.org/regions/higher-ed-careers-northern-california/ to search for open positions within a commutable distance of our institution.

The University of California offers a competitive benefits package and a number of programs to support employee work/life balance. For information about employee benefits please visit https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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