Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) in high-performance computing for space weather applications

Post doctor scholarship (2 years) in high-performance computing for space weather applications
The Department of Physics at Umeå University is offering a postdoctoral scholarship for a project that aims to develop high-performance computing (HPC) models and simulation tools for space weather applications. The postdoctoral scholarship is full-time for 2 years starting 1st of April, 2026, or by agreement. The deadline for submitting an application is 19th of February, 2026.

Project description  
Space weather can severely harm our society, for example through the generation of Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) that can short-circuit through power distribution systems and cause blackouts. To enable the future development of powerful space weather forecast models, we must first improve our understanding of the rapidly varying currents in the ionosphere and the mechanisms by which they generate GICs. This requires the integration and analysis of large ionospheric and ground-based data sets, together with the development of sophisticated high-performance computing (HPC) strategies and simulation tools.

In this project, we will develop new algorithms and computational schemes as well as further develop existing computational frameworks in the team.

We will focus on two related frameworks in the project. The scolarship holder will join and support our team with some of the following tasks:

1. a) Develop efficient HPC algorithms for estimating varying (in time and 3D space) ionospheric electrodynamics using Fennoscandian ionospheric measurement systems, e.g., from advanced radar systems such as EISCAT_3D in northern Fennoscandia and from the Kiruna ALIS_4D Auroral Large Imaging System. Our developments will be used as source for input into our GIC simulations.
2. b) Develop efficient optimization algorithms to identify geo-electric fields and GIC hotspots in Sweden.

The two year long postdoctoral project is financed by the Kempe Foundations. 360 000 SEK each year and is taxfree.

Qualifications 
We are looking for a highly motivated, critical thinking, and responsible candidate who is committed to professional development, both as an individual researcher and as an active member of a research team.

To qualify as a postdoctoral scholarship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient. 

Priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree before that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organisations, military service or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area

A completed doctoral degree in any of the following fields: computational science, scientific computing, applied mathematics, computational physics, or another relevant discipline is required,

Other requirements
Required qualifications include strong skills in numerical method development for scientific applications. Also required is strong experience from employing specialized HPC libraries as well as developing scientific applications using languages such as C++ and Python.

Also required is that you must have demonstrated the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a research group. As the project is conducted in an international environment, excellent skills in both written and spoken English are also mandatory.

Meritorious
It is meriting to have expertise in one or more of the following subjects: physical modeling, running jobs on super-computing clusters, numerical linear algebra computations, building software for scientific applications using GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit), multi-threading and parallelism, numerical discretization methods (finite differences), numerical optimization, and inverse problems.

Strong emphasis will be placed on personal qualities such as the ability to work in a team and to communicate effectively, as well as a strong analytical ability. Initiative and the ability to work independently are also important.

Application  
A complete application should include:

1. A cover letter clearly describing your qualifications, your research interests, your motives for applying, and how you meet the mandatory and meriting criteria for the position (1-3 pages);
2. Curriculum vitae (CV) with publication list;
3. Copy of the doctoral degree certificate, or documentation clearly stating the expected date of completion of the doctoral degree.
4. A copy of your doctoral thesis (PDF or a download link);
5. Copies of other relevant degree certificates;
6. Contact information of at least two reference persons;
7. (optional) Other documents that the applicant wishes to supply.

The application, including attached documents, must be written in English or Swedish. All documents sent electronically must be in PDF format. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system Varbi. The deadline for submitting an application is 19th of February, 2026.

Further information

For further information, please contact Associate Professor Maria Hamrin, maria.hamrin@space.umu.se, tel. +46 90 786 6036.

We look forward to receiving your application!