Postdoctoral Researcher in Experimental Fluvial Research of Ice-covered River Systems

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Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 16 000 students and 5 200 employees, including 446 professors . Our campus is in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community's diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community. We are now looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher in experimental fluvial research of ice-covered river systems to work at Aalto University and its Water and Environmental Engineering Research Group. Aalto University is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position related to fluvial research of ice-covered river systems. The position relates to a project called CRIce ("Changing River Ice: integrating (cryo-) laboratory flume experiments with seasonal field measurements for detecting impacts of environmental changes on fluvial systems") funded by the Research Council of Finland. In this position, the postdoctoral researcher will contribute on detecting interacting river ice, flow characteristics and sediment transport under changing environmental conditions in boreal-polar region, via measuring, experimenting and modelling them. The duration of the positions is 2 years, starting latest in autumn 2026. The climate change impacts are the fastest within the polar region, where the river functions depend on the seasonal hydrology and the length of the ice-covered period. Rivers within this region, e.g. in Finland, Sweden and Norway, are crucial study sites for understanding the environmental changes on fluvial systems and enhancing their adaptation. Critical knowledge gaps remain for ice processes in these rivers, and river ice, flow characteristics and sediment transport interactions are "a big unknown" in fluvial studies. These gaps will be overcame in CRIce via detailed objectives: 1) To refine theories of river ice cover and its impacts on flow processes via carrying out novel field measurements and close-range remote sensing in different river systems; 2) To quantify river sediment transport processes under varying ice-cover conditions, via integrating results from (cryo-) laboratory experiments (with real and proxy ice) to field measurements; 3) To temporally upscale the river sediment transport processes via simulating them into the future using hydro-morphodynamic models embedded with newly developed sediment transport equations. Your network and team The position is based on Aalto University's Water and Environmental Engineering Research Group (WAT, https://www.aalto.fi/en/department-of-built-environment/water-and-environmental-engineering ). WAT is a multi- and interdisciplinary group that promotes sustainable water management through three key research areas: Water Resources Management and Environmental Hydraulics, Water and Development; and Water and Wastewater Engineering. The work related to the positions is in line with the CRIce project's research objectives. The postdoctoral researcher will be especially working with flume experiments of ice covered river systems both at EHL (Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory: https://www.aalto.fi/fi/palvelut/environmental-hydraulics-lab ) and AIWT (Aalto Ice and Wave Tank: https://www.aalto.fi/en/iwt ), together with other project personnel and wider team lead by Assistant Prof. Lotsari. By combining both field- and flume- based measurement data, the postdoctoral researcher would be part in developing sediment transport calculations and numerical modelling of ice-covered river systems. Aalto University offers a unique research and learning environment that provides access to excellent research infrastructure, and professional career development. Postdoctoral Researcher will be working closely with the researchers and team of Assistant Prof. Lotsari and national and international collaborators of the project, in particular from Nordic countries. Your experience and ambitions Requirements for the position: Doctoral degree from a relevant field (completed before starting in the position) A good command of English Ability and enthusiasm to work in the position and as part of a multidisciplinary research network We encourage applicants from a variety of relevant fields to apply, including e.g. water engineering, hydrology, natural sciences and geosciences. Knowledge of the key aspects of the position is a strong merit for the positions. Prior knowledge on northern ice-covered river systems, their measurement and numerical modelling is a major asset. Also coding, analytical and mathematical skills are a strong merit for the position. Please state your skills when demonstrating the ability to work in the position (see below the required doc