Postdoctoral Scholar – Solar Geoengineering Climate Response Evaluation

Dr. Pete Irvine at the University of Chicago is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral scholar to join an interdisciplinary research team in a position supported by the University of Chicago’s Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi, Director: David Keith). The aim of this position will be to identify and assess potential hotspots of climate risk under scenarios of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) deployment and compare those to the risks under global warming.

You will join an existing project which seeks to make a quantitative evaluation of the effects of SAI in comparison to climate change, drawing on a broad set of climate model simulations of SAI. Initial results, and earlier studies, suggest that SAI could substantially offset most climate changes in most places, but that it would exacerbate change for some variables, in some places. For example, hydrological changes are not nearly as effectively offset by SAI as other climate variables.

Benefits

To develop a more robust understanding of the risks and benefits of SAI, identifying those regions where SAI may worsen key climate risks and carefully evaluating them will be crucial. Such an evaluation requires integrating both physical climate analysis with an understanding of the vulnerability of affected regions and systems. This project will consider a range of key physical, ecological and societal vulnerabilities and assess changes to the key drivers for each, in the regions that matter. These will include:

• Potentially unstable earth system elements, known as climate tipping points
• Ecologically rich and environmentally sensitive regions
• Key societal vulnerabilities, including water availability and heat stress.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with our team to develop and extend a comprehensive dataset of key metrics of climate change for simulations of SAI and climate change.
• Evaluate how SAI would affect the drivers of key earth system tipping points.
• Develop approaches to identify potential hotspots of climate risk to society and ecosystems, integrating climate response to key measures of vulnerability.
• Evaluate the climate response to SAI to evaluate its effect on critically vulnerable regions, and to identify key hotspots of risk where SAI may worsen climate harms.

Compensation

This is an in‑person, full‑time position at the University of Chicago. The starting salary will be $75,000 per year with benefits, including healthcare. Additionally, CSEi will provide a one‑time payment of $3,000 for relocation assistance, payable at the end of the first month of employment at the University. Please note that this payment is taxable. The funds can be used for any purpose, so you do not need to submit receipts related to your move to Chicago. Please note that CSEi does not cover visa‑related fees. The initial position is for one year, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year, contingent on satisfactory progress. While the start date can be flexible, the position will become available from July 01, 2026, and will remain open until filled.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, Climate Science, Engineering, or related fields (earned before start date of position).
• Experience working with climate datasets, and ideally evaluating climate impacts across multiple models.
• Proficiency with Python, or other programming and numeric computing languages.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• Good organizational and project management skills.
• Good communication and scientific writing skills.

Application Process

To apply, please email Dr. Peter Irvine (pirvine@uchicago.edu) with the following:

• Curriculum vitae.
• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages) describing research interests, plans, and qualifications.
• The names and contact information of three references.

Please use the subject line “Postdoc Position in Solar Geoengineering.” Applications will be reviewed starting on June 01, 2026, on a rolling basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773‑834‑3988 or email equalopportunity@uchicago.edu with their request.