Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Content + Source + Freshness • 13 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
Moderate value given the strong research focus, but with limited support for non-residents seeking visa sponsorship.
- Focus on climate change and atmospheric science research
- Engagement at a leading research university
- Hybrid work opportunity
Pros
- Position at George Mason University in an R1 research institution.
- Great opportunity to participate in significant climate science research.
- Engagement with NOAA enhances research relevance.
Cons
- Visa sponsorship not available, limiting candidate diversity.
- Competition for research recognition.
- High workload expectations for research productivity.
Who it's for
Postdoctoral or Early Career Researcher • Hybrid eligible
Good fit
- Postdoctoral researchers in climate science
- Candidates adept in data analysis and Python
- Individuals interested in researching environmental impacts
Not recommended for
- Those with unrelated academic backgrounds
- Candidates who require visa sponsorship
- Those seeking purely remote roles
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
Department: College of Science
Classification: Post Doc 12 month
Job Category: Postdoctoral Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship
Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience
Restricted: Yes
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
In line with Mason?s Carnegie Classification as a Research I University (R1), the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences (AOES) at George Mason University focuses on being a prominent center for translational research. Faculty and students in the department conduct high quality, rigorous research on pressing problems, and work to disseminate knowledge in both academic and non-academic circles. The department offers undergraduate degrees in Geology and Atmospheric Sciences, M.S. degrees in Earth Systems Science and Climate Science, and a Ph.D. in Climate Dynamics. The faculty includes geologists, atmospheric scientists, paleontologists, and oceanographers. Additional information about the department may be found at: https://science.gmu.edu/academics/departments-units/atmospheric-oceanic-earth-sciences.
Statement on Building an All-Inclusive Culture
George Mason University College of Science (Mason Science) is committed to advancing all-inclusive excellence and fostering an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation throughout our STEM community. At Mason Science, our values include cultivating an organizational culture that promotes belonging, respect, and civility. We believe that varied opinions, cultures, and perspectives are what provides vibrancy, innovation and growth to an academic community. By prioritizing cultural responsiveness in academics, teaching, research, and global engagement, we strive to attract faculty and staff who exemplify the Mason Science mission and vision.
About the Position:
The Postdoctoral Research Fellow contributes to research to operation project funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the National Weather Service (NWS) initiative. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow designs analysis methods to evaluate the UFS ?s ability to predict extreme events.
The purpose of the project is to evaluate the biases and skill of the sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasts generated with the UFS prototypes.
Responsibilities:
- Contributes to research to operation project funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the National Weather Service (NWS) initiative. The purpose of the project is to evaluate the biases and skill of the sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasts generated with the UFS prototypes;
- Designs analysis methods to evaluate the UFS ?s ability to predict extreme events;
- Evaluates the forecasts skill of extreme events predicted by UFS following the operational requirements;
- Manuscript preparation, revisions and publication; and
- Collaborates with the NCEP?s Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) and Climate Prediction Center scientists in the design of numerical experiments.
Required Qualifications:
- Terminal degree in a related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Earned a doctorate in atmospheric sciences, climate dynamics, oceanography, or a closely related field to apply for this position prior to the first day of employment;
- Some experience in analyzing the subseasonal-to-seasonal variability of the climate system;
- Demonstrate experience in Python code development; and
- Knowlege of programming skills including Python code development.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Demonstrate experience in writing peer-reviewed publications;
- Demonstrate experience in managing and processing large data sets; and
- Writing and presentation skills as exemplified by publications and presentations record.
Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for Postdoctoral Research Fellow at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and updated CV for review.
Posting Open Date: October 9, 2025
For Full Consideration, Apply by: November 7, 2025
Open Until Filled: Yes
