Assistant Professor

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates who are committed to the mentoring and success of students and early-career scientists from all backgrounds. We seek candidates who address fundamental questions in the physics of the global ocean and the ocean’s role in the Earth system and who do so with a substantial and sophisticated use of artificial intelligence (AI). Specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to, ocean circulation; transport, storage, and uptake of heat and carbon; air-sea interactions; mesoscale and submesoscale processes; and the ocean's role in climate variability, change, and predictability. Potential AI areas include learning dynamics from sparse observations; hybrid physics-AI models; machine-learned parameterizations; emulation; data assimilation; and quantification of uncertainty. We also welcome the development of novel AI methods, provided they are paired with state-of-the-art research in physical oceanography. We seek a candidate who will run a high-impact research program focused on problems of global significance, complementing existing faculty interests in DEES and LDEO. The candidate must also have strong potential for effective teaching and mentoring in both physical oceanography and AI for Earth science at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The ideal candidate will engage fully in the methodological innovation and collaborative ocean and Earth science within the department and the broad community of scientists at LDEO and across CU, including the Data Science Institute and the Learning the Earth with AI and Physics (LEAP) Science and Technology Center. Candidates will be expected to sustain an active research and publication program and teach in the undergraduate and graduate programs in ways that complement the DEES curriculum. Review of applications will begin October 26, 2026. Minimum Degree Requirement: PhD All candidates must demonstrate excellent scholarship and significant promise for continued growth. All applications must be made through Columbia University?s Academic Search and Recruiting (ASR) system. Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, a statement of research, and a teaching and mentoring statement that includes a vision for how the candidate can contribute to the department?s curriculum through existing and/or new courses, as well as their approach to mentoring. Applicants should also provide the names of 3 individuals who may be contacted as references. Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran Pay Transparency Disclosure The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University?s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. $125,000 ? $130,000