Sunlight and heat radiation move through the atmosphere in three dimensions, yet almost every weather and climate model still treats radiation as a purely vertical process. We want to change that.
Deadline 1 Nov '26 · Published 9 Oct '26 · Vacancy ID 4123
Job description
This PhD project is part of ORCRIST: Optimized Ray-tracing for Cloud-Radiation Interaction Simulations in 3D using GPUs and Machine Learning, funded by the NWO Open Technology Programme.
Sunlight and heat radiation move through the atmosphere in three dimensions, yet almost every weather and climate model still treats radiation as a purely vertical process. We want to change that. As a PhD candidate in Wageningen, you will help build the first Monte Carlo ray tracer for the atmosphere that is fast enough for forecasting, and use it to find out how 3D radiation shapes clouds, solar energy availability, climate sensitivity and wildfire plumes. You will work in a tandem with a fellow PhD student in computer science at Leiden University, who focuses on GPU optimization, while you lead the physics. Together you will develop a machine-learning denoiser that brings the ray tracer to operational speed. Your research has a clear route to society: throughout the project you will work with a user committee of KNMI, weather forecasting company Whiffle, TNO, software company VORtech and Columbia University.
Your duties and responsibilities include:
- Setting up three benchmark simulations in the GPU-accelerated model MicroHH: solar energy forecasting, tropical climate, and a real wildfire plume.
- Developing a 3D thermal radiation solver within the RTE-RRTMGP-CPP ray tracer, including smart strategies for sampling radiation sources.
- Quantifying how 3D radiation changes clouds, surface irradiance and plume dynamics compared to conventional 1D radiation.
- Co-developing a physics-informed machine-learning denoiser with your Leiden colleague, and evaluating it together with the user committee in operational settings.
- Publishing your results in leading journals and presenting them at international conferences and to users from the field.
You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair of Meteorology (Meteorology and Air Quality Group), led by Prof. Vilà-Guerau de Arellano. You will be supervised by Dr.ir. Chiel van Heerwaarden and Dr.ir. Menno Veerman, both at WUR, and by Dr. Ben van Werkhoven at Leiden University. The team is small, open and collaborative, and has a track record of building widely used open-source simulation codes. You will have access to national and European supercomputers (Snellius, LUMI) and dedicated GPU hardware.
Requirements
You are curious about how the atmosphere works and enjoy turning physical understanding into working code. You like to collaborate across disciplines and communicate clearly with both physicists and computer scientists.
You also possess:
- A successfully completed MSc degree in meteorology, physics, applied mathematics, computational science or a related field.
- Solid programming skills (e.g. C++ and Python); experience with GPU computing (CUDA), high-performance computing or machine learning is a plus.
- A strong interest in radiative transfer, clouds and atmospheric physics.
- Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.
For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language.
Conditions of employment
Fixed-term contract: 18 months.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
- Partially paid parental leave;
- working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
- there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
- a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
- excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.
The gross salary for the first year is € 3204,- per month rising to € 4051,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.
We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment.
Employer
Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Additional information
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
Join us and come work at WUR
At Wageningen University & Research, you work at improving the quality of life. Together with your colleagues, you seek to answer the challenges within our domain 'healthy food and living environment.'