The selected researcher will join the “Ocean and Climate” team at LOPS in Brest (www.umr-lops.fr). LOPS is a joint laboratory between CNRS, Ifremer, the University of Brest and the Institute of Research for Development. The Ocean and Climate team is leader in high resolution modelling as well as international ocean observation programs.

The postdoctoral researcher will work at LOPS, co-supervised by Christophe Maes (LOPS) and Camille Richon (LEMAR), in close collaboration with the partners of the BubblePLAST project (GET, LCE, IGE). The project will involve interactions with researchers in oceanography, marine ecology, chemistry, atmospheric sciences and biogeochemistry. Travel to consortium meetings and conferences is expected.

The ecological and climatic impacts of nanoplastics are a major concern for environmental research and the management of marine ecosystems. As part of the ANR BubblePLAST project, we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher for a 20-month position. The BubblePLAST project aims to understand the mechanisms of nanoplastic exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. One of the project's key objectives is to study the transport, accumulation, and degradation of nanoplastics in the ocean, with a particular focus on their interaction with marine biogeochemical processes.

The global NEMO/PISCES-PLASTIC model, a coupled ocean-atmosphere-biogeochemistry model which includes a scheme for microplastics distribution, will be used and further developed during this postdoc to simulate the global distribution of nanoplastics in the oceans. This model will help assess the long-term transport and potential accumulation zones of these particles, considering their sources (through the degradation of microplastics) as well as processes of fragmentation, aggregation, and sedimentation. The results of these simulations will contribute to the development of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model to understand and quantify the mechanisms of nanoplastic emission from the ocean surface into the atmosphere.

The postdoctoral researcher will:

- Develop a nanoplastics module within the NEMO/PISCES-PLASTIC model.

- Conduct numerical simulations to model the global distribution of nanoplastics in the oceans.

- Analyze simulation results in collaboration with project members to study accumulation zones,

interactions with marine ecosystems, and biogeochemical processes.

- Compare model results with available observations and suggest areas for improvement.

- Present the results at international conferences and contribute to scientific publications.

The ideal candidate should have the following qualifications:

- PhD in oceanography, climate modeling, environmental sciences, or a related field.

- Proven experience in numerical modeling of oceans and/or biogeochemical systems.

- Programming skills (Fortran, Python, or other scientific languages).

- Experience with oceanographic and biogeochemical models (NEMO/PISCES) is a strong asset.

- Expertise in data processing methods, particularly for simulation analysis.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.