Full Professor — Polar & Cryosphere Science

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Position

Full Professor — Polar & Cryosphere Science

Employer

Khalifa University of Science and Technology

Khalifa University is an internationally top-ranked research-intensive university in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is organized into three colleges, 17 departments, and 18 research centres, covering various engineering, physical, and medical sciences disciplines. The university is consistently ranked as one of the top institutions of higher learning in the Arab World, with an 8:1 student-faculty ratio and a diverse, world-class faculty from more than 50 countries. Khalifa University boasts state-of-the-art research facilities that provide an unparalleled learning experience to students worldwide and support cutting-edge research that is globally visionary yet focused on the strategic imperatives of the UAE's knowledge economy.

Khalifa University is committed to diversity, equal opportunity, and an inclusive environment. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply

Homepage: https://www.ku.ac.ae/

Location

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Sector

Academic

Relevant division

Cryospheric Sciences (CR)

Type

Full time

Level

Experienced

Salary

Open

Required education

PhD

Application deadline

Open until the position is filled

Posted

30 October 2025

Job Description

Position summary

Khalifa University invites applications for a Full Professor to lead research and academic strategy in polar and cryosphere science across the Department of Earth Sciences and the Polar Research Center. The appointee will drive a high-profile, externally funded program spanning ice–ocean–atmosphere interactions, ice‑sheet/ice‑shelf dynamics, permafrost and hydrology, biogeochemistry & ecosystems, remote sensing, and numerical/ML modeling, with strong integration of field campaigns and international collaboration.

Position Responsibilities

• Lead a world-class research program with sustained high-impact publications and significant external funding.
• Design and deliver ambitious Arctic/Antarctic field campaigns (e.g., grounding‑line/ice‑shelf surveys, subglacial mapping, accumulation/firn studies) with robust data‑management and open‑science practices.
• Advance theory and prediction of cryosphere change and global impacts (e.g., sea‑level, biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem responses) using field observations, remote sensing, and modeling/ML.
• Build teams and international collaboration; contribute to intercomparison efforts, community datasets, and international assessments (e.g., IPCC).
• Teach and mentor across undergraduate and postgraduate levels (glaciology, cryosphere dynamics, remote sensing, geophysical methods, sea‑level/climate, numerical modeling); supervise MSc/PhD students; mentor postdocs and early‑career academics.
• Provide service and leadership within the Department and Center; champion research integrity, and research-led education aligned with establishing a UAE Polar program.
  
  

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Glaciology, Geophysics, Earth/Environmental Sciences, or related field.
• International reputation commensurate with Full Professor, evidenced by a sustained record of high-impact publications and major research funding.
• Leadership in multidisciplinary, international collaborations; successful supervision of graduate students/postdocs; management of diverse research teams.
• Expertise in one or more of: ice‑sheet/ice‑shelf dynamics; ice–ocean & sea‑ice processes; polar climatology/meteorology; permafrost & terrestrial hydrology; satellite/airborne remote sensing; biogeochemistry & ecology; coupled Earth‑system modeling/data assimilation.
• Excellent communication; strong project and risk management for field and lab operations; commitment to collaborative science.
  
  

What We Offer

A globally competitive, internationally benchmarked package and research‑enabling environment; resources to recruit and mentor PhD students and postdocs; access to state-of-the-art facilities and computation; and the opportunity to shape a flagship Polar Research Center. (Compensation and package details are shared during recruitment.)

How to apply

How To Apply

Please submit to [email protected] as a single PDF: CV (with full publications list), cover letter, research statement (past achievements + 3–5‑year plan incl. funding & data/open‑science approach), teaching & mentoring statement, leadership/service statement, up to three representative publications, and 3–5 referees’ names and contacts (letters not requested at initial stage). Review begins immediately and continues until filled.

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