The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is seeking a postdoctoral associate in applied math with applications to physical oceanography. The focus will be on sparse approximations to the inverse of the error covariance model of the SWOT altimeter. The work requires excellent math and programming skills (Matlab, Python, Fortran) and numerical modeling experience. Familiarity with the data assimilation algorithms constrained by numerical models will be a plus. Apart from the work on the matrix approximation, numerical experimentation with a regional configuration of the NCOM data assimilation system will be utilized for testing the accuracy of the approximations. The Naval Research Laboratory provides an opportunity to work with a large group of internationally recognized researchers. We have access to superb supercomputing and general computational resources. A postdoctoral fellow must be a US citizen or permanent resident at time of application and will be hired with stipend of $79K/year for 2 years with an excellent opportunity of extension and permanent employment. NRL is an equal opportunity employer.