Earth System Modeler (f/m/d)

The University of Bonn; Nordrhein-Westfalen; On-site; EUR 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

TV-L 13 salary scale

VBL pension plan

Public transport access

Parking (low-cost)

Job summary

The University of Bonn invites applications for a permanent position in the DETECT collaboration, based in Bonn, to support advanced Earth system modelling and HPC workflows. The role includes developing scientific software, providing HPC coordination, and contributing to climate simulations on cutting-edge supercomputers.

The successful candidate will teach (4 SWS), collaborate with national and international partners, and present results at conferences and in publications.

Qualifications

• Master and PhD degree in geosciences, oceanography, meteorology, climate sciences, simulation sciences, or a related field.
• Experience in HPC workflows and big data handling.
• Experience in porting, tuning, maintenance of state-of-the‑art Earth system models and their components on latest heterogeneous supercomputers.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in German and English.
• Committed, flexible, team‑oriented, reliable and interested in further training.
• High organizational competence and resilience.

Responsibilities

• Scientific software development for Earth system models and coupling infrastructures.
• Provide general HPC support and coordination towards exascale system use.
• Full-workflow support for climate simulations on latest supercomputers; contribute to configurations and setups.
• Collaborate with project partners, supercomputing centres, and national/international modelling consortia.
• Teaching (4 SWS) and user training.
• Presentation of scientific results at conferences and in publications.

Skills

Scientific software development

HPC workflows

Teaching

Collaboration

German and English communication

Proactive, hands-on mentality

Education

Master's and PhD in geosciences / related field

Tools

ICON

eCLM

ParFlow

Fesom

PDAF

YAC

OASIS-MCT

Job description

The University of Bonn is an international research university with a wide education and research profile. With a 200-year history, approximately 31,500 students, more than 6,000 staff, and an excellent reputation at home and abroad, the University of Bonn is one of the most important universities in Germany and is recognized as a university of excellence.

The AEI faculty and the Collaborative Research Centre 1502 on Regional Climate Change: Disentangling the Role of Land Use and Water Management (DETECT) seeking, to start as soon as possible, an

in permanent employment with 100% working hours. The successful candidate is expected to support the CRC’s modelling activities within its central supercomputing project. The position will be based at the DETECT coordination office in Bonn. After the closing of the CRC, a move to an interdisciplinary role within the AEI faculty is intended.

• Scientific software development, e.g., with ICON, eCLM, ParFlow, Fesom, PDAF, and coupling infrastructures (like YAC, OASIS-MCT) for Earth system models,
• Provide general HPC support and coordination towards exascale system use,
• Full-workflow support for state-of-the-art (km-scale) climate simulations on latest supercomputers, contribution to simulation configurations and setups,
• Collaboration with project partners, supercomputing centres, national and international modelling consortia,
• Teaching (4 SWS) and user training,
• Presentation of scientific results at conferences and in publications.
• Master and PhD degree in geosciences, oceanography, meteorology, climate sciences, simulation sciences, or a related field,
• Independent, proactive and structured way of working and a pronounced hands‑on mentality,
• Experience in HPC workflows and big data handling; experience in computational analytics desirable,
• Experience in porting, tuning, maintenance of state-of-the‑art Earth system models and their components on latest (heterogeneous) supercomputers using latest research software engineering principles,
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in German and English,
• Committed, flexible, team‑oriented, reliable and interested in
• further training,
• High organizational competence, as well as high level of commitment
• and resilience.

We offer:

• a varied and challenging position with one of the biggest employers in the area,
• participation in the university‑wide pension system (VBL),
• access to the extensive university sports program,
• excellent access by public transport thanks to Bonn’s central location as well as the opportunity to take advantage of low‑cost parking,
• salary based on the 13 TV‑L scale,
• an open, stimulating and interdisciplinary work environment.

DETECT is a research network of hydrologists, meteorologists, land‑use modelers, geodesists, data assimilation and remote sensing specialists, data scientists, agricultural economists, and social scientists from the Faculties of Agricultural, Nutritional and Engineering Sciences and Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University Bonn, the Universities of Göttingen and Heidelberg, the Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Deutscher Wetterdienst. Projects within DETECT investigate how land‑use and water management lead to persistent modifications in the coupled water and energy cycles of land and atmosphere (‘drying’ and ‘wetting’); and thus disentangle the role of these drivers of regional climate change from radiative forcing. They develop evidence‑based sustainability criteria for climate‑smart land and water use. The SFB 1502 is well embedded in the excellent research infrastructure of the participating institutions and offers access to state‑art technologies and a vibrant scientific community.

The University of Bonn promotes an open, respectful, and non‑discriminatory academic culture and is actively committed to equal opportunity and family friendliness. We aim to eliminate structural disadvantages and to strengthen diversity in research, teaching, and administration. Therefore, we welcome all applications, regardless of ethnic or social background, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability, or age.

Applications from women and people with a documented severe disability (or equivalent status) will be given preferential consideration in accordance with the State Equality Act (LGG) NRW and Social Code (SGB) IX.