PostDoctoral Researcher / Research Engineer for Climate Services - Decadal predictions (RE2/R2)

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC); Barcelona; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Restaurant tickets

Private health insurance

Relocation support

Job summary

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center seeks a postdoctoral researcher or research engineer to develop climate services, analyze decadal predictions, and create tailored climate information for various socio-economic sectors. The role offers collaboration within an international, multidisciplinary team and access to state-of-the-art infrastructure in Barcelona.

The candidate will handle large climate datasets, implement reproducible workflows for HPC environments, and contribute to publications and

Qualifications

• Masters degree in physics, environmental sciences, mathematics or computer science.
• Experience handling, analysing and validating datasets.
• Proficiency in Python and Linux.
• Experience with large geospatial/climate datasets.
• Knowledge in statistics.
• Strong English communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine methodologies to produce user-oriented climate information from decadal predictions.
• Support automated workflows: data loading, post-processing, evaluation, saving; deploy on HPC systems.
• Statistical downscaling tailored to regional and sector-specific applications.
• Develop frameworks bridging seasonal-to-decadal timescales and decadal-to-projection scales.
• Explore hybrid methods combining dynamical modelling with statistical/machine-learning approaches.
• Conduct forecast evaluation using deterministic and probabilistic metrics and user-relevant indicators.
• Consider observational references and discrepancies; reconcile when possible.
• Contribute to publications, documentation, and project deliverables.
• Transition research prototypes to operational environments.

Skills

Dataset analysis

Python programming

Geospatial data

Statistics knowledge

English communication

HPC workflows

Linux proficiency

Education

Master's degree

Tools

Linux environment

Python

Job description

The aim of the Earth System Services Group (ESS) within the Earth Sciences Department is to research the impact of weather, atmospheric chemistry and climate upon socio-economic sectors such as energy, agriculture, water resources, urban development and climate risk management and demonstrate the ongoing value of earth system services to society and the economy.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher or research engineer to join our team and contribute to the development of next-generation climate services, with a primary focus on state-of-the-art climate change information and generation of tailored indicators to different sectors.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the analysis, postprocessing and evaluation of decadal climate prediction and the co-development of climate services. The research will involve working with large datasets of simulations to develop sector-specific climate information products at both global and regional scales, supporting evidence-based decision-making across socio-economic sectors.

This position offers an outstanding opportunity to join one of Europe’s leading and most dynamic research groups in climate services, working at the interface between frontier climate science and societal applications. The successful candidate will benefit from expert mentoring, advanced training, an international and multidisciplinary research environment, and the wide range of professional development opportunities and staff benefits offered by BSC-CNS.

We welcome applications from highly motivated researchers with a strong background in climate science, experience in climate predictions or projections, and a keen interest in translating scientific advances into tailored climate information for specific sectors.

Key Duties

• Develop and refine methodologies to produce user-oriented climate information from decadal predictions.
• Support the development of automated workflows that include data loading, post-processing, evaluation, and saving, aligned with coding standards and testing practices, and deployable on HPC systems.
• Statistical downscaling tailored to regional and sector-specific applications.
• Develop seamless prediction frameworks bridging seasonal-to-decadal and decadal-to-projection timescales.
• Explore and operationalise hybrid methods that combine dynamical modelling with statistical or machine-learning techniques.
• Conduct comprehensive forecast evaluation using deterministic and probabilistic metrics, as well as user-relevant indicators.
• Consider a number of observational references describing (and reconciling when possible) the discrepancies between them.
• Contribute to scientific publications, technical documentation, and project deliverables.
• Transition of research prototypes to operational environments.

Requirements

• EducationHaving a minimum of a masters degree in Physics, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Sciences or a related discipline.
• Essential Knowledge and Professional ExperienceExperience handling, analysing and validating datasets.
• Proficiency in scientific programming in a suitable language (e.g., Python) and familiarity with working in a Linux environment.
• Experience working with large geospatial or climate datasets, including gridded observational products and model outputs.
• Knowledge in statistical analysis.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Additional Knowledge and Professional ExperienceKnowledge in climate prediction, with interest in annual to decadal timescales.
• Knowledge of some of the following topics: climate model validation, forecast quality assessment, multi-model approach, modes of variability, will be positively evaluated.
• Ability to design reproducible and scalable workflows within HPC environments.
• Familiarity with software development best practices such as version control, testing, documentation, and coding standards.
• Interest in user-driven climate services and the translation of technical developments into operational products.
• CompetencesAbility to work in a professional environment within a multidisciplinary and international team.
• Problem-solving, proactive, result-oriented approach to work.
• Capability to work independently and as a team in an international, very interactive and fast-paced environment.
• Organizational capacity for dealing with parallel tasks.
• Good communication skills.

Conditions

The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences DepartmentWe offer a full-time contract (35h/week), a good working environment, a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, restaurant tickets, private health insurance, support to the relocation proceduresDuration: Open-ended contract due to technical and scientific activities linked to the project and budget durationHolidays: 22 days of holidays + 6 personal days + 24th and 31st of December per our collective agreementSalary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in BarcelonaStarting date: February 2027

Summary

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center seeks a postdoctoral researcher to develop climate services, analyzing decadal predictions and creating tailored climate information for various socio-economic sectors.

PostDoctoral Researcher / Research Engineer for Climate Services - Decadal predictions (RE2/R2)

Full-time

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)

Barcelona, ES

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center seeks a postdoctoral researcher to develop climate services, analyzing decadal predictions and creating tailored climate information for various socio-economic sectors.

Context And Mission

The aim of the Earth System Services Group (ESS) within the Earth Sciences Department is to research the impact of weather, atmospheric chemistry and climate upon socio-economic sectors such as energy, agriculture, water resources, urban development and climate risk management and demonstrate the ongoing value of earth system services to society and the economy.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher or research engineer to join our team and contribute to the development of next-generation climate services, with a primary focus on state-of-the- age climate change information and generation of tailored indicators to different sectors.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the analysis, postprocessing and evaluation of decadal climate prediction and the co-development of climate services. The research will involve working with large datasets of simulations to develop sector-specific climate information products at both global and regional scales, supporting evidence-based decision-making across socio-economic sectors.

This position offers an outstanding opportunity to join one of Europe’s leading and most dynamic research groups in climate services, working at the interface between frontier climate science and societal applications. The successful candidate will benefit from expert mentoring, advanced training, an international and multidisciplinary research environment, and the wide range of professional development opportunities and staff benefits offered by BSC-CNS.

We welcome applications from highly motivated researchers with a strong background in climate science, experience in climate predictions or projections, and a keen interest in translating scientific advances into tailored climate information for specific sectors.

Key Duties

• Develop and refine methodologies to produce user-oriented climate information from decadal predictions.
• Support the development of automated workflows that include data loading, post-processing, evaluation, and saving, aligned with coding standards and testing practices, and deployable on HPC systems.
• Statistical downscaling tailored to regional and sector-specific applications.
• Develop seamless prediction frameworks bridging seasonal-to-decadal and decadal-to-projection timescales.
• Explore and operationalise hybrid methods that combine dynamical modelling with statistical or machine-learning techniques.
• Conduct comprehensive forecast evaluation using deterministic and probabilistic metrics, as well as user-relevant indicators.
• Consider a number of observational references describing (and reconciling when possible) the discrepancies between them.
• Contribute to scientific publications, technical documentation, and project deliverables.
• Transition of research prototypes to operational environments.

Requirements

• EducationHaving a minimum of a masters degree in Physics, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Sciences or a related discipline.
• Essential Knowledge and Professional ExperienceExperience handling, analysing and validating datasets.
• Proficiency in scientific programming in a suitable language (e.g., Python) and familiarity with working in a Linux environment.
• Experience working with large geospatial or climate datasets, including gridded observational products and model outputs.
• Knowledge in statistical analysis.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Additional Knowledge and Professional ExperienceKnowledge in climate prediction, with interest in annual to decadal timescales.
• Knowledge of some of the following topics: climate model validation, forecast quality assessment, multi-model approach, modes of variability, will be positively evaluated.
• Ability to design reproducible and scalable workflows within HPC environments.
• Familiarity with software development best practices such as version control, testing, documentation, and coding standards.
• Interest in user-driven climate services and the translation of technical developments into operational products.
• CompetencesAbility to work in a professional environment within a multidisciplinary and international team.
• Problem-solving, proactive, result-oriented approach to work.
• Capability to work independently and as a team in an international, very interactive and fast-paced environment.
• Organizational capacity for dealing with parallel tasks.
• Good communication skills.

Conditions

The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences DepartmentWe offer a full-time contract (35h/week), a good working environment, a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, restaurant tickets, private health insurance, support to the relocation proceduresDuration: Open-ended contract due to technical and scientific activities linked to the project and budget durationHolidays: 22 days of holidays + 6 personal days + 24th and 31st of December per our collective agreementSalary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in BarcelonaStarting date: February 2027

The HiPEAC project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation funding programme under grant agreement number 101296676. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.