SPECIALIST RESEACH TECHNICIAN (TecEsp_TREASURE)

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA); España; On-site; EUR 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

ICRA in Girona, Spain, seeks a technical research specialist for WP3 of the TREASURE Project. The role focuses on reclaimed wastewater allocation, quality issues, and modelling, with tasks spanning data gathering, risk assessment, and GIS-based MCA/DSS development.

Requires a degree (Masters preferred) and programming ability in R/Python; fluency in Catalan/Spanish/English desirable. The contract is temporary for 3 months, extendable to 10 months, starting 01/01/2027, with a 40-hour work week

Qualifications

• Minimum university degree.
• Valuable Master’s Degree.
• Treatment of data in wastewater and hydrogeological contexts; development of DSS.

Responsibilities

• Identify reclaimed water availability and reuse chances in NE Catalonia basins.
• Develop a quantitative risk assessment for environment and health under drought scenarios.
• Create a MCA model and DSS for reclaimed water reuse using GIS and hydrogeological criteria.

Skills

Data handling

Decision support systems

Programming in R/Python

English proficiency

Spanish proficiency

Catalan proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

R-Studio

Python

Job description

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA)

Organisation/Company Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering Environmental science » Water science Researcher Profile Other Profession Positions Research Support Positions Application Deadline 6 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JOB

• Job location: ICRA – Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona (Spain)
• Number of positions available: 1
• Expected start: 01/01/2027
• Expected duration of the contract: 3 months (extensibles to 10 months depending on a granted extension of the project).

The contract is part of action PCI2024-153494, funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Agency and, where appropriate, the European Union (Treasure Project-PCI2024-153494 funded by MICIU /AEI/10.13039/501100011033/EU).

OFFER DESCRIPTION

ICRA is looking for a technical research specialist to carry out WP3 (Recovered wastewater allocation: quality issues and modelling) of the TREASURE Project.

Tasks:

1) Identification of reclaimed water availability, and the chances for reuse within the basins in NE Catalonia: Ter, Fluvià, Muga and Tordera under droughts: agricultural irrigation, aquifer recharge and urban uses, and the expected downstream consequences.

2) Calculation of quantitative risk assessment for environment and human health considering different reuse scenarios and use of reclaimed water3.

3) Development of multi-criteria assessment (MCA) model and a Decision Support System (DSS) for reclaimed water reuse using GIS tools, based on hydrogeological, socio-economic and environmental criteria, taking into account water availability and needs under drought scenarios.

Methodology:

• a) Gathering information on wastewater treatment in each basin regarding the available amounts, its quality and the chances of reuse within the three catchments of study, field work and interviews with local agents,
• b) Contrast the availability of reclaimed water and its quality under future drought conditions and its capability to warrant allocated water resources.
• c) Assessment of the environmental and human-health risk during different water reuse scenarios by calculation of quantitative chemical risk assessment (QCRA) for selected/target contaminants and pathogens regarded as relevant for the investigated case studies under drought conditions.
• d) GIS modelling supporting MCA and DSS assessment of the potential reclaimed wastewater reuse opportunities under drought scenarios.

KEY DUTIES

• Inventory of wastewater discharges into the riverbed within the study basins, compilation of quality databases, fieldwork and interviews with local actors,
• Conceptualization of the use of riverbed discharges as an alternative resource for aquifer recharge during periods of drought
• Creation of a DSS (Decision Support System) that allows the management of discharges to be evaluated from the perspective of quantity and quality to optimize reclaimed wastewater resources.

Water Resources, Civil Engineering (hydraulic, water reuse, biological processes)

Qualifications and Education Level:

Minimum university degree

Valuable Master’s Degree

Skills:

Treatment of data corresponding to wastewater and hydrogeological environment.

Conceptualization and creation of decision support systems.

Ability to program in R-Studio, Python or other languages.

Required Languages:

Required Experience:

Treatment of data corresponding to wastewater and hydrogeological environment.

Conceptualization and creation of decision support systems.

Ability to program in R-Studio, Python or other languages.

Experience on having conducted projects on these topics.

Catalan language knowledge, sufficient to interact with local people.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Languages SPANISH Level Good

Languages CATALAN Level Good

Research Field Environmental scienceEngineering » Civil engineering Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Additional Information

Working conditions: Employed in compliance with Spanish legislation and regulations. Employees receive the benefits of the Spanish Social Security system covering sickness, maternity/paternity leaves and injuries at work.

International Environment: The opportunity to join a prestigious international research institution and become a member of a young and growing team.

Continuous training in a high-quality environment.

In ICRA we are committed to maintaining and developing a work environment in which the values and principles of our organization are respected and equal opportunities between women and men be promoted in each of the areas in which we operate, not tolerating discrimination based on criteria such age, sex, marital status, race, ethnicity, disabilities, political leanings or sexual orientation.

Recruitment will be carried out as provided for in Article 15 of Royal Legislative Decree 1/1995 of 24 March passing the text of the Workers’ Statute Act, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of Royal Decree 2720/98 of 18 December (B.O.E. 8 January 1999), Act nº 12/2001 of July 9 (B.O.E. 10 July) and concordant regulations.

The principle of equality between men and women is taken into account, in accordance with Article 14 of the Spanish Constitution, the EU Directive of 9 February 1976 and the provisions of the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of March 4, 2005, passing the Plan for gender equality in the General State Administration.

Universal accessibility for persons with disabilities is taken into account, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 1 of Act nº 51/2003 of 2 December on equal opportunities, and 7% of vacancies are reserved provided the candidates pass the selection processes and are able to accredit disability and compatibility in performing the tasks so that we will progressively reach 2% of the total workforce.

Basic information on Data Protection Responsible: Fundació Institut Català de Recerca de l’Aigua (ICRA); Purpose: The selection of candidates for current and future jobs offered by our organization; Rights: You have the right to access, rectify and delete the data, as well as other rights indicated in the additional information; Additional information: You can consult the additional and detailed information on Data Protection on our website: http://www.icra.cat/politica-de-privacidad