SPECIALIST RESEARCH TECHNICIAN (TecEsp_ENEO3)

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA); España; On-site; EUR 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) in Girona, Spain, is seeking a Research Technician for the ENEO3 project. The role focuses on identifying denitrification strategies and developing a decision support tool to guide territorial measures.

Requirements include a university degree (Master’s preferred), and skills in data handling, R/Python programming, and hydrogeological analysis. Knowledge of Catalan, English, and Spanish is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Minimum university degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in conceptualizing and creating decision support systems.
• Experience with hydrogeological data and nitrate pollution topics is valuable.

Responsibilities

• Identify denitrification mechanisms and actions to enhance them, including fieldwork and stakeholder interaction.
• Create and apply a decision support tool (SAD ENEO3) to area characteristics and mitigation measures.

Skills

Decision support systems

Programming in R/Python

Hydrogeological data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree (university)

Master’s degree

Job description

Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA)

Organisation/Company Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) Research Field Environmental science » Water science Environmental science » Natural resources management Engineering » Civil engineering Researcher Profile Other Profession Positions Research Support Positions Application Deadline 25 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Feb 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? Yes

Offer Description

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JOB

• Job location: ICRA – Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona (Spain)
• Number of positions available: 1
• Expected start: January – February 2027
• Expected duration of the contract: 10 months

OFFER DESCRIPTION

ICRA is looking for a research technician to carry out task 3 (Territorial participation and socio-economic involvement) of the ENEO3 Project:

Tasks:

1. Identify which current mechanisms for the conservation and protection of the territory can help to implement a network of UFMs (Physical Unit for Nitrate Mitigation) that guarantees the potential for denitrification of the landscape, especially in the most vulnerable areas of the field of study, based on the results obtained in the task: Identification, characterization and evaluation of UFMs.

2. Create a decision support tool that allows the introduction of the characteristics of an area and returns the necessary measures to increase the degree of denitrification, including the natural or socioeconomic idiosyncrasies of each place.

Methodology:

The identification of measures to promote the denitrification of a MUF (e.g. special plans or green infrastructures, among others) is a complex process that requires taking into account various experiences. A computational tool that encompasses all the results of the project, relates them to the social context and conservation instruments, will help to make coherent and qualified decisions. It is a decision support tool (SAD – Decision Support System) that will allow the hydrological, hydrogeological and ecological characteristics of a study area to be introduced, relate them to the socio-economic reality and return the necessary measures to enhance the degree of denitrification of that area (the SAD ENEO3).

A multi-criteria analysis of the decisions will be incorporated into the tool to evaluate the measures using technical and regulatory criteria, environmental impact and socio-economic benefits. In this way, the tool will allow prioritizing actions and presenting them to the different actors to start the governance process. Once built and calibrated, the operation of the SAD ENEO3 will require the introduction of a list of hydrological, hydrogeological and ecological characteristics for each new case study (UFM) and priority pollution mitigation objectives.

KEY DUTIES

1. Identifying denitrification mechanisms and what are the necessary actions to enhance them, may include fieldwork and interaction with territorial and administration agents,

2. Create a decision support tool: conceptualization, programming, and application in the UFM studied and in other places

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 the hidrogeological media (groundwater resources), especialy on topics pon nitrate pollution.

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 the hidrogeological media (groundwater resources), especialy on topics pon nitrate pollution.

Conceptualization and creation of decision support systems.

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

Experience on having conduted projects on these topics.

Catalan language knowledge, sufficient to interact with local people.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Languages CATALAN Level Good

Languages SPANISH Level Good

Research Field Other 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.

Additional comments

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

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) Country Spain Geofield

Emili Grahit 101, H2O Building, Science and Technology Park of the University of Girona