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 renewable energy, agriculture, water management, forest fires and urban development and to demonstrate the ongoing value of Earth system services to society and the economy.
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral scientist or research engineer to evaluate the potential added value of km-scale global and regional climate projections. The research will combine the scientific evaluation of how well these simulations represent physical processes with an assessment of how their performance translates into downstream impact sectors. It will also involve close engagement with users, to understand how climate services can be developed that are fit for purpose, and the communication of results to diverse audiences. The person appointed will be involved in several EU and nationally funded projects, with a primary focus on the Destination Earth Climate Digital Twin initiative, which aims to combine cutting-edge global Earth-system models, impact-sector applications and observations into a unified framework providing actionable impact-sector information on multi-decadal timescales. In line with this aim, the appointed candidate will scientifically investigate the added value of km-scale climate simulations generated by the Digital Twin, using both free-running projections and storyline methodologies, and will assess how strengths and biases in model performance propagate into the information delivered to impact sectors. The systematic comparison with the latest CORDEX and CMIP simulations will also be an important task of the candidate. The appointed candidate will also be responsible for promoting the uptake of the ClimateDT through a range of stakeholder-facing activities, including the organisation of events such as hackathons, and through sustained engagement with users to co-develop tailored climate service examples. 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 encourage applications from highly motivated candidates with demonstrated experience in climate science and climate service development with interest in applied research projects within the context of climate services.
Key Duties
Analyse the added value of km-scale climate projections through inter-model comparisons and storyline methodologies Development of storyline simulations Help organise stakeholder outreach events such as hackathons and webinars Actively engage with sector relevant stakeholders to understand user needs and provide capacity building Actively participate in the management of tasks and work packages in EU projects (participate in workshops, conferences, meetings, hackathons and writing deliverables) Disseminate research results in peer-reviewed scientific papers and international conferences Contribute to the development of outreach content and visualization products related to the projects Interact with other scientists in the group and the department to favor synergies, as well as with external collaborators Apply for competitive grants and projects
Requirements
Education Ph.D. in climate or atmospheric sciences, meteorology, applied mathematics, physics, or related field Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience Experience handling, analysing and validating large datasets Experience working with climate projections Experience working with stakeholders in the climate and/or climate impact-sector related fields Proficiency in scientific programming in a suitable language (Python preferred); Familiarity with working in a UNIX/HPC environment Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, especially for scientific publications Ability to work in a professional environment within a multidisciplinary and international team Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience Experience working with Git for software development Experience working with climate storylines Experience in developing tailored indicators to specific sectors, such as energy, agriculture, water management or forest fires Experience in event organisation and demonstrated evidence of out-reach facing activities Knowledge on some of the following topics: statistical downscaling, multi-model combination techniques, bias adjustments techniques or climate attribution methods will be positively evaluated Working in an operational software environment Competences Highly organised and can manage multiple lines of concurrent work Problem-solving, pro-active, result-oriented work attitude Capability to work in an international and fast-paced work Good communication skills are essential
Conditions
The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences Department We 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 procedures Duration: Open-ended contract due to technical and scientific activities linked to the project and budget duration Holidays: 22 days of holidays + 6 personal days + 24th and 31st of December per our collective agreement Salary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in Barcelona Starting date: 01/01/2027
