Postdoctoral Researcher in Numerical Atmospheric Modeling and Climate Risk Analysis

612_25_CASE_WP_R2

Postdoctoral Researcher in Numerical Atmospheric Modeling and Climate Risk Analysis (R2)

Saturday, 20 December, 2025

Reference: 612_25_CASE_WP_R2

Job title: Postdoctoral Researcher in Numerical Atmospheric Modeling and Climate Risk Analysis (R2)

About BSC

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS) is the leading supercomputing center in Spain. It houses MareNostrum, one of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe, was a founding and hosting member of the former European HPC infrastructure PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe), and is now hosting entity for EuroHPC JU, the Joint Undertaking that leads large-scale investments and HPC provision in Europe. The mission of BSC is to research, develop and manage information technologies in order to facilitate scientific progress. BSC combines HPC service provision and R&D into both computer and computational science (life, earth and engineering sciences) under one roof, and currently has over 1000 staff from 60 countries.

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We are particularly interested for this role in the strengths and lived experiences of women and underrepresented groups to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights in science and IT research. In instances of equal merit, the incorporation of the under-represented sex will be favoured.

We promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, fostering an environment where each and every one of us is appreciated for who we are, regardless of our differences.

If you consider that you do not meet all the requirements, we encourage you to continue applying for the job offer. We value diversity of experiences and skills, and you could bring unique perspectives to our team.

Context And Mission

The Natural Hazards and Risk Analysis group at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with expertise in atmospheric and environmental modeling to contribute to cutting-edge projects on extreme weather, wildfires, hydrology, and climate risk. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary team integrating high-performance computing, numerical modeling, and artificial intelligence to develop operational tools for hazard forecasting and risk assessment.

Key Duties

• Configure, run, and analyze atmospheric models (WRF and/or MPAS).
• Develop and adapt Shell and Python scripts for model automation, coupling, and post-processing.
• Apply machine learning techniques (e.g., CNNs, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting) to atmospheric and climate datasets for bias correction, hazard classification, and downscaling.
• Handle and process diverse climate datasets (ERA5, ERA6, CERRA, CMIP6/7, EURO-CORDEX) and integrate them into modeling workflows.
• Support the generation of hazard, vulnerability, and risk maps using geospatial analysis tools.
• Work within HPC environments to deliver timely forecasts and simulations for operational and research purposes.
• Collaborate with international partners and contribute to publications, reports, and presentations.

Requirements

• Education
• PhD in Meteorology, Atmospheric Sciences, Physics, Environmental Engineering, or related fields (completed within the last 8 years).
• Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience
• Proven experience calibrating and running WRF numerical atmospheric model..
• Strong programming skills in Shell scripting and Python; experience with HPC environments.
• Experience developing machine learning applications for climate or environmental data.
• Competence in handling large climate datasets (ERA5, ERA6, CERRA, CMIP) and geospatial analysis (GIS).
• Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience
• Knowledge of wildfire modeling tools (e.g. Farsite, WRF-Fire).
• Experience with MPAS numerical atmospherical model.
• Familiarity with hydrological modeling concepts and tools (e.g., SMAP).
• Experience in producing operational forecasts and working with stakeholders.
• Previous collaboration in international research projects.
• Superior capabilities in English, both oral and written
• Competences
• Strong teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills; ability to work in interdisciplinary environments.

Conditions

• The position will be located at BSC within the CASE Department
• We offer a full-time contract (37.5h/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: 16/12/2025

Applications procedure and process

All applications must be submitted via the BSC website and contain:

• A full CV in English including contact details
• A cover/motivation letter with a statement of interest in English, clearly specifying for which specific area and topics the applicant wishes to be considered. Additionally, two references for further contacts must be included. Applications without this document will not be considered.

Development of the recruitment process

The selection will be carried out through a competitive examination system ("Concurso-Oposición"). The recruitment process consists of two phases:

• Curriculum Analysis: Evaluation of previous experience and/or scientific history, degree, training, and other professional information relevant to the position. - 40 points
• Interview phase: The highest-rated candidates at the curriculum level will be invited to the interview phase, conducted by the corresponding department and Human Resources. In this phase, technical competencies, knowledge, skills, and professional experience related to the position, as well as the required personal competencies, will be evaluated. - 60 points. A minimum of 30 points out of 60 must be obtained to be eligible for the position.

The recruitment panel will be composed of at least three people, ensuring at least 25% representation of women.

In accordance with OTM-R principles, a gender-balanced recruitment panel is formed for each vacancy at the beginning of the process. After reviewing the content of the applications, the panel will begin the interviews, with at least one technical and one administrative interview. At a minimum, a personality questionnaire as well as a technical exercise will be conducted during the process.

The panel will make a final decision, and all individuals who participated in the interview phase will receive feedback with details on the acceptance or rejection of their profile.

At BSC, we seek continuous improvement in our recruitment processes. For any suggestions or comments/complaints about our recruitment processes, please contact recruitment [at] bsc [dot] es.

For more information, please follow this link.

Deadline

The vacancy will remain open until a suitable candidate has been hired. Applications will be regularly reviewed and potential candidates will be contacted.

OTM-R principles for selection processes

BSC-CNS is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission and the Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment principles (OTM-R). This is applied for any potential candidate in all our processes, for example by creating gender-balanced recruitment panels and recognizing career breaks etc.

BSC-CNS is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or any other basis protected by applicable state or local law.

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This position is reserved for candidates who meet the requirements and have the legal status of disabled persons with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%. In case there are no applicants with disabilities that meet the requirements, the rest of the candidates without declared disability will be evaluated.