Postdoctoral Researcher in aerosol optical properties

Job Reference

757_25_ES_AC_R2

Position

Postdoctoral Researcher in aerosol optical properties (R2)

Closing Date

Thursday, 15 January, 2026

Reference:
757_25_ES_AC_R2

Job title:
Postdoctoral Researcher in aerosol optical properties (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
Mineral dust is a key component of the Earth system, strongly influencing the radiative balance through its size-dependent, composition-dependent, and shape-dependent optical properties. However, large uncertainties remain in the representation of dust optical properties in atmospheric and climate models, particularly for transported Saharan dust, due to limited observational constraints on particle size distribution, mineralogy, mixing state, and particle shape.

In this context, we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the DUSTIMPACT project ("Unravelling Saharan DUST Outflow: Insights into Mineralogy, Size, Shape, Optical Properties and Regional Climate Impact through Novel Observations and Modeling"). The successful candidate will play a central role in linking state-of-the-art measurements of dust optical and microphysical properties with advanced dust and climate models.

The postdoctoral researcher will focus on modeling dust optical properties constrained by observations, including size-resolved and composition-resolved optical parameters, and on integrating these constraints into regional atmospheric composition and climate models. In addition, the position involves active participation in experimental activities, data analysis, and coordination tasks across national and international partners.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the interface between observations, theory, and modeling, contributing to a major international effort to reduce uncertainties in dust radiative effects and regional climate impacts.

Key Duties

• Develop and refine parameterizations of dust optical properties (e.g., absorption, scattering, SSA, asymmetry parameter) based on particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state.
• Translate observational constraints from in-situ and remote measurements into model-ready optical property datasets.
• Integrate experimentally constrained optical properties into dust and atmospheric composition models
• Contribute to the analysis of dust optical measurements (e.g., Aethalometer, nephelometer, DNAAP configurations).
• Support the interpretation of size-resolved and composition-resolved observations in collaboration with experimental partners.
• Actively participate in coordination activities across work packages and institutions.
• Contribute to internal project meetings, data workshops, and international collaborations.
• Contribute to internal project meetings, data workshops, and international collaborations.
• Contribute to internal project meetings, data workshops, and international collaborations.

Requirements

• Education

• PhD in Atmospheric Sciences, Physics, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, or a closely related field.

• Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience

• Proven experience in aerosol or dust optical property modeling and/or analysis.

• Strong background in atmospheric data analysis and interpretation of observational datasets.
• Experience with scientific programming (e.g., Python, FORTRAN, or similar).

• Familiarity with atmospheric data formats and tools (e.g., NetCDF, CDO, NCO).

• Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience

• Experience with dust or aerosol modules in atmospheric or climate models.

• Knowledge of radiative transfer and aerosol–radiation interactions.
• Experience with in-situ aerosol optical measurements and/or particle size distribution data.

• Experience working in international, multi-institutional research projects.

• Competences

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Ability to bridge experimental observations and numerical modeling.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Proactive attitude toward coordination and collaborative research.

Conditions

• The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences 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: asap

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

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.

For more information follow this link

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