Research support engineer - Harmonization of atmospheric composition measurements for model evaluation (RE1)

Job Reference
258_26_ES_AC_RE1
Position
Research support engineer - Harmonization of atmospheric composition measurements for model evaluation (RE1)
Closing Date
Wednesday, 03 June, 2026
Reference: 258_26_ES_AC_RE1
Job title: Research support engineer - Harmonization of atmospheric composition measurements for model evaluation (RE1)

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

Within the Earth Sciences Department of Barcelona Supercomputing Center, the Atmospheric Composition (AC) group aims at better understanding and predicting the spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric pollutants along with their effects upon air quality, weather and climate.

The group contributes to a variety of forecasting activities and maintains a wide range of observational datasets for model evaluation, data assimilation and development of ML/AI-based solutions. The group maintains the GHOST dataset (Globally Harmonised Observations in Space and Time), which represents one of the biggest collections of harmonised measurements of atmospheric composition at the surface. GHOST is continuously fed by novel measurement datasets with the aim of providing a dataset that can serve as a basis for the reproducibility of model evaluation efforts across the community.

We are looking for a research support engineer willing to work on the data curation of atmospheric composition observations. The models and forecasts are enhanced by an intensive use of up-to-date observations, both for model evaluation, to feed the aerosol ensemble-based data assimilation system and to develop ML/AI based solutions. The position will support harmonisation activities on the observational data used by the group. The successful applicant will work closely with researchers of the AC group and will contribute to ongoing and future research projects addressing the role of gaseous and aerosol species in the atmosphere and the climate system.

The candidate will work in a highly collaborative environment, with tight links with other researchers in the AC group. The candidate will have the opportunity to follow multiple training activities, including those aimed at improving coding and data analysis, scientific and project writing abilities, or project management. All this will be implemented via the formal courses organized by the Education and Training team and Human Resources, and the participation in the regular seminars organized by the department.

Key Duties

Extend the GHOST dataset with novel atmospheric composition measurements
Apply existent solutions or program automated procedures for quality assurance of observations
Analyze datasets by means of computed standardized diagnostics
Support researchers in the evaluaton of numerical model experiments
Interact with atmospheric composition scientists to understand and respond to their needs
Contribute to dissemination activities in peer reviewed publications, internal and external meetings and conferences.

Requirements

Education
A degree in physics and MSc in atmospheric sciences
Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience
Experience with data manipulation and analysis (0-2 years)
Experience in programming in Python, FORTRAN and R (3-5 years)
Experience with UNIX/LINUX environments (3-5 years)
Knowledge with Earth Modelling file types (NetCDF, HDF5, GRIB…) will be valued
Experience in similar fields will be valued
Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience
Fluent English, both written and spoken
Competences
Capacity to interact with both atmospheric compositon and computer scientists
Ability to take initiative, prioritize and work under set deadlines
Ability to work both independently and within a team

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: July 2026

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.
For more information follow this link