Senior AI for Earth Sciences Team Co-Lead (RE3-R3)

Reference: 339_26_ES_CES_R3
Job title: Senior AI for Earth Sciences Team Co-Lead (RE3-R3)

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, and is a 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 to facilitate scientific progress. BSC combines HPC service provision and R&D into computer and computational science (life, earth and engineering sciences) under one roof, and currently has over 1000 staff from 60 countries.

We are particularly interested in the strengths and lived experiences of women and underrepresented groups to help us avoid biases in science and IT research. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are promoted to foster an environment where each of us is appreciated for who we are. If you consider that you do not meet all the requirements, we encourage you to apply anyway; diversity of experiences and skills is valued and can bring unique perspectives to the team.

Context And Mission

The mission of the Earth Sciences Department of the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, led by Prof. Francisco Doblas-Reyes, is to carry out research and develop methods for environmental forecasting with a focus on the atmosphere-ocean-biosphere system. This includes the management and transfer of technology to support societal challenges through models and data applications in HPC and AI infrastructures, and the dissemination of real-time air quality and climate information in collaboration with the Spanish authorities and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The successful candidate will join the Computational Earth Sciences group to co-lead the Artificial Intelligence Team, which develops and applies machine learning and AI methods (including deep learning models, emulators, and data-driven techniques) to advance climate and earth system research. The team contributes AI expertise to major EU-funded initiatives, including Climate-DT / Destination Earth, ELLIOT, CONCERTO, TerraDT, EXPECT, among others, translating AI research into tools and services with real scientific and societal impact. The AI Team connects with other groups within the department and across the research community.

Key Duties

• Co-lead the coordination and supervision of a team of around 15 research engineers and scientists, alongside the current Team Lead.
• Lead the planning, execution, and completion of ongoing and new AI research and engineering projects within the team, assigning tasks and prioritising them.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to sustain the team's AI models, tools, and funding lines.
• Contribute to the development strategy of the department's AI tools, increasing applicability and international visibility and impact of the research.
• Contribute to the team's research activities by identifying potential new lines of research and assisting in publication and dissemination of results.
• Co-lead the AI Team's day-to-day management of tasks and deliverables, and supervise team members, together with the current Team Lead. The candidate will report to the Head of the Computational Earth Sciences Group.

Requirements

• Education
  • Master's degree in Machine Learning, Data Science, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or a closely related field.
  • A PhD in a related field is not essential but will be appreciated.
• Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience
  • Experience applying deep learning and other AI/ML methods to climate or earth science research or applied work.
  • Experience in leading or managing a team, including assigning tasks, setting goals, providing feedback, and facilitating collaboration.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively within interdisciplinary teams and with external stakeholders.
• Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience
  • Proven ability to manage large and collaborative projects, including supervision of PhD or Master's students.
  • Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g. PyTorch, TensorFlow/JAX), with experience in UNIX/Linux environments.
  • Proven experience in scientific research, particularly in climate or earth system modelling.
  • Familiarity with training and deploying AI models on large HPC systems, including distributed/parallel training approaches.
  • Experience working with large-scale scientific or earth observation datasets.
  • Familiarity with MLOps and model profiling/optimisation tools.
• Competences
  • Proven leadership skills, including the ability to inspire and motivate team members, foster a collaborative and inclusive environment, and resolve conflicts effectively.
  • Ability to interact and build strong relationships with colleagues across scientific disciplines, fostering a collaborative research environment.
  • Strong organisational skills, including prioritising tasks, managing resources efficiently, and meeting deadlines.
  • Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate challenges and develop innovative solutions.
  • Proficiency in English, both written and oral. Experience in writing technical reports and/or scientific publications will be appreciated.

Conditions

The position will be located at BSC within the Earth Sciences Department. We offer a full-time contract (35h/week) with a good working environment and a highly stimulating infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, restaurant tickets, private health insurance, and support for 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: Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience, according to the cost of living in Barcelona.

Starting date: 01/10/2026.

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