Environmental Data Scientists

Deadline: until filled
- 03-2025
03-2025**Environmental Data Scientists**:
Biodiversity, Ecology and conservation (BEC) research group

The Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation (BEC) Research Group, part of the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program **is looking for two**highly motivated and enthusiastic researchers with a background in ecological modeling or environmental science in a conservation or ecological context.

**Background**
**The BEC Research Group develops and applies state-of-the art ecological knowledge, methods, and tools to understand ecosystem functioning, ecological responses, and feedback in coupled social-economic-ecological systems. The group aims to this knowledge and tools to investigate appropriate management options to achieve sustainability goals that have ecological implications.

The BEC group is leading research to support EU member states and other countries around the world in identifying priority areas for habitat conservation, restoration, and sustainable use, to achieve national and international area-based conservation targets.

**The position**:
**Main tasks and responsibilities**
**- Developing workflows for integrated conservation planning using optimization frameworks.
- Large (spatial) data preparation for spatial planning and assessment of protected area effectiveness.
- ing and developing ecological modeling approaches for land use and climate impact assessments.
- Leading the dissemination of project results via high-quality journal publications and conference presentations.
- Contribute to the organization of project-related workshops and/or webinars.
- Support all project partners and other group members in the drafting of reports, grant proposals and other scientific outputs as need arises.

**Requirements**:

- An advanced scientific degree (MSc, PhD) or equivalent qualification in advanced spatial prioritization and/or ecological modeling and interest in developing a career in science. Optimization methods e.g., use of integer programming or global search algorithms to solve multi-objective problems in R environment. Experience
- ing them to conservation problems would be highly desirable.
- Familiarity with at least one scientific coding language (R, Python, Julia). Experience in parallel computing and version control (e.g., Git) advantageous. Advanced spatial analyses in R highly desirable.
- Knowledge of cloud (e.g., Google Earth engine) and high-performance computing advantageous.
- Good understanding of current applied ecology and conservation research. Knowledge of common ecological models such species distribution modeling and ecological impact assessments desirable.
- Excellent organizational skills, pro-active and results-oriented, and the capacity to deliver on allocated tasks and respond in a timely manner to deadlines.
- Ability to work independently and with an international team distributed across different institutions and time-zones.
- A track record of publishing high-quality scientific research.
- Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) in English.

**Appointment terms**
**The place of work is at the IIASA premises in Laxenburg, near Vienna in Austria.

**We offer**:

- The possibility to contribute to environmental sciences for sustainability and global wellbeing.
- Career development perspectives.
- An international atmosphere and pleasant working environment in a historic market town surrounded by green areas.
- **An attractive gross annual salary which is exempt from income tax in Austria and negotiable, based on the qualifications, skills and experience of the selected individual** and **_at least:_**
EUR 41,020.00 (R1 researchers)
EUR 53,451.00 (R2 research scholars).

**IIASA salaries are**:

- Subject to deductions for health insurance and/or social security.
- Not directly comparable with other employers in Austria, due to the unique legal status and privileges granted to IIASA.
- Subject to the principle of income aggregation (Progressionsvorbehalt in German).

**Other benefits**:

- Educational subsidies for children of school age enrolled in private schools in Austria.
- A generous five weeks of annual leave.
- Relocation allowances and paid home leave.
- The possibility to work up to 100 days per year in home office (within Austria).**About**IIASA***:
**Further information**
**For further information about this opportunity please contact:
Martin Jung, BEC Senior Research Scholar
or
Piero Visconti, BEC Research Group Leader

**Applications***:
**Applications***: