Research Scholar/Modeler – Global Land Carbon Cycle and Land Use Change

Organization

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

Department

Not Specified

Organization URL

Job Location Type

HYBRID

Job Location

Laxenburg, Austria    

Applicant Location Requirements

International    

Application Deadline

April 30, 2026

The role

This position will contribute to the CLARiTy project, a five-year initiative that aims to dramatically reduce uncertainty in land carbon fluxes by integrating Earth observation data with advanced modeling techniques. By harmonizing definitions, improving spatial resolution, making modeling approaches converge, and aligning scientific estimates with national greenhouse gas inventories, CLARiTy is expected to deliver more accurate and operational carbon budget assessments to support climate policies and global stocktakes.

The successful applicant will join IIASA scientists from the ASA and ECE programs to contribute to this effort and related projects. Their modeling work will be split across various modeling tools, including

a spatially explicit model of the biophysical effect of land use change,
a machine learning emulation of dynamic global vegetation models.
Both activities aim to improve understanding and quantification of the effects of land management and environmental factors on land carbon and climate dynamics.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Develop and apply a first-order, spatially explicit model of the biophysical effects of land use change and its linkage with climate change

Develop and apply a machine learning emulation of dynamic global vegetation models to investigate land carbon fluxes

Set up, run, and share simulations using these models and potentially others
Exploit existing model data to better align land use change emissions with countries’ reporting

Write and contribute to project deliverables as required

Write and contribute to scientific articles arising from the above work, and present findings at scientific workshops and conferences

Special Requirements
PhD (or equivalent) in land surface or land carbon cycle modeling, or a closely related field Advanced understanding of current research in land surface modeling, land carbon and land use change, and more broadly in Earth system science and climate change Strong experience with the Python programming language is an absolute requirement Experience with global vegetation models, satellite products (L3 or L4), and/or machine learning applied to spatially explicit data would be an asset Excellent organizational skills, a results-oriented mindset, and a high degree of autonomy, proactivity, and adaptability Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) in English, and a proven track record in writing scientific articles

Apply online or via email

recruitment@iiasa.ac.at