Post doctoral scientist and project manager | Evaporation remote sensing

Post doctoral scientist and project manager | Evaporation remote sensing

Job

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state‑of‑the‑art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

The ESA CCI Evaporation project focuses on improving how we estimate land evaporation, the process by which water returns from soils, plants, and surfaces to the atmosphere, which plays a central role in regulating water availability, heat, and climate. Although land evaporation strongly influences droughts, heatwaves, and long‑term climate change, it is difficult to measure directly and remains one of the most uncertain parts of the global water cycle.

The project will address this by building a new, reliable, long‑term global dataset using advanced satellite observations. By combining European Earth observation data with physical understanding and modern data‑driven methods, the project will deliver consistent estimates of total evaporation and its key components from 1980 to today. These data will help scientists better understand climate change, improve climate models, and support practical decisions in water management, agriculture, and climate adaptation.

The role of the candidate selected for this position will be to perform research as well as to manage and help with the coordination of the project. The researcher will also participate in the development of the scientific tools, the dissemination and promotion of the results via publications, project website and conferences, and the conception of new avenues to extend the research in the project and the scientific line of the research group.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• PhD in the domains of Engineering, Climate, Hydrology or Computer Sciences
• Proficiency in numerical modelling and computer programming, including Python
• Excellent level of English, both oral and written
• Creative, critical and analytical mindset
• Capable of working in groups

WHAT WE CAN OFFER

• We offer you a contract of definite duration for the period of 2 years.
• Your contract will start in summer 2026.
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full‑time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, a bicycle allowance and eco vouchers.  for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

INTERESTED?

Apply
online through the e‑recruitment system
before the Final date to receive applications (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not submitted through the online system.

Your application must include the following documents:

• In the field‘CV’: your CV and an overview of your study results (merged into one pdf file)
• In the field‘Cover letter’: your application letter in pdf format
• In the field‘Diploma’: a transcript of the required degree. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Diego Miralles (). Important: do NOT send your application by email but apply online.