Lead Spatial Data Scientist

Are you ready to make a global impact through cutting-edge environmental research?

The Integrated Biosphere Futures (IBF) Research Group, part of the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program, is seeking an innovative and driven Lead Spatial Data Scientist to spearhead the development of an integrated land-use and land management database—an essential tool for world-leading modeling and sustainability efforts.

About the role:

As the Lead Spatial Data Scientist, you will take the helm in creating a groundbreaking, scalable database that integrates diverse datasets related to land use, crop yields, water availability, and environmental impacts. Initially focused on Europe, the database will ultimately expand globally, directly contributing to some of the world’s most impactful research on sustainability, biodiversity, and climate change.

This role is ideal for an experienced and visionary data scientist with a passion for applying spatial data analysis to solve complex, multidisciplinary challenges. You will have the unique opportunity to shape the architecture of a globally significant database and collaborate with leading international researchers in agriculture, biodiversity, and environmental science.

Why this role matters:

• Your work will directly inform critical global policy decisions on climate change, land use, and biodiversity.
• You will help harmonize data from some of the most advanced environmental models available, creating synergies that can drive meaningful change.
• You will play a pivotal role in securing funding and driving the growth of the database, ensuring its long-term success and global reach.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the design, development, and global expansion of a comprehensive land-use and land management database, starting with Europe and scaling globally within 1-2 years.
• Unify and harmonize diverse datasets—crop yields, land use, management intensities, water availability, costs, and biodiversity impacts—across multiple models and spatial scales.
• Design and maintain a scalable data architecture that supports seamless integration and sharing of complex datasets with varying input/output formats (e.g., raster, vector).
• Develop a harmonized framework for integrating data from models with differing input and output formats, ensuring data consistency across projects.
• Apply advanced spatial data analysis techniques and methodologies to extract meaningful insights from complex datasets, driving research and policy.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to identify new data sources and methodologies, ensuring the database remains cutting-edge and comprehensive.
• Pioneer global funding strategies to secure financial support for ongoing and future projects, ensuring the continued development of the database.
• Publish and present high-impact research, contributing to scientific discussions in top-tier journals and conferences.
• Contribute to scientific publications and presentations, sharing research findings with the international scientific community and stakeholders.

Who we're looking for:

The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking, highly skilled data scientist who thrives in interdisciplinary environments. You bring a blend of technical expertise, leadership ability, and a passion for addressing global challenges through data-driven insights.

Key qualifications:

• PhD in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field, with a minimum of five years of post-PhD experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing databases, with knowledge of developing maintainable and scalable data architectures (e.g., SQL, duckdb, Postgres + Postgis, or GeoServer).
• Advanced skills in GIS, R, Python, and managing complex spatial datasets (raster/vector formats) across varying scales.
• Experience in securing research funding focused on data management and analysis.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with a track record of mentoring junior researchers and collaborating with diverse, interdisciplinary teams.
• Knowledge of the data and processing requirements of commonly used methodological approaches, e.g., multi-objective spatial optimizations and deep learning.
• Expertise in agricultural and environmental statistics, with a deep understanding of their application in sustainability and climate change research.

Why join us?

At IIASA, we are more than just a research institution—we are a global network of experts working to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. In this role, you will:

• Drive innovation in the creation of a one-of-a-kind, globally scaled database.
• Collaborate with top-tier researchers and policy experts from around the world.
• Make a global impact by contributing to research that directly informs environmental policy and global sustainability efforts.
• Benefit from IIASA’s strong connections with international academic communities and global policy-making bodies.

Work in a flexible, supportive environment that values creativity, innovation, and collaboration.