Student Assistant - Climate Data Management & Dashboard Support (Part-time)

Deadline: 02 August 2026

13-2026
13-2026

Student Assistant - Climate Data Management & Dashboard Support (Part-time)

The IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) Program is one of the leading scientific research institutions in the domain of integrated assessment of climate change, energy systems and climate policy. ECE plays an active role in large-scale international research collaborations, contributing to and coordinating multiple Horizon Europe projects. A core part of this work involves not only producing scientific results but also making them accessible: ECE develops and maintains the data infrastructure, databases and interactive web tools that allow project outputs to reach researchers, policy makers and the wider public. One such project is SPARCCLE.

BACKGROUND

SPARCCLE, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to deliver the next generation of climate impacts and adaptation frameworks to explore, quantify and inform societal transformations towards climate resilient futures. Key outputs of the project include comprehensive analyses of multidimensional climate vulnerabilities, high-resolution probabilistic hazards and damages, socioeconomic analyses incorporating cross-sector and spillover effects, and granular socio-economic data and projections.

A central dissemination output of SPARCCLE will be an online data interface - the SPARCCLE-Explorer and EU Scoreboard - building on the existing PROVIDE Climate Risk Dashboard. This tool will combine interactive visualizations, dashboards and infographics for spatial and non-spatial climate scenario, impact and socioeconomic data, targeting audiences ranging from scientists and policy makers to adaptation practitioners and private sector actors. The new tool will be co-developed with key stakeholders and is intended as a sustainable, multi-project infrastructure for climate data dissemination at IIASA.

The successful candidate will join the team responsible for the data management and quality control workflows underpinning this new tool, working at the interface between research data, database infrastructure and the web development team.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will closely collaborate with researchers, data managers and research software engineers at the IIASA ECE Program, supporting the following tasks:

Data Migration

  • Convert existing time series data from the Climate Risk Dashboard into IAMC format for upload to a new ixmp4 database instance
  • Convert existing raster/gridded data into NetCDF format for upload to GeoServer

SPARCCLE Data Management

  • Support modelling teams that are unable to provide results in IAMC format with data formatting and conversion
  • Assist with preparation and formatting of spatial and raster datasets for upload to GeoServer
  • Assist with the management of the SPARCCLE Scenario Explorer instance, including handling requests from modelling teams

Climate Risk Dashboard - Quality Control & Content

  • Carry out quality control of existing results once data has been transferred and implemented in the new tool
  • Quality control of newly integrated SPARCCLE results and visualizations
  • Prepare descriptive texts and metadata entries for the new dashboard via the content management system (CMS)
  • Liaise with the web development team to communicate issues, review changes and support timely implementation

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • Applicant should have the willingness and ability to work in an international multi-disciplinary team and be flexible and adaptable in responding to deadlines. Good written and verbal communication skills in English are essential.

  • The successful candidate will ideally be enrolled in a degree program towards a BSc or MSc in a field related to environmental science, geography, data science, computer science, or a related discipline, with an interest in climate change and data management.

Necessary skills:

  • General experience with data wrangling and file format conversion (e.g. JSON, CSV, NetCDF, xlsx)
  • Python - working knowledge, including familiarity with packages such as pandas or xarray
  • Experience working with gridded/raster spatial data (e.g. NetCDF, GeoTIFF) in Python or GIS tools
  • Attention to detail and ability to carry out systematic quality control tasks
  • Good written English for preparation of dashboard descriptions and documentation

Desirable experience:

  • Familiarity with the IAMC data format or climate scenario data workflows
  • Experience with content management systems (CMS) or web-based editorial tools
  • Source control: familiarity with Git/GitHub

Appointment Terms

  • The position is part-time and is intended for a student assistant (Werkstudent). Working hours are flexible and can be arranged in agreement with the team.
  • The selected candidate should be available to start as soon as possible in 2026.
  • The position is based at IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria. Remote work arrangements may be possible in part, subject to agreement.
  • Please note: this vacancy does not qualify for relocation allowances
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