Software Engineers (m/w/d)

The German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) is the central simulation and data processing facility for the German climate and Earth system modeling community and is one of the leading institutions worldwide in this field. The DKRZ not only operates supercomputers of the highest performance class and one of the largest data and archive systems in the world, but also participates in numerous national and international projects for the further development of software and infrastructure for climate modeling.

Job Advertisement: Software Engineers (m/f/d)

DKRZ offers exciting opportunities for talents who want to help shape the future of climate data infrastructure. The goal is to support scientists in optimally utilizing the coming wave of high-resolution climate model data from Germany and all of Europe, in order to transform this data into robust, policy-relevant information for climate research, assessment, and decision-making. With the beginning of a new era in kilometer-scale climate modeling, major European lighthouse projects are redefining the use of simulation data to support the scientific assessments of the IPCC and the resulting recommendations for climate policy.

To support the development and operation of new services for the utilization of climate model data within the framework of several European projects, the Data Management and Data Analysis departments of DKRZ are seeking Software Engineers (m/f/d). In this role, you will contribute to the conception, development, and operation of state-of-the-art data services that make enormous amounts of climate model data accessible to international climate science. The focus of the work is on the development of innovative data access and catalog services to enable seamless data access across hard disk, cloud, and tape storage systems. Central to this is a centralized data catalog to be developed, which orchestrates a globally federated data infrastructure and makes it scalable for use.

Your Tasks

Responsibilities

• Federated Data Services: Development and operation of federated data catalogs based on standards like STAC.
• Service Design and Deployment: Conception, deployment, and maintenance of containerized data services in modern, distributed environments.
• European Collaboration: Close collaboration with international partners on the architecture of federated data services, including data catalogs integrated with message queues for ingestion and cloud-native data access services.
• Event-Driven Infrastructure: Implementation and operation of event-driven systems using technologies like Apache Kafka to enable efficient data flows in the European climate data infrastructure.
• Distributed Analysis Workflows: Conception and development of interactive and asynchronous analysis workflows on distributed computing infrastructure.
• Archive Access Services: Creation and maintenance of asynchronous access layers for the transparent retrieval of large-scale climate data from tape-based archive systems.
• Operations and DevOps: Strengthening service operations through central DevOps practices, including Docker-based deployments and CI/CD pipelines, to provide reusable components for international tier locations.

Qualifications/ Your Profile

Qualifications

• You have a completed university degree in computer science, geosciences, or a related field.
• You have a strong interest in modern technologies and innovative software.
• You have very good, proven software engineering skills, especially in Python, scripting, and collaborative/open-source software development.
• You have practical experience with distributed systems and messaging technologies such as Apache Kafka.
• You bring practical knowledge in the deployment and operation of containerized services, e.g., with Docker.
• You are familiar with handling large-scale climate or geodata, including data formats like NetCDF and Zarr.
• You have an understanding of data catalog and metadata systems, including concepts like indexing, cataloging, and STAC.
• You are motivated to explore and apply modern technologies in distributed climate data infrastructures, including S3/cloud environments, Docker, Python-based AI and data analysis tools, and message queue systems.
• You enjoy working in international teams and are willing to undertake business trips domestically and abroad.
• You have very good English skills; German language skills are an advantage.
• You are a team player with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary and international environments.

Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply if you are enthusiastic about this role and believe you can make a strong contribution to the expansion of a new climate data infrastructure in Europe.

How We Work

Working Methods

• Use of agile methods such as Scrum/Kanban, pair programming, code reviews, and test-driven development.
• Collaborative work in small teams, openness to new technologies, and active knowledge exchange with colleagues.
• Flexible working hours with the option of working in our modern office in the heart of Hamburg or home office options.
• Collaboration with world-leading experts in climate modeling, climate data infrastructure, and European research services.

Duration and Work Schedule The position is based at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) in Hamburg. The start date is as soon as possible and is limited to 3 years. Remuneration will be in accordance with the regulations of the public service (TVöD-Bund, depending on the qualifications of the applicants), including extensive social benefits. The employment conditions are governed by the provisions of the German public service.

Application Process In your cover letter, please highlight your experience and qualifications in software engineering and management, data coordination, and, if applicable, climate science research.

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until May 10, 2026.

Become part of the DKRZ and help to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of climate and Earth system modeling through advanced data processing and optimization techniques. Together, we can advance climate science through technological progress, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.

For further information, please contact Karsten Peters-von Gehlen (peters@dkrz.de).