12826 - Researchers in Paleoclimate Modelling for Environment–Society Dynamics

Overview

Organisation/Company: CMCC Foundation

Department: HR Department, Geosciences – Geology

Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2) – PhD Positions

Application Deadline: 30 Jun 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Rome)

Country: Italy

Type of Contract: Temporary · Job Status: Full-time

Funding: This position is part of a project funded through an EU programme; contact for details on funding source.

Offer Description

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking two motivated researchers to join the climate team of the ERC Synergy Grant project EUROpest. The six-year interdisciplinary project explores how social–ecological systems shaped epidemic disease dynamics in preindustrial Europe (1300–1800), integrating historical, archaeological, ecological, genomic, and climatic evidence. Grounded in resilience theory and actor-network approaches, the project develops an eco-bio-social framework to capture multicausal dynamics of disease emergence, transmission, and societal responses. The international consortium includes leading partners across Europe and the United States.

The two positions will strengthen the project’s climate-related activities, focusing on high-resolution palaeoclimate simulations and analysis of past climate variability over Europe and the Mediterranean. The successful candidates will work with climate model simulations, reconstructed climate fields, and complementary datasets to investigate variability, extremes, and processes from large-scale to regional levels across the last millennium. Applicants with experience in atmospheric dynamics, ocean–atmosphere interactions, regional climate processes, and complex or coupled climate systems are especially considered.

The positions are open to candidates with backgrounds in climate science, atmospheric science, oceanography, environmental physics, applied mathematics, statistics, or related disciplines. We particularly encourage applicants with experience in numerical climate simulations, Earth system analysis, coupled systems, or advanced quantitative methods for spatio-temporal data. The selected candidates will be based at CMCC and supervised by Dr Elena Xoplaki, working in an international and collaborative environment at the interface of climate science and environmental history.

ABOUT US

CMCC Foundation is a cross-cutting scientific research center on climate change and its interactions with the environment, society, business, and policymakers. Our work aims to stimulate sustainable growth, protect the environment, and develop strategies for adaptation and mitigation of climate change. CMCC’s core objective is to conduct cutting-edge science, to train the next generation of scientists at national and international levels, and to be a beacon for climate modelling.

CMCC pursues fundamental and applied science with integrity, prioritizing data-driven science and providing data, information, and research results to support informed public debate and decision-making. To achieve climate research objectives, we invest in training all talents and strive to create a workplace where everyone can excel.

CMCC is committed to an inclusive, diverse workplace where every voice is heard and respected. The organization aims to foster innovation and societal change, enabling individuals from all backgrounds to thrive.

Over the last decade, CMCC has grown significantly and is embarking on a new chapter to strengthen its global position in climate-change research.

Role and Responsibilities

ROLE

The researchers will contribute to EUROpest’s climate component by supporting the application, implementation, and analysis of high-resolution climate modelling approaches for Europe and the Mediterranean over 1300–1800 CE. They will focus on palaeoclimate simulations, including externally forced experiments and, where relevant, coupled atmosphere–ocean frameworks, to characterize past climate variability and extremes at spatial and temporal scales relevant to interdisciplinary analyses. They will help prepare, evaluate, and interpret climate model outputs, including comparisons with proxy-based reconstructions, and investigate large-scale drivers, regional expressions of climate variability, and the consistency of climate signals across simulations and empirical evidence. Experience with atmospheric, oceanic, or coupled climate-system processes is valuable. The positions are integrated with ongoing climate modelling and reconstruction activities and will support translating climate information into forms suitable for interdisciplinary analysis.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the implementation, analysis, and evaluation of high-resolution palaeoclimate simulations over Europe and the Mediterranean
• Work with externally forced climate simulations and related datasets across regional to large-scale domains
• Support the preparation, processing, and evaluation of simulation experiments addressing past climate variability and extremes
• Engage with atmospheric, oceanic, and, where relevant, coupled climate-system processes represented in modelling frameworks

Quantitative Analysis and Evaluation

• Analyse simulated climate variability, trends, and extremes across relevant temporal scales
• Compare model outputs with proxy-based reconstructions and other climate evidence
• Assess the consistency, uncertainties, and robustness of climate signals across datasets and approaches
• Apply statistical and data-driven methods to analyse and interpret spatio-temporal climate patterns

Scientific Integration and Communication

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams across climate science, environmental history, and related fields
• Support the integration of climate information into broader analyses of environment–society interactions
• Contribute to scientific publications, reports, and project deliverables
• Present research results at international conferences, workshops, and project meetings

Requirements

• PhD in climate science, atmospheric science, oceanography, geosciences, physics, applied mathematics, statistics, or a related discipline
• Demonstrated experience with regional and/or global climate models, Earth system models, or closely related numerical modelling frameworks
• Experience in the analysis and interpretation of climate simulations, ideally including atmospheric, oceanic, or coupled systems
• Familiarity with high-resolution climate applications, downscaling approaches, or multiscale climate processes
• Experience in model evaluation, model–data comparison, or analysis of climate variability and extremes using statistical methods
• Proficiency in scientific programming and data handling, including Python, Bash, and standard climate data tools
• Experience working in high-performance computing (HPC) environments
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment
• Willingness to take initiative and contribute to the group’s research agenda
• Interest in palaeoclimate and interdisciplinary climate–environment research
• A strong publication record relative to career stage in climate science or related fields

Duration, Compensation & Benefits

• Contract and gross annual salary will be based on qualifications and working experience
• The position will be based in Bologna CMCC office
• Welfare package for a minimum 12-month contract; flexible working time per internal policies
• Support during the immigration process, if needed

Protected Category

Belonging to legally protected categories (ex L. 68/99) is a preferential condition. The organization is an equal-opportunity employer and evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status, and other protected characteristics. By submitting an application, candidates confirm that they have read and accepted CMCC Personnel Recruitment Rules and the Privacy Notice related to personal data processing.

We will keep your information on file for up to 1 year.

Additional Information

• Please note that this opportunity will be issued both internally and externally.
• The researchers will be based in Bologna CMCC office.
• Contract and gross annual salary will be based on qualifications and working experience.
• Welfare package for a minimum 12 months contract.
• Flexible working time as per internal policies.
• Support during the immigration process, if needed.