Research Software Engineer (all genders)
Coupled climate models on GPU-based HPC systems
The German Climate Computing Centre (DKRZ) is a leading institution in climate and Earth system modelling, operating high-performance supercomputers and extensive data systems. We are seeking a
Research Software Engineer (all genders)
Coupled climate models on GPU-based HPC systems
Your Tasks
DKRZ is actively involved in advancing Earth System Modelling (ESM) and developing digital twins of the Earth. A significant challenge is ensuring complex climate models and software stacks run efficiently on current and future EuroHPC systems, especially those with GPU-based architectures. This involves continuous work on application portability and performance across heterogeneous hardware, integrating modern programming models for performance portability.
As part of a Research Software Engineers (RSEs) team, you will collaborate with application developers and Earth system scientists to enhance the portability and performance of applications within the operational Destination Earth Climate DT system. Your responsibilities include:
- Adapting codes for various EuroHPC architectures.
- Contributing to performance analysis and optimization.
- Guiding the development of new applications with portability in mind.
- Preventing critical components from becoming performance bottlenecks.
- Porting Climate DT models to the new EuroHPC system JUPITER for testing and preparing for future operational simulations.
We are looking for candidates passionate about interdisciplinary work at the intersection of climate science, HPC, and software engineering, eager to apply and develop their programming skills in high-performance computing and performance-portable Earth system applications.
Qualifications / Experiences
- Academic degree in computer science, applied mathematics, computational physics/engineering, or related fields with a focus on scientific computing.
- Strong interest in and experience with high-performance computers, parallel programming (MPI/OpenMP), and OpenACC for GPU programming.
- Proficiency in C/C++ and/or Fortran under UNIX/LINUX, and scripting languages.
- Prior experience with algorithms, data structures, and scientific software design is beneficial.
- Experience setting up and running scientific model experiments on EuroHPC systems is an advantage.
- Excellent communication skills and proficiency in English.
Employment Conditions
We offer:
- Work in interdisciplinary teams with excellent national and international research connections.
- Creative freedom at the interface of applied computer science and scientific application development.
- Opportunities for further training and presenting results at international conferences, project meetings, and hackathons.
We are located in Hamburg, but offer flexible working hours and the possibility of up to 100% remote work within Germany. Remuneration will be based on qualifications according to TVöD-Bund. An ideal start date is August 2026, but is negotiable. The position is initially limited to two years, financed by third-party funded projects.
Application Process
Interested applicants should submit a single PDF document including a cover letter, detailed CV, and any additional supporting documents (e.g., professional references) to DKRZ, referencing 04_2026D. Applications must be submitted via the portal: https://dkrz.softgarden.io/de/vacancies.
Application deadline: Open until filled. Applications received by 07 June 2026 will be given priority.
For questions, please contact Dr. Claudia Frauen (frauen@dkrz.de) and Dr. Hendryk Bockelmann (bockelmann@dkrz.de).