Project researcher or Postdoctoral Researcher in Digital Solutions for Water Resources Management

The University of Oulu is a multidisciplinary, international research university, with about 3,600 employees who produce new knowledge based on high-standards research and provide research based education to build a more sustainable, smarter, and more humane world. The University of Oulu community has about 17,000 people in total. Our northern scientific community operates globally and creates conditions for the emergence of innovations.  

We are now looking for a

Project researcher or Postdoctoral Researcher in Digital Solutions for Water Resources Management

to join us in ICT based solutions for water resources engineering and management at Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering research unit (WE3), at the Faculty of Technology.

The  Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering research unit carries out research on land, water and energy resources, systems and their interaction. Our research team has 110 members in 4 research groups with a strong focus on various aspects of water engineering, including hydrological modelling, cold climate hydrology, hydrological process studies, groundwater research, water quality, water management, water supply, treatment, and protection. In hydrology, the research includes studies at our research stations and super sites in Finland with a unique and developing infrastructure.

We are active in interdisciplinary studies in Finland and different regions abroad, with studies on climate, land, energy and water analysis, modelling and management. We lead a large scale and long-term Finnish research and impact Flagship on Digital Waters to which this position is linked. In the flagship, we also include expert teams in ICT technologies and teams working on water, land and environmental digital applications.

Job description

You will work in the Digital Waters Flagship research area, developing its research and innovation actions in collaboration with various international and national research projects and partners. The work involves the development of digital solutions, including monitoring, data management, and modeling, in the process of creating digital twins for Water Resource Management. You will also collaborate and assist in doctoral education and research alongside other senior staff and professors. Some teaching and supervision of graduate students may also be considered.

The primary Objectives at DIWA are to develop a digital twin platform for water management systems, to explore various use cases related to water, employing physics-based and data-driven approaches to create models for detection, prediction, prescription, and proactive maintenance, and to integrate additional analyses and models into our digital twin services (such as what-if analysis) in the future. The Digital Twin Platform objectives are to allow researchers to share their data and developed models for water resource related use cases in a systematic and accessible manner, and to provide digital twin services for showcasing  and technical pilot purposes.

We are looking for a talented researcher with a strong background in:

Developing digital twin platforms that can 1) host physics-based or data-driven models developed by project researchers and collaborators, 2) share and visualize the data and models for showcasing and end-user engagement purposes. This involves providing access to our existing data sources via an API and enabling researchers to systematically share, edit, and utilize models (e.g., through downloadable code and documentation or API-based access).

And preferably also some interest and experience in:

Developing advanced physics-based models and data-driven solutions (including statistical analyses, machine learning, and artificial intelligence) for water resources engineering and management applications that can be implemented in our digital twin platform.

We encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

Core responsibilities:

• Work in a strong team focused on digitalization in water resources research and management.
• Develop and manage different types of interrelated solutions for environmental monitoring, data handling, data fusion, and modeling, within a single interoperable digital platform.
• Broader project management duties including collaboration and communication with international and national partner research projects and entities.

The responsibilities of a postdoctoral researcher also include:

• Teach, supervise, and otherwise participate in the research and education of undergraduate or graduate students.

What we offer?

We offer you an interesting and versatile position being part of a large digital water research cluster (digitalwaters.fi) with experts in information technology, water and hydrological research. You will have the opportunity to develop professionally with the help of an experienced and enthusiastic team. You will also have access to our unique infrastructure where new studies can be initiated in collaboration with our team members.

University of Oulu offers

• Possibilities for flexible work via well-established practices and agreements for flexible working hours, part-time working and teleworking.
• Wellness benefit ePassi covering sport, culture and well-being. Read more about other staff benefits. 
• Development and career options of the big organization. Work that matters and a workplace that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Read more about working with us.
• Our Buddy Programme and Spouse Network support you and close-ones in settling into Oulu.
• We have a HR Excellence in Research -quality label which is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers. 
• Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, excellent education system, and competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu.

Who are you?

To succeed as a project researcher, you are required to have:

• Master degree in ICT related science or engineering, water or environmental engineering or other relevant fields.
• Strong experience in programming, big data management, and API development with related practices and standards.
• Proficiency in developing algorithms for data analysis, modeling, and forecasting Interest in hydrology and water resources engineering and/or water resources management.
• Fluent in English, both in oral and written communication.

To succeed as a postdoctoral researcher, you are required to have:

• Doctoral degree in ICT related science or engineering, water or environmental engineering or other relevant fields. The doctoral degree must be obtained no more than 10 years ago.
• The ability for independent scientific work, as well as the teaching skills required for the position.
• Strong experience in programming, big data management, and API development with related practices and standards.
• Proficiency in developing algorithms for data analysis, modeling, and forecasting Interest in hydrology and water resources engineering and/or water resources management.
• Fluent in English, both in oral and written communication

For both positions we also appreciate the following know-how and experience in:

• Strong background in computational and data driven methods such as AI Knowledge of the OGC’s (Open Geospatial Consortium) APIs and standards Experience with High-Performance Computing (HPC) environments, parallel computing and distributed systems.
• Experience in handling large observational and/or modelling datasets and familiarity with data integration techniques and tools.
• Experience with both relational and NoSQL geospatial databases, including design, implementation, and optimization.
• Experience with data visualization, UI development tools and frameworks, and ability to design and implement user-friendly, interactive and intuitive visualizations.
• Experience in the use of information technology such as development of digital tools and twins.
• Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and communicate with various stakeholders.
• Experience in scientific writing and communication International experience and networking skills.

Salary

The duration of the fixed-term position is 3 years, beginning on 1st of August 2025 (or as soon as possible thereafter). A trial period of 6 months is applied in the position.

As a project researcher the salary will be based on the level 8-9 of the requirement level chart for other expert and support staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). Typical monthly salary for project researcher is 3200 - 3700 € (before taxes)

As a postdoctoral researcher the salary will be based on the level 5-6 of the requirement level chart for teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). Typical monthly salary for postdoctoral researcher is 3700-4200 €.

A trial period of 6 months is applied in the position.

Applications and selection process

Apply online latest on May 10th, 2025 (23:59 Finnish time). The application should be written in English and include the following documents:

• A letter of motivation with contact information (max 2 pages),
• Curriculum vitae (max 4 pages) following the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity.
• A copy of the applicant’s past degrees and diplomas with transcript of records, or, if the degree is not available at the time of application, a statement from the applicant and their supervisor(s) regarding the expected completion date.
• Contact details of 2–4 persons available for recommendation.
• List of publications following the guidelines of the Research Council of Finland (Optional for project researchers)

The eligible applicants fitting best in the expected research profile may be invited to an on-site or remote interview. All applicants will be notified when the selection process is completed.

Further information

Professor Bjørn Kløve, bjorn.klove(at)oulu.fi

Associate professor Mehdi Rasti, mehdi.rasti(at)oulu.fi