Postdoctoral researcher in water reuse and nature-based solutions (NbS)

Offer Description

Mission:

Scientific and technical support for the INTERREG SUDOE TARGET project – Territorial Strategy for Water Scarcity (S1/2.5/F0041), within the framework of the Granollers–UPC local pilot, to test the planning strategy and deploy water reuse solutions and quality monitoring/alarm systems at the municipal scale, in accordance with current regulations and health standards.

Functions to be developed:

Plan and execute pilot plant activities for water reuse.
Supervise fieldwork and operation of the monitoring system: parameters, frequencies, and sampling procedures.
Develop water quality alarm protocols based on machine learning: thresholds, alert workflows, and response or shutdown measur.
Analyze data (time series) and develop quality indicators to support municipal decision-making.
Ensure compliance with regulations (EU Regulation 2020/741, WFD 2000/60/EC, and health criteria for final use).
Coordinate with municipal services and local stakeholders; organize technical meetings and feedback sessions.
Draft technical reports and contributions to project deliverables.
Support territorial planning (scenarios and action programmes) and assess the feasibility and replicability of solutions.
Contribute to scientific and technological dissemination (articles, conferences) and to the preparation of funding proposals.
Ensure data and sample security, ethics, and traceability; manage basic procurement and pilot logistics.
Maintain relevant scientific output (JCR/Scopus articles) and experience in writing project proposals and technical reports (INTERREG/H2020 or similar).
Lead work packages and supervise students (BSc/MSc/PhD) in competitive research environments.

Where to apply

Website: https://seuelectronica.upc.edu/en/procedures/call-for-recruitment-of-pdi-postdo…

Skills/Qualifications

Technical Skills:

Previous experience in water reuse and nature-based solutions (NbS), especially in municipal or demonstrative pilot environments.
Knowledge and application of quality protocols (physicochemical and microbiological), QA/QC, and alarm protocols; experience in sensor deployment/SCADA and data processing.
Ability to optimize regeneration systems and integrate them into service networks; knowledge of EU regulations on water reuse.
Skills in modelling and analysis using machine learning tools.
Experience in environmental and economic assessment and in feasibility and replicability studies.
Scientific production (Q1) and technical report writing.
Availability and initiative for fieldwork, meetings with stakeholders, and support for municipal decision-making.

Specific Requirements

Educational Requirements:

Water reuse and nature-based solutions (NbS): advanced knowledge in the design, sizing, and operation of regeneration systems, including constructed wetlands, natural and hybrid treatments, and their integration into municipal water reuse networks for various end uses (irrigation, street cleaning, aquifer recharge).
Water quality: expertise in monitoring physicochemical and microbiological parameters (BOD, COD, N, P, TSS, E. coli, enterococci), implementing quality assurance and control (QA/QC) protocols, and developing automated alarm procedures.
Monitoring and data: experience in system sensor deployment and management of telemetry/SCADA networks; processing and analysis of time-series data using statistical and programming tools (Excel and Python), with the ability to develop predictive performance models.
Regulatory frameworks: thorough understanding of EU Regulation 2020/741 on safe water reuse, the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, and sanitary criteria for water end uses; ability to interpret and apply these regulatory frameworks in municipal contexts.
Modelling and planning: skilled in preparing local water balance models, identifying scarcity scenarios, and using decision-support tools and GIS systems for territorial diagnosis and planning.
Environmental and economic assessment: experience in life cycle assessment (LCA), cost-benefit analysis, and evaluation of the feasibility and replicability of nature-based solutions; understanding of circular economy principles applied to water management.
Innovation and knowledge transfer: familiarity with technology validation at pilot and demonstrative scale, and with knowledge transfer processes involving public administrations and water management companies.

Professional Experience:

Consolidated experience in research and development in environmental engineering applied to water reuse and nature-based solutions, at pilot and demonstrative scale.
Participation in international competitive research projects (INTERREG/H2020 and similar).
Work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, coordinating with local administrations and water cycle management entities.
Design and operation of treatment and regeneration systems; planning and coordination of field activities.
Monitoring and quality control (QA/QC), data processing, and preparation of technical reports.
Definition of efficiency indicators and support for water quality alarm protocols.
Knowledge transfer and scientific output; university teaching and supervision of academic works.
Results-oriented approach, integrating technical, environmental, and economic criteria in municipal planning and water governance contexts.
Demonstrable postdoctoral experience in applied research on water cycle management, reuse, and nature-based solutions, including task coordination, deliverable management, and stakeholder engagement.
Experience in functions similar to those described will be valued, specifically in the development of research activities, both in the university and industrial.

Other requirements to consider:

Having worked on alarm protocols based on machine learning.

Additional Information

Benefits

€23,829.68 gross/annual (per full-time position)

Eligibility criteria

All the candidates who cannot prove the required academic degree will be immediately withdrawn from the selection process.

The CVs will be assessed according the following general criteria:

The maximum score for the candidates who accomplish all the eligibility criteria stated in the job offer will be 10 points.
Threshold: 5 points.
The maximum score (10 points) will be distributed as follows:
1 point for required speciality.
2 points for required academic training.
2 points for technic competences.
1 point for organisational competences.
3 points for professional experience.
1 point for any aspect of the candidate’s professional profile to be determined as specially relevant by the Selection committee.

If the selection committee decide to include a personal interview as additional step of the selection process, only the candidates scored 5 or above for their CV will be retained for the interview step.

The interview will be assessed according the following criteria:

Maximum scoring: 5 points.
Threshold: 3 points.
The maximum score will be distributed according the following criteria:
2 points for adequacy to functional competences of the job.
2 points for adequacy of professional experience.
1 point for any aspect of the candidate’s professional profile to be determined as especially relevant by the Selection committee.

The eligible candidates will be ranked from highest to lowest score, being this the selection criteria.

Selection process

The planned selection process is as follows:

Those interested must access the website where the university publishes all the offers: https://talenthub.upc.edu/en/jobs/r2/r2-jobs/r2-jobs select the offer that is of interest to you, click on: https://seuelectronica.upc.edu/en/procedures/call-for-recruitment-of-pdi-postdoctoral-staff-to-carry-out-scientific-and-technical-activities?set_language=en, fill in the form and add the additional documentation indicated.
The members of the selection committee will decide for each case what the selection process will be, if an assessment is made only for the curriculum vitae or any other procedure is planned: interview, tests, etc …
Each phase of the selection process will be reported on the website where the offer is published. If applicable, indicate your request.
Finally, the name of the person selected will be published on the same website where the offer is published.

Website for additional job details: https://interreg-sudoe.eu/en/proyecto-interreg/target/

5 days remaining