CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JOB
Job location: ICRA – Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona (Spain)
Number of positions available: 1
Expected start: 1st November 2026
Expected duration of the contract: 3 months
Gross Annual Salary package: 31,000 € – 44,000€
OFFER DESCRIPTION
The Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) is seeking a Junior Researcher in Environmental Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Integrated Data Analysis to join its Research & Transfer Support Services.
The successful candidate will provide cross-cutting scientific and technical support to research, innovation and knowledge-transfer projects requiring expertise in environmental microbiology, molecular biology, experimental and sampling design, bioinformatics and integrated data analysis.
The position will focus particularly on projects related to water quality, wastewater and sanitation systems, environmental and epidemiological surveillance, and microbiological risk assessment. A key component of the role will be to bridge scientific research and practical application.
The successful candidate will contribute to transforming research methodologies into robust, reproducible and validated procedures, analytical tools and solutions that can be transferred to end users, including public administrations, environmental and public health agencies, water utilities and companies.
The position will also contribute to consolidating and transferring methodological knowledge generated within ICRA, including protocols, bioinformatic pipelines, scripts, databases and reproducible analytical workflows, facilitating their reuse across research teams and future projects.
KEY DUTIES
The successful candidate will:
– Participate in research, innovation and knowledge-transfer projects involving environmental microbiology, molecular biology, bioinformatics and integrated data analysis.
– Develop, adapt, optimise and validate microbiological and molecular methods for complex environmental samples.
– Apply methodologies including microbial culture, PCR, RT-qPCR, ddPCR, sequencing, metagenomics and related approaches.
– Design sampling strategies and contribute to the planning, coordination and implementation of environmental sampling campaigns, pilot studies and demonstration activities.
– Coordinate sample collection, registration, preservation, transport, pre-treatment and traceability when required.
– Analyse and interpret microbiological and molecular data and integrate them with environmental, physicochemical, hydraulic, epidemiological and operational information.
– Contribute to projects involving environmental and epidemiological surveillance, pathogen and microbial-marker detection, antimicrobial resistance, microbiome, resistome and mobilome characterisation, and the study of the presence, persistence, transformation and transport of microorganisms and microbial markers in water and sanitation systems.
– Contribute to the validation, documentation and reuse of bioinformatic pipelines, scripts, databases and reproducible data-analysis workflows.
– Ensure that protocols, analytical tools and datasets generated within projects are properly documented, traceable, reproducible and reusable.
– Translate scientific methodologies into robust procedures and tools suitable for implementation under real-world conditions and adapted to the needs of end users.
– Contribute to the preparation of standard operating procedures, technical protocols, validation and quality criteria, technical reports and scientific outputs.
– Coordinate microbiological activities within multidisciplinary projects and facilitate collaboration between ICRA research groups and external organisations.
– Support the preparation and implementation of competitive research projects, research contracts and knowledge-transfer activities.
– Provide training and methodological support to predoctoral researchers, postdoctoral researchers and technical staff.
– Where appropriate, assume technical coordination or leadership responsibilities in projects requiring this expertise.
EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
Must have – Required
Research Field or Field of knowledge:
Environmental microbiology, microbiology, environmental sciences, environmental engineering or a closely related field.
Qualifications and Education Level:
PhD in Environmental Sciences, Microbiology, Environmental Engineering or a related discipline.
Skills:
– Strong knowledge of environmental microbiology and molecular biology.
– Knowledge and practical experience with microbial culture, PCR, RT-qPCR, ddPCR, sequencing and microbial-community analysis.
– Ability to develop, optimise, adapt and validate microbiological and molecular methods for complex environmental matrices.
– Ability to design sampling strategies and coordinate field campaigns and pilot studies.
– Basic knowledge of bioinformatics, statistical analysis and data management.
– Ability to work with, document and maintain reproducible analytical pipelines and version-controlled workflows.
– Ability to integrate microbiological and molecular data with environmental, physicochemical, hydraulic, epidemiological and operational information.
– Ability to translate scientific methodologies into robust procedures suitable for real-world implementation and end-user needs.
– Knowledge of sanitation systems and the urban water cycle.
– Knowledge of quality systems, standard operating procedures, validation criteria and standardisation processes.
– Ability to coordinate microbiological activities within projects, laboratories, sampling campaigns and pilot studies.
– Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate with public administrations, environmental and public health agencies, water utilities, companies and other end users.
– Ability to contribute to the preparation and implementation of competitive research projects, research contracts and knowledge-transfer activities.
– Ability to document and transfer knowledge and to train research and technical staff.
– Strong communication, organisational, teamwork and coordination skills.
– Ability to work autonomously while contributing effectively to transversal and multidisciplinary projects.
– Valid driving licence.
Required Languages:
Catalan. Spanish. English.
Required Experience:
At least 12 months of demonstrated experience in research or technical activities related to environmental microbiology, molecular biology, environmental sample analysis, environmental monitoring or related fields. Candidates must be able to demonstrate experience in:
– Applying microbiological or molecular techniques to complex environmental samples.
– Developing, adapting, optimising or validating microbiological and molecular methods.
– Planning, coordinating or carrying out environmental sampling campaigns or pilot studies.
– Procedures for environmental sample collection, registration, preservation, transport, pre-treatment and traceability.
– Managing, organising, analysing or interpreting microbiological, molecular or environmental data.
– Preparing technical protocols, standard operating procedures, monitoring reports or similar research or knowledge-transfer documentation.
– Working collaboratively with research teams, laboratories or external organisations in projects with a microbiological component.
Desirable
The following will be considered an advantage:
– Experience in the technical coordination of research projects, sampling campaigns or pilot studies.
– Additional postgraduate training in Environmental Sciences, Microbiology, Environmental Engineering or a related field.
– Experience in wastewater-based epidemiology and wastewater-based surveillance.
– Experience working with sewer networks, wastewater treatment systems or other water-cycle infrastructures.
– Experience in antimicrobial resistance surveillance, environmental pathogen monitoring, microbiome or metagenomic studies.
– Experience collaborating with public authorities, public health or environmental agencies, water utilities or private-sector organisations.
– Experience translating research methodologies into validated procedures, demonstration activities or operational applications.
BENEFITS
Working conditions: Employed in compliance with Spanish legislation and regulations. Employees receive the benefits of the Spanish Social Security system covering sickness, maternity/paternity leaves and injuries at work.
International Environment: The opportunity to join a prestigious international research institution and become a member of a young and growing team.
Continuous training in a high-quality environment.
APPLICATIONS PROCEDURE & PROCESS
All Applications must be contain:
CV
Motivation letter
DNI or NIE (valid and with work permit in Spain). If you do not have a NIE, please attach a statement that you commit to take the necessary steps to obtain a work and residence permit in Spain.
Academic Degree (PhD)
Deadline for Applications:
Submission of applications at ICRA – Offers
The deadline to submit the required documentation is September 30th, 2026
Selection process:
In accordance with the OTM-R principles, a gender-balanced recruitment panel is formed for every vacancy at the beginning of the process. After reviewing the content of the applications, the panel will start the interviews. A profile questionnaire as well as a technical exercise may be required during the process.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In ICRA we are committed to maintaining and developing a work environment in which the values and principles of our organization are respected and equal opportunities and equality of opportunity and treatment is promoted in each of the areas in which we operate, creating a context favorable to diversity and to eradicate any type of direct or indirect discrimination based on age criteria (within the limits set by the Workers’ Statute), marital status, racial or ethnic origin, social status, religion or convictions, political tendency, sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender expression, sexual characteristics, union membership or not, because of language, disability or because of sex, including any unfavorable treatment dispensed for the exercise of conciliation rights or co-responsibility of family and work life.
Recruitment will be carried out as provided for in Article 15 of Royal Legislative Decree 1/1995 of 24 March passing the text of the Workers’ Statute Act, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of Royal Decree 2720/98 of 18 December (B.O.E. 8 January 1999), Act nº 12/2001 of July 9 (B.O.E. 10 July) and concordant regulations.
The principle of equality between men and women is taken into account, in accordance with Article 14 of the Spanish Constitution, the EU Directive of 9 February 1976 and the provisions of the Agreement of the Council of Ministers of March 4, 2005, passing the Plan for gender equality in the General State Administration.
Universal accessibility for persons with disabilities is taken into account, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 1 of Act nº 51/2003 of 2 December on equal opportunities, and 7% of vacancies are reserved provided the candidates pass the selection processes and are able to accredit disability and compatibility in performing the tasks so that we will progressively reach 2% of the total workforce.
Ensures effective compliance with the rights to equal treatment and non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and identity, gender expression or sexual characteristics of LGBTI people in the ICRA workplace, in accordance with Royal Decree 1026/ 2024, of October 8, which develops the planned set of measures for equality and non-discrimination of LGBTI people in companies.
Basic information on Data Protection Responsible: Fundació Institut Català de Recerca de l’Aigua (ICRA); Purpose: The selection of candidates for current and future jobs offered by our organization; Rights: You have the right to access, rectify and delete the data, as well as other rights indicated in the additional information; Additional information: You can consult the additional and detailed information on Data Protection on our website: http://www.icra.cat/politica-de-privacidad
