Application Deadline: 1st of August 2025
Possible start date: 1st of October 2025
Duration: 2+ years,
Job location: Waldeck Pyrmonthlaan 14, Doorwerth, the Netherlands
Brutto monthly salary: starts at €3.420 gross per month (with possible bonuses)
Job type: research assistant
Fields: machine learning, AI, geography, High Performance Computing (HPC), geoinformatics, environmetrics
Employer: OpenGeoHub Foundation
Job description
OpenGeoHub foundation is a not-for-profit research foundation with headquarters at Doorwerth (half way between Wageningen and Arnhem), the Netherlands. We aim to become world experts in producing global and regional spatial predictions of soil, vegetation and climatic variables. For this, we use high performance computing / optimisation and state-of-the-art machine learning.
OpenGeoHub foundation is looking for an assistant researcher in the field of Machine Learning and AI for modeling land use & land cover dynamics: focused on processing global and pan-continental data sets for the purpose of producing state-of-the-art land use and land cover maps. The special focus of your work will be on building ensemble models (data fusion), LLMs, and automated AI-based solutions to help produce global consistent land cover / land use data sets with quantified uncertainty and discrepancy measures (per pixel). You would primarily contribute to the Horizon Europe projects Open Earth Monitor (OEMC), Open Geospatial Carbon Registry (OGCR), but also actively contribute to the OpenLandMap.org, EcoDataCube.eu and the AI4SoilHealth.eu projects.
OpenGeoHub would provide HPC infrastructure (that includes own copy of Landsat, MODIS and numerous other global and regional data sets; >3PB of data) and would lead and supervise the candidate jointly with other partner organizations on the OEMC and OGCR projects.
You would also be encouraged to network with other researchers and groups world leaders in their fields. OpenGeoHub works closely with IIASA (Geo-wiki.org), Utrecht University, Wageningen University (Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing), EURAC Research, The Woodwell Climate Research Center, Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry (Biogeochemical Integration Department), Institute for Geoinformatics (ifgi) / University of Münster, GFZ Helmholtz German Research Centre for Geosciences, GiLAB.rs, and many other organizations. Our clients / collaborating organizations also include: World Resources Institute, The Nature Conservancy, UNCCD, Conservation International and others.
“Come to OpenGeoHub and learn from world experts in High Performance Geocomputing: boost your ambitions and help us develop and extend open source Machine Learning solutions for global good.”
Your profile
Minimum requirements:
- You have an MSc degree in the field of environmental science and/or geoinformatics and/or remote sensing; combined with a background in GIS, geocomputation, and environmetrics.
- You have minimum coding & geocomputing skills in programming languages such as Python, Bash, R, and/or Julia.
- You are familiar with OSGeo tools especially GDAL, QGIS and similar.
- You are competent at, and enjoy developing computational notebooks, debugging and problem solving using code.
- You have a high affinity to learn and teach / share knowledge across borders.
- You are fluent in English.
- Note: for non-EU citizens, the Dutch Immigration rules from 2022 indicate minimum conditions requirements for a working work and residence permit visa (provisional residence permit) for the Netherlands.
INFORMATION AND APPLICATION
Questions:
Questions regarding this position can be directed to Tom Hengl, email: tom.hengl@opengeohub.org . Applications, including (1) a CV, (2) a statement of your interest and vision, and (3) a self-assessment based on the minimum requirements, should be uploaded via this link. Please prepare all documents as a PDF before starting the application.
Our offer:
We offer a full-time position for 2 years, with possible extension, within a very stimulating international innovation and research environment aiming at solving global and regional environmental problems at large scales. You will work in a dynamic work environment with enthusiastic colleagues usually from a variety of countries.
- Starting salary will be €3.420 gross per month with possible bonuses;
- A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary;
- Minimum of 29 holidays if in full-time employment;
- Professional and personal development programs.
We strongly encourage a high degree of responsibility and independence, while collaborating with other colleagues. Flexible hours and occasional remote working are also possible upon agreement with the OpenGeoHub Management Board.
