Closing Date: 30/09/2023

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a European Non-profit Science and Technology oriented Educational and Research Institution based in Cyprus and led by an acclaimed Board of Trustees. The research agenda of the CyI is pursued at its five Research Centers: the Energy Environment Water Research Centre (EEWRC), the Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center (CaSToRC), the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC), the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) and the Science and Technology Driven Policy and Innovation Research Center (STeDI-RC). Considerable cross-center interaction is a characteristic of the Institute’s culture.

The Cyprus Institute invites applications for a highly qualified and motivated individual to join the team of the Water Department of EEWRC as a Technical Research Specialist for Hydro-Ecological Observatories. The technical research specialist will also be involved in the project "Safe-H2O-Farm," which falls under the framework of the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA). This innovative project focuses on developing farm strategies that integrate sustainable nitrogen fertilization, water management, and pest control. The ultimate goal is to reduce water and soil pollution, as well as salinization, in the context of the Mediterranean region. The project spans five Mediterranean countries and requires collaborative research efforts to address these pressing agricultural and environmental challenges.

To improve our knowledge of hydrologic and ecosystem processes in a variable and changing semi-arid climate, the Water Department is maintaining a number of hydro-ecological monitoring stations in agricultural and natural ecosystems in Cyprus. The successful candidate will cooperate with researchers and PhD students of the Water Department on the maintenance, installation, and data analysis of automatic stations and sensors, including an Eddy-Covariance system. This involvement in cutting-edge research will provide the technical research specialist with valuable hands-on experience and insights into hydro-ecological dynamics within the region. The Technical Research Specialist will also conduct manual streamflow, groundwater and plant-physiological observations. The successful candidate will take water, soil and plant samples in the field and will analyze physical and chemical properties in the laboratory. The specialist will cooperate with local stakeholders and assist with the management and processing of large environmental data sets.

The initial period of the appointment will be for a fixed duration of one year with the possibility of renewal, depending on performance and availability of funds. An internationally competitive remuneration package will be offered, which is commensurate with the level of experience of the successful candidate.

Responsibilities/activities to be involved in:

1. Maintenance of off-grid field hydrologic, meteorological and ecosystem sensors and data loggers
2. Installation of experimental field monitoring stations
3. Observation of streamflow, groundwater and plant-physiology
4. Water, soil and plant sampling and laboratory analysis
5. Collection, management and analysis of large data sets, including data quality checks and processing
6. Cooperation and communication with local stakeholders

Required Qualifications

1. MSc in Hydrological, Agricultural or Environmental Sciences or Engineering
2. Proven experience in hydrologic, agricultural or environmental field research
3. Experience in using hydrological, meteorological and plant sensors
4. Experience in laboratory analysis of physical and chemical water, soil, and plant properties
5. Experience in setting up and programming data-loggers
6. Strong analytical skills
7. High level of problem-solving and organizational skills
8. Experience in working with stakeholders in the field
9. Good team player with the ability to adapt to a multicultural and multidisciplinary research environment
10. Fluent in English (spoken and written)
11. Drivers’ license

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with managing large data sets
• ArcGIS
• Relevant work experience before or after the MSc
• Greek language will be considered a strong advantage

Application

For full consideration, interested applicants should process their application at The Cyprus Institute Exelsys Platform (https://bit.ly/3HDLRTw) based on the instructions given. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae including a short letter of interest, and a list of three (3) referees (including contact information) (all documentation should be in English and in PDF Format). For further information, please contact Adriana Bruggeman (a.bruggeman@cyi.ac.cy). Please note that applications which do not fulfill the required qualifications and do not follow the announcement’s guidelines will not be considered.

Recruitment will continue until the position is filled.

The Cyprus Institute is an Equal Opportunities Employer certified from the Cypriot Ministry of Labor and also an HRS4R accredited Institution that adheres to the European Commission’s “Charter & Code” principles for recruitment and selection.

Contact person: Adriana Bruggeman

Reference number: EEWRC_TRS_23_07