12789 - Early career postdoctoral researchers - Data Analyst – Behavioral Inference and Machine Learning for Global Water Systems

CMCC Position cod. 12789
Early career postdoctoral researchers
Data Analyst – Behavioral Inference and Machine Learning for Global Water Systems
Deadline: January 31st, 2026

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking two highly motivated and talented early-career Postdoctoral Researchers with a strong background in environmental modelling, data science, or related fields to join the interdisciplinary team at the CMCC Foundation – Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, based in Milan, Italy.

The successful candidates will contribute to the development and application of innovative data-driven approaches to understand and simulate human behaviour within global water systems.

The positions will focus on inferring behavioural patterns from large-scale observational datasets, with particular attention to reservoir operations, water abstraction practices, and the socio-economic drivers of sectoral water use. By applying advanced machine learning techniques, the researchers will reconstruct decision-making processes underlying water resource management and reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics of demand and infrastructure behaviour across global scales.

By integrating these behavioural insights into next-generation global hydrological and energy system models, the research will contribute to a more behaviourally realistic and climate-sensitive representation of water use and management — essential for planning resilient and sustainable futures.

These positions offer a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, hydro-climatic sciences, and environmental systems analysis, within a dynamic and international research environment. The candidates will play a key role in advancing scalable behavioural representations in Earth system models, fostering actionable insights for global sustainability challenges.

Through the integration of techniques such as feature extraction, explainable AI, clustering, transfer learning, and reinforcement learning, the researchers will extract behavioural insights from global-scale data on water use and infrastructure, reconstruct implicit decision rules governing water management, and assess their impacts under changing hydro-climatic and socio-economic conditions.

ABOUT US

CMCC Foundation is a cross-cutting scientific research center on climate change and its interactions with the environment, society, the world of business, and policymakers. Our work aims to stimulate sustainable growth, protect the environment, and develop strategies for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change. CMCC's core objective is to conduct cutting-edge science, to train the next generation of scientists at both national and international levels, and to be a beacon for climate modelling.

The European Institute in Economics and the Environment (EIEE) is one of the three institutes of CMCC. It was established in 2018 in a trans-Atlantic partnership with Resources for the Future (RFF). It is one of the leading research centers on climate economics, featuring a diverse and international team of economists and natural scientists.

CMCC pursues fundamental and applied science with utmost scientific integrity, prioritizing data-driven science and providing data, information, and research results that can support informed public debate and decision-making processes. To achieve climate research objectives at the highest international standards, we invest in training all our talents, and strive to create a workplace where everyone can excel.

At CMCC you will find a strong, professional environment. Join an inclusive community that values diversity, where every voice is heard and respected. Help foster a culture of innovation and societal change, where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and succeed.

Over the last decade, CMCC has experienced extraordinary growth. We are now embarking on a new chapter of our journey that will further boost CMCC's global position in climate change research…Together

To learn more about this opportunity and submit your application, please refer to the following:

ROLE

The successful candidates will work within the European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE), one of the three CMCC Institutes. EIEE stands at the intersection of environment and economics, evaluating sustainable and socially inclusive strategies to combat climate change and other major environmental challenges. EIEE is committed to improving environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial socio-economic research and policy engagement. EIEE is a central hub for research insights and policy solutions, within Europe and internationally.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The selected candidates will:Reconstruct and analyze spatiotemporal patterns in global water use, across domestic, agricultural, and energy sectors, using large datasets and machine learning.Apply AI to infer reservoir operating rules and other management decisions from observational data.Develop behaviorally realistic representations of water management decisions, to improve simulation of water demand and allocation under dynamic conditions.Contribute to the estimation of water-related energy generation potential (hydropower and thermoelectric) and the development of sustainability indicators, including withdrawal limits and scarcity risk metrics.Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and integrate behavioral components into large-scale simulation models.Publish research in high-impact journals and contribute to dissemination through conferences and stakeholder engagement.Contribute to the objectives of the EIEE Institute. 
REQUIREMENTS
Required qualifications:
 PhD in Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science or related fields.Proven experience in machine learning and data-driven modeling, including time-series and geospatial data analysis.Proficiency in Python, with familiarity with libraries for data processing (e.g. xarray, pandas), machine learning (e.g. scikit-learn, tensorflow) and geospatial analysis (e.g. geopandas, pyproj, cartopy).Knowledge of water systems and human-environment interactions, particularly in water infrastructure management.Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.Fluency in English (spoken and written). Preferred qualifications:Experience with hydrological or Earth system modeling frameworks.Strong communication skills and ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.Experience in international research proposal writing.DURATION, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS The  positions will be based in Milan CMCC office.The appointment period will be initially 24 months, renewable pending a positive evaluation.Contract and gross annual salary will be based on qualifications and working experience competitive with major research centers in Europe.Welfare package, for minimum 12 months contract.Flexible working time as per internal policies.Support during the immigration process, if needed.Tax benefits for individuals relocating to Italy: Individuals of any nationality who move their residence to Italy may be eligible for substantial income tax reductions under the "Rientro dei Cervelli" (Return of Brains) scheme, available for up to five years.Professional development: Support for international conference travel, training, and potential PhD enrollmentCollaborative environment: Work with global experts in climate, energy, and economic modelingPlease note that this opportunity will be issued both internally and externally. Interviews will begin one month after the opening of the job call and will continue until the position is filled.
 

PROTECTED CATEGORY
Belonging to legally protected categories (ex L. 68/99) will constitute a preferential condition.
Some fiscal benefits could be applied for repatriated workers or foreign researchers/professors, having the requirements defined by Dlgs 147/2015 (for repatriates) or Dl 78/2010 (for foreigners).
CMCC is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status, and other legally protected characteristics. Please omit from your CV any data you or we might consider discriminatory.
This job announcement is an invitation to express interest in the above-mentioned CMCC Position.

Applicants responding to this posting declare that they have read, understood and agreed to the "Official Rule for the CMCC Personnel recruitment".

We will keep your information on file for up to 1 year.

---