Assistant Researcher A’ at the Environment and Climate Department

Ref. No. : ERA-ARA-ECD-215


ONE (1) ASSISTANT RESEARCHER A’ POSITION AT THE ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE DEPARTMENT


ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (www.eratosthenes.org.cy) of the Cyprus University of Technology (www.cut.ac.cy) invites applications for one (1) position at the Assistant Researcher A’ level at the Environment and Climate Department of ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence. The position is open either on a full-time (100%) or part-time employment basis. The successful candidate will conduct research under multiple Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence projects funded by the European Union and / or commenced or prone to commence services. The successful candidate will conduct research under multiple Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence projects funded by the European Union, including the flagship Excelsior H2020 Teaming project (https://excelsior2020.eu/).

ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is an autonomous Centre of Excellence with Cyprus University of Technology as its sole stakeholder, specialising in earth observation, space technology and geospatial analysis. Cyprus University of Technology has more than 17-years experience in earth observations and geospatial analysis. Through the ‘EXCELSIOR’ H2020 Teaming Project (https://excelsior2020.eu/), ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to become a Digital Innovation Hub for Earth Observation and Geospatial Information by offering knowledge, responsible research, open innovation and application services capable of sustaining Cyprus’ development. ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to actively contribute to the European Research Area (ERA) priorities in Atmosphere and Climate, Resilient Societies and Big Earth Data Analytics, as well as to become the reference Earth Observation/Geoinformation Centre for research and innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region.

A core activity of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is to conduct high caliber, state-of-the-art research, both basic and applied. A central task is to acquire research funding for the Centre, to provide facilities to the researchers, and to support them to acquire funding for their research independently and via international and local collaborations. Collaborations with industrial partners are particularly encouraged and facilitated.

Appropriate measures of success will be collaboratively determined based on the Centre’s strategic growth plan and sustainability targets. These will be revised periodically by the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.

Description of the Position

The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is seeking a qualified and motivated individual to join its Environment and Climate Department as Assistant Researcher A'. The successful candidate will support research efforts within European-funded projects, including Nemesis, LandShift, Nostradamus, and AfroGrow Horizon Europe initiatives. The role focuses on advancing Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), with a specific emphasis on their implementation and monitoring to address pressing environmental challenges such as climate change and land degradation. The candidate will design and apply methodologies for assessing the ecosystem services and impacts of NbS, and engage with stakeholders across academia, industry, governance, and civil society to co-develop practical and scalable solutions. Central to this role is the design and implementation of satellite-based environmental monitoring workflows, leveraging multi-source Earth Observation (EO) data to develop and validate remote sensing methodologies for vegetation monitoring, land cover/land use change detection, and ecosystem condition assessment. The candidate will contribute to geospatial analysis and environmental modelling activities, integrating satellite-derived products with field data and spatial decision-support tools. Responsibilities will include the application of spatial and environmental models to support ecosystem monitoring, vegetation mapping, and land degradation assessment. Experience with satellite data processing pipelines, multi-temporal time-series analysis, and the handling and analysis of large-volume, multi-source EO datasets will be considered a strong asset.

Nemesis is a forward-looking European initiative tackling the accelerating threats of desertification and soil degradation across the Mediterranean. The project brings together science, policy, and society by establishing five autonomous yet interconnected Soil Health Living Labs in Cyprus, France, Italy, North Africa, and Spain. These Living Labs operate as dynamic innovation ecosystems where real-world experimentation, community engagement, and data-driven insights converge. Nemesis integrates multiscale soil health data, local knowledge, and advanced monitoring methods to co-design sustainable land management practices tailored to each region’s environmental and socio-economic context. By empowering local communities and emphasizing the needs of future generations, the Living Labs evolve into demonstration sites for resilient and regenerative soil restoration solutions. The project advances evidence-based decision-making by establishing robust mechanisms to translate field insights into policy-relevant knowledge, supporting EU soil legislation and contributing to broader Mediterranean resilience strategies. Through capacity building, inclusive participation, and cross-border collaboration, Nemesis strengthens stewardship of soil resources and accelerates the transition toward healthy, productive, and climate-resilient landscapes across the Mediterranean and beyond.

Nostradamus aims to transform the agricultural sector, and beyond, through informed decision-making and policy shaping. The project will design, develop, and evaluate a scalable and robust platform for the online and real-time harvesting of valuable information from diverse data sources to support various agricultural applications. Nostradamus will establish an automated pipeline for data acquisition, storage, and pre-processing. Five Data Cubes will integrate satellite datasets and employ near-real-time server-side algorithms for time-series analysis and the generation of value-added geospatial maps. To enhance the sustainability performance and competitiveness of the agricultural sector through a multi-actor approach, Nostradamus will develop multiple open-source digital applications, which will utilize both edge and cloud solutions, as well as hybrid combinations, harnessing the potential of Internet of Things and Earth Observation data, ensuring the effective exploitation of such applications even in areas with weak connectivity.

LandShift is an innovative initiative addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable land management in the EU's land-use sector. It aims to reduce biogenic emissions and enhance ecosystem resilience by utilizing Living Earths, integrating FAO LCCS with optimized Earth Observation data, and Data Cubes as centralized data hubs. LandShift focuses on planning Nature-Based Solutions aligned with the New European Bauhaus, promoting carbon sequestration, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing ecosystem services. The project emphasizes data-driven decision-making with robust MRV systems to track progress and inform policy. Through outreach and capacity building, LandShift fosters collaboration and empowers stakeholders to advance sustainable land use practices.

AfroGrow aims to promote sustainable agroforestry across Africa by addressing climate resilience, biodiversity, soil health, and socio-economic development, while safeguarding human health. Through six Living Labs, the project will foster collaboration among communities, researchers, and policymakers to co-create solutions tailored to local contexts. These hubs will support knowledge exchange, technology transfer and capacity building, empowering stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices. AfroGrow will develop regional suitability maps for plant species and animal breeds, provide impact assessments, and offer data-driven policy recommendations.

Duties and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be placed in the Environment & Climate Department of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, and is expected to contribute towards shaping and advancing its research and innovation agenda by:

• Understanding ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence operations;
• Participating in the preparation and submission of project deliverables;
• Install, maintain, and safely handle and transport agrometeorological and ecohydrological monitoring equipment;
• Conduct water (e.g., rainfall, irrigation), soil (e.g., respiration), and plant physiological (e.g., leaf area index, stomatal conductance) measurements;
• Perform water and soil analyses (e.g., field capacity, wilting point, soil texture);
• Collect, manage, quality-check, process, and analyze large datasets;
• Apply FAO-56 procedures and related methodologies for water balance and evapotranspiration estimation;
• Develop and apply methodologies for assessing ecosystem services and the impacts of NbS in diverse ecosystems;
• Analyze results from diverse environments and prepare scientific reports, presentations, and publications;
• Collaborate with stakeholders across academia, governance, civil society, and industry to co-develop practical and scalable solutions that promote biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, ecosystem resilience, and soil-water interactions;
• Design and implement satellite-based environmental monitoring workflows leveraging multi-source EO data for ecosystem assessment and change detection;
• Apply machine learning approaches to satellite and EO datasets for ecosystem monitoring, land degradation assessment, and change detection at local-to-regional scales;
• Develop and validate satellite-derived environmental indicators and thematic maps by integrating EO products with ground truth, UAV surveys, and ancillary datasets, to support evidence-based decision-making and inform restoration strategies across project experimental sites;
• Disseminating and communicating project results through journal / conference publications, participation in conferences, information days, and other relevant events;
• Assisting in the establishment of local, regional, and international research networks that can support the long-term research agenda and priorities of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence;
• Assist in the preparation of grant proposals to secure funding and resources from national, regional, and international schemes for advancing future research initiatives;
• Participate in knowledge transfer activities, including workshops, training sessions, and public engagement;
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to align activities with project goals and advance the mission of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence;
• Participating in meetings at the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence;
• Working towards fulfilling ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence mission goals.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Geology, Geography, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Agronomy, or a closely related field;
2. Master of Science (MSc), required only for the Assistant Researcher A' level, in disciplines such as Hydrological Sciences, Agricultural or Environmental Sciences, Environmental Geomatics, Geoinformation in Environmental Management, or a closely related field with demonstrated focus on water balance, evapotranspiration, soil-water processes, and/or geospatial environmental analysis;
3. Proven experience in water balance estimation, evapotranspiration processes, and soil-water interactions, including familiarity with FAO-56 procedures and related methodologies;
4. Experience in laboratory analysis of soil properties (e.g., field capacity, wilting point, soil texture), as well as the collection, management, quality-checking, and processing of environmental datasets, is considered an advantage;
5. Experience in field research and sampling, including the installation and operation of agrometeorological stations, programming of data loggers, and the use of field instrumentation for water, soil, and plant physiological measurements, is considered an advantage;
6. Working knowledge of satellite remote sensing for environmental monitoring, including familiarity with multispectral image analysis, spectral indices, and time-series analysis; hands-on experience with platforms or tools such as Google Earth Engine, ESA SNAP, QGIS, or Python-based geospatial libraries is considered an advantage;
7. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and convey technical information to diverse audiences;
8. Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within a research team, including in outdoor settings under diverse weather conditions and terrain;
9. Experience in documenting and presenting scientific results through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and project reports is considered an advantage;
10. Valid driver's license and willingness to travel and conduct fieldwork in rural areas;
11. Excellent command of English is mandatory; knowledge of Greek or any other language relevant to the position is considered an advantage;
12. Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment.

Minimum Requirements for the post of Assistant Researcher A’

The minimum requirement for the position of Assistant Researcher A’ is a master’s degree from a recognized university.

The appointment will be for a period of one year (12 months) with the prospect of renewal for another one year. The annual gross salary for the (full-time) position will range for Assistant Researcher A’ from €25468.08 to €29592.08, depending on qualifications and experience. It is noted that there is provision for 13^th salary (the cost of the 13^th salary is proportionally incorporated in the monthly remuneration).
 
Interested candidates must submit their application comprising of all documents listed below not later than 03 July 2026 at 14.00 CYPRUS TIME, which is the deadline for the submission of the applications.
 

• A cover letter in English clearly specifying availability date for full time employment;
• Scanned or electronic copies of degree certificates and relevant qualifications. True copies of the originals will be requested for the shortlisted candidates;
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae in English (including contact details);
• The shortlisted candidates may be asked to submit Letters of Reference by three referees.

* Please combine all necessary documents in one PDF file and then upload on the "Resume" section.

Apply here:  https://eratosthenes.peopleforce.io/careers/v/213364-assistant-researcher-a-at-the-environment-and-climate-department 
 
If you have previously applied for any position at ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, a new application is required.

Screening of applications will begin immediately after this deadline and all applicants will be notified accordingly.

For further information visit ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence webpage at http://www.eratosthenes.org.cy.

For general inquiries, applicants may contact the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, at vacancies@eratosthenes.org.cy.

It is noted that:

• For non-EU applicants a work permit will be required;
• Applications will be treated in strict confidence. All information provided will comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union;
• The job requires that the Researcher is physically present at the Centre’s premises;
• ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is an equal opportunity employer;
• ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence does not discriminate in any way on the basis of gender, religion or belief, ethnic, national or social origin, age, physical ability, marital status and sexual orientation;
• The title of the position may be modified.