Fully Funded PhD in AI Weather Prediction and Climate Change in Spain 2027 – Apply Now - ApplyNOW

Full Job Description

The Instituto de Geociencias (IGEO, CSIC–UCM) in Madrid, Spain, invites applications for a fully funded four-year PhD position in AI-based weather prediction and climate-change attribution of extreme events.

Job Title: PhD Researcher – AI Weather Prediction and Climate Change Attribution Job Location: Madrid, Spain Closing Date: 31 December 2026 (or until filled) Work Format: Full-time, On-site Contract Duration: 4 Years Start Date: Spring 2027 Funding: Fully Funded (Approximately €1,655 net/month)

The position is part of the ADAPT-X (AI-Driven AnticiPated aTtribution of eXtreme events) project, funded by Comunidad de Madrid through the César Nombela Talent Attraction Programme.

The successful candidate will join the Physics of Climate and Climate Change group at IGEO and the STREAM research group at Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).

Research Responsibilities

The PhD researcher will investigate the application of artificial intelligence weather prediction models to extreme events, including heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts and severe storms.

Key research activities include:

• Evaluating the predictive skill of AI weather models and their representation of extreme events.

• Developing factual and counterfactual forecast experiments under present-day and pre-industrial climate conditions.

• Assessing the physical consistency of climate-change attribution results.

• Comparing AI-based attribution with physics-based numerical weather prediction simulations.

• Applying atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamic diagnostics to extreme weather events.

The research focus will be adapted to the candidate’s background and interests.

Educational Requirements

Applicants should hold, or be close to completing, a Master’s degree that provides access to a PhD programme.

Applications are welcomed from candidates with backgrounds in:

• Atmospheric Sciences

• Meteorology

• Climate Science

• Physics

• Applied Mathematics

• Environmental Sciences

• Computer Science

• Data Science

• Related quantitative disciplines

Required Skills

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Good scientific programming skills, particularly in Python.

• Strong quantitative skills and an interest in atmospheric and climate science.

• Good written and spoken English.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Advantageous Experience

Previous experience in the following areas would be beneficial but is not mandatory:

• Atmospheric dynamics and extreme events.

• Numerical weather or climate modelling.

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning for weather and climate.

• Linux/UNIX environments, shell scripting and high-performance computing.

• Analysis of large meteorological and climate datasets.

Funding And Employment Benefits

The successful candidate will receive:

• A fully funded, four-year predoctoral employment contract.

• Approximately €1,655 net per month, depending on personal tax circumstances.

• Full Spanish Social Security coverage and standard employee benefits.

• Access to substantial computational resources, including GPU infrastructure.

• Technical and research support at IGEO-CSIC.

• Opportunities for international research collaborations and research stays.

• Participation in international conferences and scientific publications.

The candidate will be enrolled in the PhD Programme in Physics at Complutense University of Madrid.

Research Supervision

The PhD will be supervised by:

• Dr. Bernat Jiménez Esteve – Supervisor

• Dr. David Barriopedro – Co-supervisor

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications by email to bernatji@ucm.es.

Email Subject: ADAPT-X PhD application – [Candidate name]

Applications must include a single PDF file containing:

• Curriculum Vitae: Including relevant research, programming experience and publications, where applicable.

• Motivation Letter: Approximately one page outlining the candidate’s background, research interests and motivation.

• Academic Transcripts: Bachelor’s and Master’s degree transcripts.

• Referees: Names and contact details of two potential referees.

Application Deadline: 31 December 2026. Applications submitted after this date may still be considered until the position is filled.

Full Opportunity Details: VIEW FULL CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

About The Institution

The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) is Spain’s largest public research institution.

The Instituto de Geociencias (IGEO) is a joint research centre of CSIC and Complutense University of Madrid, conducting multidisciplinary research in Earth sciences, atmospheric dynamics and climate change.

Applicants should hold, or be close to completing, a Master’s degree that provides access to a PhD programme.

Applications are welcomed from candidates with backgrounds in:

• Atmospheric Sciences

• Meteorology

• Climate Science

• Physics

• Applied Mathematics

• Environmental Sciences

• Computer Science

• Data Science

• Related quantitative disciplines