The Geothermal Energy and Geofluids (GEG) Group is a renowned research unit in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich investigating a wide range of subsurface mass and energy transfer processes as well as related power plant processes. We conduct both fundamental and applied research to address a wide range of societal concerns related to geothermal energy exploration, extraction, and utilization, geologic carbon dioxide sequestration, combinations thereof, groundwater utilization and contaminant mitigation, subsurface mass (e.g. Gas) and energy storage, and more. For more details, please see our

website

.

We are seeking a

Senior Scientific Software Engineer

to lead our software development efforts at the GEG. Our team develops state-of-the-art scientific and engineering software for a wide range of applications, including geoscience, energy systems, and mathematical modeling. This role is ideal for an experienced software developer with a strong background in scientific computing who is eager to

lead a development team, drive innovation, and explore commercial opportunities

arising from our research.

The position is linked to a project, therefore we are looking for a person who is willing to join on a temporary contract first, with a potential perspective to turn the assignment into a permanent position in case of successful project acquisition.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the software development team

  , driving best practices and technical excellence.
• Oversee the development and improvement of our scientific/engineering software tools, including applications in geoscience, optimization, and techno-economic modeling.
• Guide the team in

  modern software development practices

  (e.g., version control, documentation, testing, continuous integration).
• Adapt software for

  parallel computing

  , optimization workflows, and high-performance computing environments.
• Contribute to

  software deployment, testing, and benchmarking

  across multiple platforms.
• Assist with other software development, data analysis and visualization tasks as needed across different projects.
• Contribute to the development of ML and AI components within GEG software, including physics-informed ML/AI models, proxy models, input-output pattern recognition, data gap detection and interpolation, and knowledge-informed prompt generation for model input assistance.

• Explore opportunities for commercializing

  software innovations within the group, in particular regarding SaaS applications.

You have a strong

technical background in scientific/engineering software development

, along with leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. You are

not looking for an academic career track but

rather are eager to lead and

potentially spin off

technologies into new ventures.

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven leadership experience

  in software development teams.

• Expertise in scientific/engineering software development

  for geoscience, engineering, mathematical modeling, or related fields.

• Proficiency in Python (5+ years)

  and some experience with C++ or Rust.
• Experience with

  modern software development tools

  (e.g., version control, CI/CD, testing, documentation).

• Excellent communication skills

  , both written and verbal.
• Business-oriented mindset with an interest in

  commercializing software innovations

  .

Desired Skills

• Experience in

  numerical modeling

  of geologic reservoirs and subsurface fluid and energy transport.
• Experience with

  ML & AI

  applications.
• Basic understanding of

  physical and thermodynamic processes

  involved in subsurface fluid flow, heat transfer, and geochemical reactions.
• Development and deployment of

  graphical user interfaces (web apps, desktop apps)

• Parallel computing (GPU & CPU).

• Familiarity with

  cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), Docker, Kubernetes

  .
• Experience with

  Flask or Django

  for web applications.
• Previous experience or interest in

  startups and technology commercialization

  , in particular with

  SaaS

  .

This is a unique opportunity to

lead a software development team

within a research group at ETH Zurich, focusing on renewable geothermal energy and climate change (CCS) mitigation solutions. The team contributes to cutting-edge scientific and engineering computing, and explores

commercial pathways

for software innovations. If you are looking for a role that blends

technical excellence, leadership, and business strategy

, we would like to see your application.

We provide a dynamic and exciting work environment with cutting-edge computational infrastructure. The GEG Group values an open and inclusive group culture. We offer a position that combines the opportunity to contribute to the technical development of scientific/engineering software, collaborate with national and international research groups and companies, and join a motivated team. The position is designed as a long-term role, with an initial one-year appointment, renewable annually based on performance.

Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich

In line with

our values

, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our

. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. 

We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.

For recruitment services the

GTC of ETH Zurich

apply.

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.