Senior Software Engineer / Senior Software Engineeress and Technical Lead / Technical Leadess

Senior Software Engineer and Technical Lead

80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term

The Geothermal Energy and Geofluids (GEG) Group is a renowned research unit in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich. We investigate a variety of subsurface mass and energy transfer processes, as well as related power plant processes. Our focus encompasses both fundamental and applied research addressing societal concerns such as geothermal energy exploration, carbon dioxide sequestration, groundwater utilization, and energy storage, among others. For more details, please visit our website.

Job Description

We are seeking a Senior Scientific Software Engineer to lead our software development efforts at GEG. Our team is dedicated to creating state-of-the-art scientific and engineering software for diverse applications, including geoscience, energy systems, and mathematical modeling. This role is perfect 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.

Please note that this position is linked to a project, and we are initially looking for someone to join on a temporary contract. There is potential for this assignment to become a permanent position contingent upon successful project outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the software development team, driving best practices and technical excellence.
• Oversee the development and improvement of our scientific/engineering software tools, with 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 software development, data analysis, and visualization tasks across various projects.
• Contribute to the development of ML and AI components within GEG software, including physics-informed models, proxy models, and pattern recognition.
• Explore opportunities for commercializing software innovations, particularly regarding SaaS applications.

Profile

You possess a robust technical background in scientific and engineering software development, coupled with leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. You are not pursuing an academic career track but are rather eager to lead and potentially spin off technologies into new ventures.

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven leadership experience in managing software development teams.
• Expertise in scientific/engineering software development related to geoscience, engineering, or mathematical modeling.
• Proficiency in Python (5+ years), along with familiarity 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.
• A business-oriented mindset with a keen interest in commercializing software innovations.

Desired Skills

• Experience in numerical modeling of geologic reservoirs and subsurface fluid and energy transport.
• Knowledge of ML & AI applications.
• Basic understanding of physical and thermodynamic processes involved in subsurface fluid flow and heat transfer.
• Experience in developing and deploying graphical user interfaces (web and desktop apps).
• Parallel computing experience (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, particularly with SaaS.

Workplace

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 mitigation solutions. The GEG Group is committed to advancing scientific and engineering computing while exploring commercial pathways for software innovations.

We Offer

Our dynamic and exciting work environment is equipped with cutting-edge computational infrastructure. The GEG Group values an open and inclusive culture. This position provides an opportunity to contribute to the technical development of scientific and engineering software while collaborating with national and international research groups and companies.

Only applications matching the job profile will be considered. Apply online using the form below.

About ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich is one of the world's leading universities specializing in science and technology. Renowned for excellent education, cutting-edge research, and the direct transfer of knowledge into society, we attract over 30,000 individuals from more than 120 countries, dedicated to independent thought and excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, we collaborate to tackle the global challenges of today and tomorrow.