Programmer in C++ to the department of Earth and environmental sciences Full-time

Programmer in C++ to the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world's top universities. The University has around 47,000 students and more than 8,800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain, and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Research and education at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (MGeo) addresses fundamental and applied questions on the Earth's past, present, and future climate and environment, including people's interactions with the natural world and consequences for human wellbeing. MGeo advances and deploys cutting-edge methods, models, and technologies in environmental science, quaternary sciences, bedrock geology, paleontology, physical geography, biodiversity and ecosystem science, remote sensing, Geographic Information Science (GIS), and computational science for health and environment, to study processes spanning from the microscopic to the planetary, across all time scales.

Duties

The programmer's role is to take an application that is widely used for assessing the impacts of climate and management practices on our ecosystems to the next level by bringing together new scientific developments that will enhance our ability to address urgent questions about the future of our ecosystems.

The main responsibilities include improving existing C++ code in the dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS by integrating developments produced by researchers into the main codebase. Closely linked to this work is the implementation of CI/CD pipelines and other programming tasks required to support reaching the objectives of the project. This development work will be carried out on a GitLab server.

Within the project, the programmer is expected to work closely with the researchers who have developed the code. They are also expected to participate in group meetings (both within the Lund research group and with international collaborators) and to present results both in writing and orally. Travel within the project may occur, both within Sweden and across Europe.

The programmer will work within and together with the Ecosystem Modelling Group at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lund University, where more than 30 researchers develop and apply LPJ-GUESS to address questions ranging from the impacts of permafrost thaw to the resilience of tropical forests. In addition to the researchers in Lund, we collaborate closely with research groups primarily in Denmark, Germany, and Australia, involving around 100 additional developers and researchers working with the model.

Requirements:

• Master's degree in a natural science or technical field (e.g. computer science, software engineering) relevant to the tasks for the employment
• Several years of experience working with an object-oriented programming language such as C++ or Java
• Professional fluency in English, both written and spoken

Additional qualifications:

• Experience working with version control systems such as SVN or Git
• Experience working in Linux environments, including writing and using bash scripts
• Experience handling large datasets
• Experience with scripting languages such as Python or R
• Contributions to large-scale software development (e.g. through platforms such as Stack Overflow or similar)
• A background working in natural science subjects is an advantage, but is not required.

Great emphasis will be placed on personal suitability, as well as the level of experience in each of the points above. Consideration will be given to factors such as strong collaboration skills, initiative, and independence, as well as how the applicant's experience and expertise are expected to complement and strengthen the work of the project and LPJ-GUESS.

Terms of employment:

Permanent employment 100%, preferred starting date June 1st 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter, at the latest October 1st 2026. A probationary period of 6 months may be applicable.

We expect to be able to hold interviews April 20-24th 2026

Application instructions:

The application must include:

• a cover letter (maximum one page) explaining your interest in the position and how your qualifications match the requirements.
• CV,
• degree certificate or equivalent, and any additional documents you wish to submit (e.g. transcripts, references, letters of recommendation, etc.).