Job Title: Science Manager – Biophysical Modeling
Location: Luxembourg, Luxembourg (relocation package and support offered)
Job Type: Permanent
Salary: €130,000 – €160,000 + Share Options + Relocation bonus
Working setup: Full time, 4 days per week onsite.
Language: English
Industry Sector: New Space, Earth Observation, Satellite Imagery, Remote Sensing
Candidates must have the right to work in the EU
Introduction:
Talent‑Relay is supporting a pioneering Earth Observation and environmental analytics organisation in their search for an experienced Science Manager – Biophysical Modeling. This is a strategic leadership role for a scientist who thrives at the intersection of remote sensing, land‑surface modeling, and team development.
The successful candidate will guide a group of researchers working on crop development, evapotranspiration, and plant–water interaction modeling, leveraging thermal infrared and multispectral satellite data. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys driving scientific innovation while ensuring models are robust, scalable, and ready for operational deployment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead & inspire of scientists developing models for crop water stress, evapotranspiration, and broader land‑surface processes.
- Oversee the design, validation, and continuous improvement of biophysical and thermal‑based algorithms.
- Ensure scientific outputs meet high standards of reproducibility, quality, and scalability.
- Advance modeling approaches in surface energy balance, vegetation stress indices, and data fusion.
- Review and approve scientific methodologies, model architectures, and technical decisions.
- Work closely with machine learning, engineering, and product teams to integrate scientific models into production systems
- Contribute to research proposals, publications, and conference presentations.
- Mentor and coach scientists, supporting both technical growth and leadership development.
- Help shape team objectives and track progress against key results.
- Support recruitment and onboarding of new scientific talent
Required Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- Master’s degree in environmental science, agronomy, physics, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in Earth Observation, remote sensing, or environmental modeling.
- At least 2 years in a technical leadership or team‑management role.
- Strong hands‑on experience with geospatial and EO data processing tools (e.g., GDAL, Rasterio).
- Solid understanding of land‑surface modeling, soil–plant–atmosphere interactions, and vegetation indices.
- Proficiency in Python or similar scientific programming languages.
- Experience collaborating with software and data engineering teams.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills.
- Fluency in written and spoken English.
Bonus Skills:
- PhD in a relevant scientific field.
• Experience working in cloud‑based environments.
• Track record of peer‑reviewed publications or applied research.
• Familiarity with thermal infrared remote sensing.