Data engineer & developer Digital Twin Ocean

• You contribute to the technical development and operation of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO) infrastructure and related projects.
• You drive and support the onboarding process of datasets, data services, models and applications onto EDITO in collaboration with data specialists and researchers.
• You investigate and implement suitable cloud-optimised formats and access mechanisms for diverse types of marine data.
• You develop scalable and reliable ETL data pipelines.
• You develop and integrate APIs that make datasets and services machine readabl.
• You contribute to metadata management, data discovery and cataloguing solutions.
• You work with object storage, data lakes and cloud-native access patterns for large scientific and geospatial datasets.
• You implement open standards and contribute to FAIR and open-data principles.
• You contribute code, documentation, technical guidelines and reusable onboarding procedures.
• You participate in European projects and technical working groups and represent VLIZ in relevant international technical meetings and workshops.
• You proactively build expertise in emerging technologies relevant to cloud-native data infrastructures, Digital Twins, geospatial data and distributed scientific computing.

For each function, VLIZ considers enthusiastic involvement, service minded, excellent professionalism and integrity as important characteristics.

• You hold a degree in computer science, informatics or engineering, or you can demonstrate equivalent via relevant experience.
• You have experience in software development, data engineering, geospatial technologies or system integration.
• You are comfortable working with one or more programming or scripting languages (i.e. Python).
• You have experience working with APIs and understand modern web-based and machine-tomachine integration patterns.
• You have practical experience with data transforming workflows and structured scientific or geospatial datasets.
• You have experience with modern collaborative software development tools and practices (i.e. Git).
• Experience with STAC, OGC standards, NetCDF, GeoJSON, GeoParquet, Zarr or related technologies is an asset.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes or other container orchestration technologies applications is an asset.
• Experience with cloud environments, S3 object storage or data lake architectures is an asset.
• Knowledge of CI/CD, infrastructure automation, monitoring and operational service management is an asset.
• You are able to independently investigate technical problems, compare viable solutions and translate your findings into practical implementations.
• You enjoy working across the boundaries of software development, data engineering, and infrastructure.
• You can document technical solutions clearly and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• You can write fluently and communicate clearly in English.
• You enjoy collaborating within multidisciplinary and international teams.

• An initial one-year contract with a strong likelihood of extension and a competitive remuneration package based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience according to the salary scales set forth by the Flemish Government on 01-01-2009.
• Additional benefits: a mobile phone (including subscription), holiday allowance, end of year allowance, meal vouchers (€8 per day worked), bicycle allowance, free public transport between home and work.
• A good work-life balance through a generous leave package and flexible working hours within a 38-hour working week.
• The possibility to work partly from home (meaning from your legal home address in Belgium) after an induction period (max. 2 days/week).
• Opportunities for personal and technical development through training, conferences and participation in international projects and communities.

VLIZ develops and operates digital infrastructures, platforms and services that support marine research and data management. By joining VLIZ IT, you contribute directly to the technical foundations that make marine data, services, models and applications accessible to users across Europe and beyond.

You will contribute to the development of a modern, interoperable and cloud-based digital ocean infrastructure, with a focus on onboarding datasets, services, models and applications, by developing pipelines that make those efficiently usable in cloud environments., Over the last 26 years, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) has become a knowledge institution indispensable to the marine research landscape. What started as an institute focusing on science support, has evolved into a national and international point of contact for marine research. VLIZ initiates and carries out multidisciplinary research and supports marine experts by providing research infrastructure, data, information and knowledge. VLIZ supports the blue economy and reaches out to a broad public. VLIZ further broadens its marine horizons and aims at becoming a world player in the field of marine and coastal research.

Technology and digital infrastructure are essential to achieving these ambitions. The VLIZ IT team develops, operates and supports the systems, platforms and services that underpin VLIZ research, data management and international projects. The team works in close collaboration with scientific and data teams and combines robust operational IT with the development and adoption of innovative technologies.

A stimulating working environment forms the base of our flourishing knowledge institute. The wellbeing of our employees comes first. VLIZ is looking for colleagues who, with their passion and knowledge, want to strengthen our growing institute and face the blue challenges of the future.