Tekja is a data visualisation studio based in London. We are assembling a team for an EU-funded climate data project involving the processing and visualisation of atmospheric datasets for a public-facing web platform.
We are looking for a freelance Python data engineer to join the team for an 18-month project. You would work closely with our frontend team (React) and atmospheric science advisors.
Scope of work
The backend component involves building a robust, production-ready data pipeline and API layer to support interactive visualisation of atmospheric greenhouse gas datasets. This includes:
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Ingesting and transforming atmospheric datasets (NetCDF / GRIB)
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Working with xarray and related tooling to aggregate gridded datasets spatially (global → country → subnational) and temporally (monthly, multi-year trends)
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Designing and maintaining a harmonised tabular database for time series storage
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Developing REST API endpoints (e.g. FastAPI) to serve processed data to a React frontend
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Supporting containerised deployment (Docker; orchestration approach to be agreed)
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Ensuring performance, scalability and clear documentation
The system will need to support periodic dataset updates and be designed for future extensibility.
Ideal profile
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Strong Python (5+ years preferred)
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Experience with scientific / climate data formats (xarray, NetCDF, GRIB2, cfgrib)
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Familiarity with geospatial aggregation and large gridded datasets
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Experience building REST APIs (FastAPI or similar)
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Comfortable working in a small, distributed team
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Interest in atmospheric science, earth observation, or climate data a plus
Experience with Dask, cloud-native workflows, or Pangeo-style tooling is welcome but not required.
Engagement
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Freelance contract, approximately 50–60 days, work concentrated in months 2–6 of the project with lighter-touch support thereafter
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Anticipated start: mid-2026
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Remote-friendly
If interested, please get in touch at jobs@tekja.com with a short note about your experience, availability, and links to relevant work or repositories.