HZB-RSE

HZB-RSE (aka "The Enki Initiative") explores and establishes a centralized research software engineering capability within HZB. Its goal is to improve scientific efficiency, sustainability, and reproducibility by identifying existing software expertise, supporting researchers who develop critical code, and consolidating engineering effort where it creates clear value. The initiative focuses on understanding how software is currently produced across the research center, reducing single-person dependencies, and enabling scientists through shared expertise, tools, and collaboration—without interfering with scientific autonomy.

Consolidating software engineering expertise increases scientific throughput if the unit is service-oriented, embedded enough to understand science, and does not become a bottleneck or “IT police”.