Your role

ECMWF is opening a new position for a Data Support Assistant (B5) in the User Services Section in the Forecast and Services Department.

The Data Support Team plays a vital role in managing the relationships and supporting users of the ECMWF real-time forecast data and archive data (see ) as well as users of data and tools provided by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS, see ) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S, see ).

In this role you will provide advice and support on data-related queries (e.g. data access issues, data format issues), data delivery and delivery system configuration to users world-wide. As Data Support Assistant, you will work closely with other team members to provide administrative and technical support to users (mainly commercial customers and researchers), which may involve:

• Understanding users’ requirements and make suggestions to users which products to choose
• Going through the process for creating licences between users and ECMWF
• Setting up data delivery and granting access to users
• Handling changes of (data) requirements from users
• Contributing to analyzing technical issues such as data transfer problems
• Carrying out administrative tasks including meeting organisation and reporting

You will be supported by technical experts and scientists at ECMWF. The Data Support Team has a set of well-established procedures, which you will use and contribute to improve them continuously. You are also expected to provide feedback to tools developed in-house for supporting users, which includes features such as shopping cart, data request management, and reporting. User queries are handled through a Jira-based ticketing system, with additional support provided via Confluence-based documentation.

Your day-to-day responsibilities in this role are to:

• Handle the set-up, renewals, amendments and terminations of licences
• Support users by finding answers to technical and scientific questions about access to real-time and archive data
• Contribute to reviewing and improving processes and workflows to effectively support users
• Contribute to the development of documentation to support a user self-serve service
• Work with and support other teams in ECMWF to ensure user issues are resolved
• Create presentation and training materials and support training and information events, workshops and webinars.

We are looking for a highly organised individual who enjoys juggling competing priorities and dealing with a variety of tasks. In this role you will have a direct impact on our user community by resolving technical issues and engaging directly with users. Excellent communication and collaboration skills are essential in this role as well as the ability to interact with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders with a client-oriented approach.

About User Services Section

The User Services Section consists of 25 staff providing support and advice to all users of ECMWF computing, data and software services including Member States, Co-operating States, commercial entities, public users as well as ECMWF. The section comprises a Data Support team and a Computing and Software Support team and is based in Bonn, Germany and Reading, UK.

About ECMWF

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is a world leader in Numerical Weather Predictions providing high-quality data for weather forecasts and environmental monitoring. As an intergovernmental organisation we collaborate internationally to serve our members and the wider community with global weather predictions, data and training activities that are critical to contribute to safe and thriving societies.

The success of our activities depends on the funding and partnerships of our 35 Member and Co-operating States who provide the support and direction of our work. Our talented staff together with the international scientific community, and our powerful supercomputing capabilities, are the core of a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long-range predictions. We also hold one of the largest meteorological data archives in the world.

• Our mission: Deliver global numerical weather predictions focusing on the medium-range and monitoring of the Earth system to and with our Member States
• Our vision: World-leading monitoring and predictions of the Earth System enabled by cutting-edge physical, computational and data science, resulting from a close collaboration between ECMWF and the members of the European Meteorological Infrastructure, will contribute to a safe and thriving society.

In addition, ECMWF has established a strong partnership with the European Union and has been entrusted with the implementation and operation of the Destination Earth initiative and the Climate Change and Atmosphere Monitoring Services of the Copernicus Programme, as well as being a contributor to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Other areas of work include High Performance Computing and the development of digital tools that enable ECMWF to extend provision of data and products covering weather, climate, air quality, fire and flood prediction and monitoring.

ECMWF is a multi-site organisation, with its headquarters in Reading, UK, a data centre in Bologna, Italy, and a large presence in Bonn, Germany as a central location for our EU-related activities. ECMWF is internationally recognised as the voice of expertise in numerical weather predictions for forecasts and climate science.

See for more info about what we do.

Education, Experience, Skills and Knowledge

• University degree (EQ5 level or above) or equivalent experience in a scientific discipline, e.g. meteorology, (atmospheric) physics, climate science, applied mathematics and computational science or in another relevant domain.
• Experience in handling and resolving user queries and incidents is required.
• Experience in the field of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) meteorology, climate or environmental science, is desirable.
• Experience with data policies and licences, including open data, is an advantage.
• Practical experience in supporting users through a ticketing system, such as Atlassian Jira, is desirable.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; candidates must be able to work effectively in English. Knowledge of one of ECMWF’s other working languages (French or German) is an advantage.
• Knowledge about products used in meteororology (e.g. file formats, types such as charts or numerical data, access or delivery methods) is an advantage.

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t feel you fully meet all these criteria.

Other information

Grade & remuneration: The successful candidates will be recruited according to the ECMWF Staff Regulations. of the Co-ordinated Organisations. ECMWF salaries are exempt from national income tax and the salary will be a NET annual salary. To find out more about working with us please visit .

Starting date:  As soon as possible

As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility to staff to mix office working and teleworking. We allow for remote work 10 days/month away from the office, including up to 80 days/year away from the duty station country (within the area of our Member and Co-operating States).

Interviews by videoconference (MS Teams) are expected to take place shortly after the closing date. If you require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment process, please let us know. To contact the ECMWF Recruitment Team, please email jobs@ecmwf.int.

Who can apply

Applicants are invited to complete the online application on our jobsite.

At ECMWF, we consider an inclusive environment as key for our success. We are dedicated to ensuring a workplace that embraces diversity and provides equal opportunities for all, without distinction as to race, gender, age, marital status, social status, disability, sexual orientation, religion, personality, ethnicity and culture. We value the benefits derived from a diverse workforce and are committed to having staff that reflect the diversity of the countries that are part of our community, in an environment that nurtures equality and inclusion.

Applications are invited from nationals from ECMWF Member and Co-operating States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Applications from nationals from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases.