Scientific Officer - Satellite Observations for Climate Change Monitoring (two positions)

Your role 

ECMWF is seeking to fill two positions of Scientific Officer - Satellite Observations for Climate Change Monitoring (A2) in the ECMWF Forecast and Service Department. In these roles you will provide technical support for the work on Essential Climate Variables (ECV) datasets and associated services . This is an exciting opportunity to advance the work of ECMWF and the Copernicus Climate Change Service, working at the interface between space data (satellite-based observations) and climate change.  

The Global Climate Observing System have defined 55 ECVs, of which more than half of them can be measured from satellite platforms. Over the past few years C3S has developed an ambitious programme of ECV services based on satellite observations, providing guaranteed access to long-term data records of ECV products, with comprehensive documentation and related services. Climate data records are available across six different domains: atmospheric physics, atmospheric composition, ocean, land hydrology, land cryosphere, and land biosphere. These ECVs and ECV products are key for assessing long-term trends and variability, and provide an invaluable source of information complementary to climate reanalyses. 

You will be an active member of the Climate Intelligence team, working closely with the ECV programme manager to evaluate, develop and promote the use of ECVs across ECMWF and the broader climate community. You will also work closely with the contract management team as the ECV data sets are externally procured. An important part of the job will be to coordinate the integration of new ECV datasets in the Climate Data Store (CDS) catalogue, supporting the update and maintenance of existing catalogue entries, including information on quality assurance. You will act as a technical officer for the management of one or more ECV contracts and also play an important interface role with many EU research groups collaborating with C3S, aiming to make ECV datasets useful for many types of users. Activities include: acting as ECV focal point for technical issues on one or more ECV domains; the review of technical and scientific reports; overseeing technical projects in coordination with several ECMWF teams, aiming at enhancing the effective management, adoption, visibility and usability of the ECV programme; leveraging your domain knowledge for contributing to climate monitoring activities; identification and implementation of recommendations issued by the quality assurance reports; and contributing to communication material about the ECV programmes with other teams. 

About ECMWF 

ECMWF is the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. It is an intergovernmental organisation created in 1975 by a group of European nations and is today supported by 35 Member and Co-operating States, mostly in Europe. The Centre’s mission is to serve and support its Member and Co-operating States and the wider community by developing and providing world-leading global numerical weather prediction. ECMWF functions as a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long-range predictions and holds one of the largest meteorological archives in the world. The success of its activities relies primarily on the talent of its scientists, strong partnerships with its Member and Co-operating States and the international community, some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, and the use of innovative technologies such as machine learning across its operations.  

Over the years, ECMWF has developed a strong partnership with the European Union, and for the past seven years has been an entrusted entity for the implementation and operation of the Climate and the Atmosphere Monitoring Services of the EU Copernicus Programme, as well as a contributor to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. The collaboration does not stop there and includes other areas of work, including High Performance Computing and the development of digital tools that enable ECMWF to extend its 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 brand-new data centre in Bologna, Italy, and a large presence in Bonn, Germany.  

For additional details, see www.ecmwf.int.

About Copernicus 

Copernicus is the earth observation component of the European Union (EU) space programme. Based on the exploitation of space-based and in- situ (earth-based) observations and scientific models, Copernicus provides information services for land, marine, atmosphere and climate monitoring, as well as emergency management and security. These services, and their free, open and quality assured data and tools, support a range of environmental and security applications across sectors and policy domains. For details, see www.copernicus.eu  

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) service provides consistent and quality-controlled information related to air pollution and health, solar energy, greenhouse gases and climate forcing, everywhere in the world. For details, see https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu  

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) service provides authoritative information about the past, present and future climate, as well as tools to enable climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies by policy makers and businesses. For details, see https://climate.copernicus.eu  

Your responsibilities: 

• Act as technical officer for one or more of the ECV domains
• Assist on the integration of new ECV products based on satellite data in the Climate Data Store catalogue, 
• Support updates of existing catalogue entries with the arrival of new product versions, up-to-date product description, documentation and metadata information following the Climate Data Store guidelines, working closely with the CDS team 
• Provide urgent technical support for critical issues reported by users
• Implement user-oriented material, including updating the C3S website 
• Leverage your ECV domain expertise to contribute to operational climate monitoring products 
• Promote and provide support in the use of ECVs and (I)CDR across ECMWF.

What we're looking for:

• Flexible with a can-do attitude to handle the diverse requirements of this role  
• Excellent attention to detail, procedures and supporting solutions 
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach  
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills  
• Excellent coordination, planning and organisational skills
• Dedication and enthusiasm to work in a team efficiently and complete diverse tasks in a timely manner 
• Ability to work collaboratively in an international environment with teams from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Education and Experience:

• An advanced degree (EQF Level 7) or equivalent in meteorology, atmospheric science, physics or another related field
• Solid experience with climate observations based on satellite data, ranging from their production, practical usage to data policies 
• In-depth scientific experience in one or more of the following ECV domains is an asset: atmospheric physics, ocean, land cryosphere
• Experience in providing technical support to programme management is an advantage
• Experience working and contributing to large python or other scientific codes for environmental sciences is an advantage.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience in working with environmental or geophysical datasets such as climate observations, satellite data, data processing and reviewing associated documentation for large datasets
• Experience with ECVs and Earth Observation data is an asset
• Demonstrated coding experience; coding experience with Python will be particularly useful
• Significant working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of one of the Centre’s other working languages (French or German) is an advantage. 

Other information 

Grade remuneration:  The successful candidates will be recruited at the A2 grade, according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations. The position is assigned to the employment category  STF-PL  as defined in the ECMWF Staff Regulations. Full details of salary scales and allowances available on the ECMWF website at . 

Candidates are expected to relocate to the duty station (Bonn, Germany). As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility to staff to mix office working and teleworking, including some teleworking away from the duty station (within the area of our member states and co-operating states).

Interviews by videoconference (MS Team) 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 contact us. 

To contact the ECMWF Recruitment Team, please email jobs@ecmwf.int.

Who can apply 

Applicants are invited to complete the online application form by clicking on the apply  button below. 

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 States and Co-operating States, as well as from all EU Member States. 

ECMWF Member States and Co-operating States are: 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. 

In these exceptional times, we also welcome applications from Ukrainian nationals for this vacancy.  

Applications from nationals from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases.