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

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.