Climate Modelling Assistant

Role Overview

The Climate Modelling Assistant supports ICPAC’s Climate Diagnostic and Prediction Unit in turning climate data and model output into reliable forecasts and monitoring products for the Greater Horn of Africa. The role combines hands-on model operations, climate analysis and forecast verification, helping technical teams deliver timely information and improve the quality of operational climate services.

Key Responsibilities

• Process global producing centre and multi-model ensemble data, including outputs from C3S, ECMWF, NMME and the WMO Lead Centre, to support weekly, monthly and seasonal forecast production.
• Apply appropriate statistical or dynamical downscaling, bias correction and calibration methods to develop objective probabilistic forecasts for the region.
• Configure and run regional weather or climate models, such as WRF, on Linux and high-performance computing systems.
• Prepare dekadal, monthly and seasonal analyses of rainfall, temperature and other climate variables, and monitor relevant drivers such as ENSO, the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Madden–Julian Oscillation.
• Analyse significant climate events, including droughts, floods and heatwaves, and assess their relationship to large-scale climate conditions.
• Verify sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts using deterministic and probabilistic measures, maintain verification records, and report on forecast skill.
• Check input data and model outputs, and help ensure forecast products meet quality standards before publication.
• Contribute to partner training, technical documentation, operating procedures, reports and scientific publications; carry out other related tasks assigned by the CDPU Unit Head.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, climate science or a closely related discipline.
• At least two years of relevant experience in climate forecasting, climate modelling or operational climate services.
• Practical experience installing, configuring and running numerical weather prediction or regional climate models, such as WRF or RegCM, in Linux and HPC environments.
• Experience producing sub-seasonal or seasonal forecasts, including downscaling, calibration and verification.
• Strong understanding of climate dynamics, ensemble prediction, probabilistic forecasting and the climate drivers affecting East Africa, including ENSO, IOD and MJO.
• Proficiency in Python, shell scripting, R or comparable scientific programming languages, with the ability to create efficient, documented code and automate workflows.
• Experience handling large gridded datasets in NetCDF, GRIB or related formats, using tools such as xarray, pandas, NumPy, CDO or NCO.
• Ability to analyse data, prepare technical reports or climate bulletins, communicate clearly, deliver training to technical audiences and work effectively both independently and within a multidisciplinary, multicultural team.
• Strong organisation and time management, including the ability to meet deadlines. Excellent written and spoken English is required; working knowledge of French is an advantage.
• Experience with Git or another version-control system is beneficial. Experience working with regional climate centres or National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the IGAD region is highly desirable. Specialised model-development training and HPC model-testing experience are additional advantages.

What We Offer / Why Join

Remuneration is set according to the IGAD salary scale and applicable policies, taking the candidate’s qualifications and relevant experience into account.

Interested candidates should send their applications in PDF format accompanied by a cover letter, curriculum vitae, copies of academic credentials, copy of professional certification, copy of passport’s biometric page / national identity card and three reference persons including one from the last employer.

Applications should be submitted via email to the addresses: [email protected] with the subject line: ‘IGAD-CMA’