DUTY STATION
Home-based, Remote
COMMENCEMENT OF DUTY
15 November 2024
or as soon as possible thereafter NATURE OF APPOINTMENT
Variable (depending on needs of Department/Division)
80 days, November 2024 to June 2025
Organizational Unit
Regional Climate Prediction (RCP)
Services Department WMO is committed to achieving diversity and a balanced workforce. Applications are welcome from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities. The statutory retirement age after 1 January 2014 is 65. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The consultant will provide a guidance and oversight role, under Task A and a lead investigator role, detailed under Task B:
A) Provide oversight and guidance on the implementation of the recommended ClimSA actions as below, through assistance with recruitment, as required, of consultants to lead the tasks, review of staged objectives and workplans, coordination of regular online meetings with RCC-IGAD focal points and consultants, recording agreed actions and monitoring progress.
Actions to be implemented:
1. Establish an RCC-IGAD users' group;
2. Investigate the benefits of LRF model selection to the skill of seasonal forecasts;
3. Introduce skill-based LRF calibration to the seasonal forecasting system;
4. Provide support to regional NMHSs in use of the RCC-IGAD objective forecast;
5. Develop a new temperature dataset and monitoring;
6. Strengthen the regional Climate Watch;
7. Expand the range of climate change projection products and training.
B) Working with RCC-IGAD focal points, lead work on Action 2 (Investigate benefits of LRF model selection to the skill of seasonal forecasts) with the following objectives:
1. Investigate the dynamical processes over the GHA associated with wet/dry seasonal rainfall anomalies - including the local response to remote drivers such as ENSO and IOD. Focus on the OND season and on rainfall, but with the flexibility to apply the approach to other seasons.
2. Using the methods developed, assess the ability with which GPC models, including those used by RCC-IGAD, capture the processes associated with wet/dry seasonal anomalies.
3. Identify a subset of GPC models with the best process representation and evaluate the skill of this subset relative to that of the full (7-9) set of GPCs during the main rainfall seasons (OND, MAM & JJAS), using correlation skill, ROC and Reliability.
4. Advise on implementation of a parallel post-processing suite utilizing the most skillful GPC subset. QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Doctorate degree in meteorology, climatology, or a field relevant to supporting the regional climate centre (RCC) functions in ICPAC
Experience
At least 10 years experience in managing projects to develop climate service information systems and climate services. A working knowledge of the Greater Horn of Africa region and RCC-IGAD operations will be an advantage.
At least 10 years experience in dynamical ensemble seasonal forecasting, especially in the fields of diagnosing forecast model abilities to capture dynamical processes and in forecast verification.
Other requirements
Availability to:
- Coordinate, lead and participate in online meetings with RCC-IGAD and consultants and to perform the tasks as described.
- Availability to undertake a visit to ICPAC of at least one-week duration to work with RCC-IGAD experts would be an advantage.
Languages
Excellent knowledge of English (both oral and written). Knowledge of other official languages of WMO would be an advantage.
(Note: The official languages of the Organization are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.)
Additional Information:
Proposed fee: 390 - 750 USD per day depending upon experience, knowledge and skills.
Focal point email for additional information: Anahit Hovsepyan (ahovsepyan@wmo.int).
Applications should be made online through the WMO e-recruitment system at https://erecruit.wmo.int/public. Do not send your application via multiple routes. Only applicants in whom WMO has a further interest will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit a written test and/or an interview. Date of issue of vacancy notice: