Data and Cloud Support Specialist

Your role

ECMWF is opening a new position for a Data and Cloud Support Specialist (A2) in the User Services Section in the Forecast and Services Department of ECMWF.

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 https://www.ecmwf.int/en/forecasts/datasets), and users of data and tools provided by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS, see https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S, see https://climate.copernicus.eu/ ).

The activities of this role include providing advice and support on data related queries (e.g. data access issues, data format issues) and data delivery, to users including National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, researchers and commercial customers world-wide.

This position has a particular focus on provision of support for the EC funded Space for Early Warnings in Africa action. This includes data provision, technical support and training to African users and African and European developers of specialised data packages and cloud-based tools for regional impact-based forecast pilots in support of early warning in Africa.

As Data and Cloud Support Specialist, you will work closely with other team members and provide technical support to users, which may include investigating data quality and data delivery issues with support from scientific and technical experts when needed. The types of activities may involve working closely with users to guide them through their data requirements, setting up data delivery or allocating cloud resources, as well as answering technical and scientific questions. You will also contribute to technical documentation and user guidance documents. User queries are handled though a Jira-based ticketing system, with additional support provided via Confluence-based documentation.

We are looking for a highly organised individual who enjoys managing competing priorities and a variety of tasks. In this role you will have a direct impact on our international user community by solving technical issues and engaging directly with them. 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.

About User Services Section

The User Services Section consists of 24 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. 

Your responsibilities

• Provide support and technical advice on data provision of real-time NWP data as well as Copernicus C3S and CAMS data to users
• Support users by answering technical and scientific questions about ECMWF data
• Provide technical advice and support on the efficient use of ECMWF cloud services and software
• Handle the set-up, renewals, amendments and terminations of data licences
• Review, improve and develop processes and workflows to effectively support users
• Develop documentation to support a user self-serve service
• Work with other teams in ECMWF to ensure user issues are resolved
• Create presentation material and participate in training and information events (e.g. workshops, webinars)

About ECMWF

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is a world-leader in weather and environmental forecasting. As an international organisation we serve our members and the wider community with global weather predictions and data that is critical for understanding and solving the climate crisis. We function as a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long-range predictions, holding one of the largest meteorological data archives in the world. The success of our activities builds on the talent of our scientists and experts, strong partnerships with 35 Member and Co-operating States and the international community, some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, and the use of innovative technologies and machine learning across our operations. ECMWF is a multi-site organisation, with a main office in Reading, UK, a data centre/supercomputer in Bologna, Italy, and a large presence in Bonn, Germany.  

ECMWF has also developed 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. Other areas of work include High Performance Computing (HPC) 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. 

For additional detail about ECMWF, see www.ecmwf.int  

About Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) action

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) has launched an initiative to enhance the strategic Africa-EU partnership in the field of Space. One of the specific objectives is focused on Space & Green Transition with a focus on Early Warning. With this, DG INTPA aims to stimulate partnerships to develop space-based services, applications and tools to strengthen Early Warning Systems of hazardous weather and climate- related events.

ECMWF is anticipated to be one of the implementing partners. Subject to approval, the Action is expected to start in January 2025, with an implementation period until the end of December 2028.

ECMWF activities under this Action will promote the use of ECMWF and Copernicus data with the aim to co-develop impact-based forecast services and tools at regional level in Africa. Cloud computing resources shall be leveraged, to enable these tools to be developed close to the data. Through technical advice and co-designed “train-the-trainers" activities, actual uptake will be further enhanced. Central in these activities, are the close partnerships with the African Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) of the WMO and other African partners, as well as with the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and other topic specialists on early warning in Europe. Close links with WMO and their EW4All initiative shall be built to maximise complementarity.

The ECMWF activities will be implemented in close cooperation with the other two implementing partners, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and the African Union Commission (AUC).

What we're looking for

• Enthusiasm to help others
• Strong and effective interpersonal and communication skills, including awareness of cultural differences
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail and a proactive approach
• Flexibility with the ability to adapt to changing requirements or priorities, user needs and services
• Ability to work collaboratively, sharing expertise and lessons learned with colleagues
• Ability to work under pressure and to interact with demanding users
• An interest in identifying, investigating and resolving technical problems and articulating an appropriate solution

Education

• Advanced university degree (EQ7 level or above) or equivalent experience in a scientific discipline, e.g. meteorology, (atmospheric) physics, climate science, applied mathematics and computational science

Experience required in the following areas

• Experience in handling and resolving user queries and incidents is required
• Experience working with Cloud technologies is desirable 
• Experience in the field of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) is desirable 
• Experience with data policies and licences, including open data, is an advantage
• Appreciation of challenges faced by developing and least developed countries in the domain of meteorology, hydrology and/or climate, is desirable
• Practical experience in supporting users through a ticketing system, such as Atlassian Jira, is desirable

Knowledge and skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English including the writing of technical documentation
• Knowledge of data formats commonly used in meteorology (e.g. GRIB, BUFR, NetCDF) 
• Knowledge and experience with Python is desirable Knowledge of scripting in Linux environments is desirable 
• Candidates must be able to work effectively in English 
• Knowledge of one of ECMWF’s other working languages and especially French is an advantage

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

Other information

This position is subject to Action funding approval and to ECMWF’s Council approval in December 2024.

Grade remuneration    The successful candidate will be recruited at the A2 grade, according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations. ECMWF also offers a generous benefits package, including a flexible teleworking policy. 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 www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs, including the ECMWF Staff Regulations and the terms and conditions of employment.

Start date:               As soon as possible

As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid working model that 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 states and co-operating states).

Candidates are expected to relocate to the duty station. Successful candidates and members of their family forming part of their households will be exempt from immigration restrictions.

Interviews will take place via videoconference (MS Team).  If you require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment process, please contact us via 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 Cooperating States, listed below:

ECMWF Member and Co-operating States are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey 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.