Job opportunity at the Royal Meteorological Institute for the RMI AI based weather Forecasting COordination (RAIFCO)  project (SW2)

The Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) plans to hire new staff to contribute to the RMI AI based weather Forecasting COordination (RAIFCO)  project.

Since the end of 2022, the world of numerical weather forecasting has undergone a drastic change due to the rise of data-driven Artificial Intelligence techniques (AI). These AI systems, trained on the ERA5 reanalyses now appear to perform better than the ECMWF global IFS model, at least for variables at levels of 850 hPa and higher in the atmosphere. Meanwhile, there are also several different LAM (limited- area model) versions of these AI systems in development. These systems will be used at the RMI to build an ensemble. This will  include the numerical models AROME and ALARO for the deterministic (control) runs, while the ensemble members will be calculated by a data-driven/AI LAM model. The training of this AI model will take place within the context of ongoing and future projects such as the ECMWF ML Pilot Project and Destination Earth's DE_330 project. The training will be based on the CERRA reanalysis datasets and Belgian local datasets. There are currently five scientists involved. RMI is hiring a senior scientist to coordinate these activities.

Specialist in the Machine-learning based numerical weather prediction

Job function

You will:

• carry out research and development in the domain of machine-learning based weather forecasting (MLWF) by training, validating and installing AI LAM model versions of the AIFS;
• coordinate the MLWF activities at in the RMI;
• you will represent the RMI in international organizations (ECMWF, ACCORD, EUMETSAT, EUMETNET, …);
• report progress in this domain to the RMI Direction Board.

Your profile

• You have a PhD degree in physics, mathematics, computer science or civil engineering or equivalent.
• You have experience with numerical weather prediction models of the ACCORD consortium and the ECMWF.
• You have a good understanding of NWP physics parameterizations, uncertainty quantification, stochastic modeling, EPS systems and model validation.
• You have experience in implementing novel science in the latest cycle of an NWP operational chain.
• You have experience with high-performance computing (HPC), including parallelism, scripting, workflow and container tools.
• You have experience in supervising students at postgraduate level.
• You are able to write technical reports and documentation.
• You are willing to make international travels.
• Experience with running either Anemoi/AIFS and/or Neural LAM will be considered as a distinct advantage.

/!\ Persons who hold a diploma or a study certificate in accordance with a foreign regulation and who apply for an academic position for tasks that are not part of the permanent missions of the institution are exempted from applying for equivalence of the diploma or study certificate.

Want to apply but your degree is not in Dutch or French?
In principle, the language in which the studies were done, which led to obtaining the required diploma, determines the language role in which one is classified when applying the laws on the use of languages in administrative matters.
Therefore, in cases where these studies were done in a language other than the electoral language regime), you must be in possession of a certificate of language knowledge, issued by werkenvoor.be, the Selection Office of the Federal Government. The test you have to take must be of the same level as the selection. In this case, you need an article 7 - level 1/A.
You can register by clicking on the link https://werkenvoor.be/nl/testen-en-certificaten/taal/inschrijven
Passing the language certificate is a prerequisite for selection. So register for the language test as soon as possible.

We offer

• You will work at the RMI. You can find a description of working at the RMI here.
• The successful candidate will get a salary scale in the SW2 scale.

Gender equality & gender mainstreaming

In February 2022, the RMI adopted a Gender Equality Plan (GEP). This is an action plan to promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming within the RMI. Through this GEP, the RMI commits itself in a formal and/or substantial way to contribute to the realization of gender equality through efforts on two fronts: internally at the level of the Institute and externally through increased cooperation and exchanges with BELSPO and the other Federal Scientific Institutes. Moreover, the implementation of a GEP is an important criteria when submitting national and international research projects.

The actions of this plan will be evaluated and adapted on a yearly basis, so that the dynamics created can continuously evolve. The RMI is proud to be able to build a professional and scientific environment that is increasingly inclusive and responsive to today's societal challenges.

Application procedure

Interested candidates are already invited to express their interest by sending their CV and a letter of interest, before  1 October to Mrs. Béatrice Libioulle (beatrice.libioulle@meteo.be).