Cloud Computing Engineer (2 positions)

The roles

ECMWF has two exciting opportunities for Cloud Computing Engineers  to join the Cloud Systems Team, these roles can be based at any of our three locations in Reading, UK, Bologna, Italy or Bonn, Germany.

ECMWF as a research & operational organisation is participating in many activities pertaining to Cloud computing and related technologies. ECWMF also offers a Cloud Computing service and makes available cloud resources close to its data and existing HPC and storage infrastructure, in order to facilitate a proximity computation to its enormous data repository. Therefore, ECMWF is participating in a number of Innovation Action (IA) and Research and Innovation Action (RIA) European Commission (EC) funded projects like EO4EU, CLIMRES and DeployAI.

The EO4EU project (https://www.eo4eu.eu/) provides innovative tools, methodologies and approaches that assist a wide spectrum of users, from domain experts and professionals to simple citizens to benefit from Earth Observation (EO) data. CLIMRES aims to foster a ‘Leadership for Climate Resilient Buildings’, by addressing the identification and systematic categorisation of buildings’ vulnerabilities and estimating their impact in the buildings’ ecosystem considering the interlinkages within the urban context. Finally, DeployAI aims to build, deploy, and launch a fully operational AI-On-Demand platform (AIoDP) promoting trustworthy, ethical, and transparent European AI solutions for use in the industry and in the public sector.

We are searching for two highly motivated Cloud Computing Engineers to apply your skills, knowledge, and expertise to help achieving these goals, to complete the deliverables of the EO4EU and CLIMRES and Deploy AI projects and contribute to other related activities within the organization. 

About the HPC and Cloud Systems Section/Cloud Systems Team

The HPC and Cloud Systems Section encompasses the HPC Systems, HPC Applications and Cloud Systems teams. The Cloud Systems team is responsible for maintaining and developing the cloud and virtualised server infrastructures at ECMWF. Collaborating with other teams across ECMWF and with external project partners, the Cloud Systems team develop these core services to support the operational and research goals of ECMWF. 

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 ML across our operations. 

ECMWF has also developed a strong partnership with the European Union and has been entrusted with the implementation and operation of the Climate Change and Atmosphere Monitoring Services of the EU Copernicus Programme. We also contribute to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Other areas of work include High Performance Computing 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.

See   for more info about what we do. 

In these roles you will be:

• Promoting technical innovation and reliable, robust service delivery within the (R)IA projects and the organisation
• Contributing to maintaining and troubleshooting issues on cloud PaaS and SaaS deployments of the projects and resolving complex problems relating to cloud and storage with a particular focus on stability and performance
• Actively contributing to EO4EU, CLIMRES and Deploy AI projects i.e. prepare reports, deliverables, dissemination and technology transfer activities of the projects
• Representing ECMWF in meetings with project members, partners, vendors, and at international technical conferences
• Contributing to the formulation of the high-level design and implementation principles to enable the projects to achieve their objectives

What we’re looking for:

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive and constructive approach
• Flexibility, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of multidisciplinary and geographically distributed teams
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Highly organised with the capacity to work on a diverse range of tasks to tight deadlines

Your education:

• A university degree, or equivalent, in a discipline related to computer science, physics, mathematics, or engineering is required. Further postgraduate studies would be an advantage

Your experience, knowledge and skills:

Experience

• Strong technical skills with emphasis on Cloud computing and related technologies
• Technical and management skills are required for this post, with demonstrated relevant experience
• Experience in EC project participation. Coordination experience (e.g. task or work package leading) would be an advantage

Knowledge and skills

1) For Cloud Computing Engineer position A, a good understanding of the following is essential: 

• Cloud-native technologies and different service models (IaaS, PaaS and SaaS)
• Event-driven and microservices based design concepts and related technologies like Container and orchestration technologies (e.g. Kubernetes)
• Infrastructure automation and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) and cloud monitoring methodologies
• RESTful API design principles and Server-side languages such as Python or Java
• Experience on project management methodologies and frameworks (e.g, Agile, Waterfall, Kanban) and on ITIL processes and principles

2) For Cloud Computing Engineer position B, a good understanding of the following is essential: 

• Cloud-native technologies and different service models (IaaS, PaaS and SaaS)
• Event-driven and microservices based design concepts and related technologies like Container and orchestration technologies (e.g. Kubernetes, especially Rancher or OpenShift)
• Infrastructure automation and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) and cloud monitoring methodologies
• Understanding of the following would be helpful :
  • Configuration and administration of cloud infrastructures like OpenStack and Software Defined Storage platforms, such as Ceph
  • Understanding of traditional networking and Software Defined Network (SDN) concepts
  • Security concepts such as federated user single sign-on and implementing, maintaining and auditing security controls and technologies in federated, hybrid cloud infrastructures
  • Understanding of Big Data processing technologies such as Apache Spark, and the challenges involved in handling large-volume data sets, would be an asset

Candidates must be able to work effectively in English. Knowledge of either French or German would be an advantage.

If you feel that you have the relevant profile and motivation to join us but don’t meet precisely all of the desired skills or those that are ‘an advantage’ we encourage you to apply!

Other information

Grade remuneration:  The successful candidates will be recruited at the A2 grade, according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations. These two positions are 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 . 

Starting date:                 As soon as practical

Length of contract:      Twenty five months

Location:                         This position can be located at any of ECMWF’s duty stations in Reading, UK. Bologna, Italy, or in Bonn, Germany

Candidates are expected to relocate to the duty station. As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility for staff to mix office working and teleworking, including working away from the duty station (within the area of our member states and co-operating states) for up to 10 working days per month.

Interviews by videoconference (MS Team) are expected to take place during late June 2024.  If you require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment process, please contact us.

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 Co-operating States, as well as from all EU Member States.  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. 

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