Research Software Engineer – I/O-Server for Earth System Models

The role

We are in search of a highly motivated Research Software Engineer (A2) to work on the development of an I/O-server with on-the-fly post-processing, executing data-processing tasks in memory directly on model output. This role is an integral part of a dynamic team, consisting of scientists and software engineers contributing to the key activities at ECMWF.  

At ECMWF, you will find a passionate community, collectively aiming to bring novel technology and science to the cutting-edge of numerical weather prediction and high-resolution climate modelling. In this role, you will explore and innovate solutions to develop our services on streaming model output and on-the-fly post-processing, as well as to integrate them into Earth-system models. This is an integral part of serving weather and climate data to a growing number of downstream users – our member states, commercial customers, and impact modellers – who are highly reliant on the timely delivery of weather and climate data. It is a significant element in both our core mission and our obligations in key European Union (EU) initiatives. You will be expected to bring creative insights into the development of on-the-fly data-processing systems and to execute them on different high-performance computing (HPC) architectures. 

ECMWF has developed a strong partnership with the EU. It has been entrusted with the implementation and operation of the Climate Change and Atmosphere Monitoring Services of the EU Copernicus Programme, and contribute to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. ECMWF is also one of three organisations entrusted to deliver Destination Earth (DestinE), a flagship initiative of the European Commission to develop highly accurate digital replicas, Digital Twins (DTs), of the Earth on a global scale. In the framework of ECMWF’s contribution to the DestinE initiative and the Copernicus Programme, you will work on  a set of interoperable software components and services that support end-to-end execution of both the DTs and the production runs in Copernicus services. You will work most closely on the development of MultIO, the software component that facilitates efficient data output via an I/O-server with on-the-fly processing of model data, as well as on its integration into distributed Earth-system models. 

The Team

The role sits in the Model Data Services Team, within the Development Section in the Forecast and Services Department. The team’s primary focus is the set of services that directly interact with Earth-system models. These include efficient model output, on-the-fly data processing and diagnostics, interfaces to machine learned models, and output control. This effort is dedicated to the integration of these services into Earth-system models in DestinE and the Copernicus Programme, primarily the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). It supports ECMWF’s strategy of producing cutting‐edge science and world-leading weather predictions and monitoring of the Earth system. 

This position supports the Destination Earth initiative and the Copernicus Programme. It will involve close collaboration with other activities at ECMWF Member States and with our partners at ESA and EUMETSAT. 

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.

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. We appreciate the need for flexibility in the way our staff work. We adopted a hybrid work model that is widely used by staff across ECMWF – allowing everyone to work in the office as well as working remotely up to 10 days/month, including away from the duty station. 

See  for more info about what we do. 

The Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative

ECMWF is one of the three entities entrusted to implement the DestinE initiative of the European Commission, alongside ESA and EUMETSAT as partners. DestinE aims to deploy several highly accurate thematic digital replicas of the Earth, called Digital Twins. The Digital Twins will help monitor and predict environmental change and human impact, in order to develop and test scenarios that support sustainable development and corresponding European policies for the Green Deal. ECMWF is responsible for the delivery of these digital twins and of the Digital Twin engine, the software infrastructure needed to power them of some of Europe’s largest supercomputers, those of the European HPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC). The second phase of DestinE covers the period June 2024 – May 2026, and future phases are foreseen (subject to funding). Phase 2 will focus on early operations with consolidation, maintenance, and continuous evolution of the DestinE system components developed in the first phase. There will also be an enhanced focus on ML activities, including the deployment of workflows of components of a ML model for the Earth system, optimisation of the Digital Twin Engine to enable efficient model training and simulations, and other activities.

For more information on DestinE, see  and

The Copernicus Programme

ECMWF has been entrusted to operate the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on behalf of the European Commission for a second term, and until the end of 2027. Copernicus is the European Union (EU) flagship Earth-observation programme. The Copernicus programme ensures operational monitoring of the atmosphere, oceans, and continental surfaces, and provides reliable, validated information services for a range of environmental and security applications. Based on the exploitation of space based and in situ observations and models, Copernicus provides information services for land, marine, atmospheric and climate monitoring, as well as emergency management and security.

For details see 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and support the use of the software component MultIO
• Integrate MultIO into multiple Digital Twins of the Destination Earth initiative
• Work closely with colleagues from the Research Department, Production Services, Atmospheric Composition and Evaluation Sections to achieve assigned objectives
• Collaborate with external partners and subcontractors in the Copernicus Programme and the Destination Earth initiative
• Support  internal and external users with executing production-like runs in both the Copernicus Programme and the Destination Earth initiative
• Document the user-facing elements of MultIO (API, configuration, and examples)

What we are looking for

• Highly collaborative approach to work with the ability to establish excellent working relations with members of other teams at ECMWF as well as external partners
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach, combined with a desire to grow in the role
• Ability to take the initiative and take decisions independently
• Ability to explain complex technical concepts to users and collaborators
• Dedication, passion, and enthusiasm to succeed both individually and across teams of developers
• Highly organised with the capacity to work on a diverse range of tasks to tight deadlines

Education

• Advanced university degree (EQ7 level or above) or equivalent professional experience in computer science or engineering, computational science, physics or natural sciences, mathematics, or a related discipline

Experience

• Demonstrated experience developing software in C/C++
• Demonstrated experience with developing in UNIX/Linux systems and shell scripting is highly desirable
• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) and networking is an advantage
• Experience developing scientific software on distributed systems is an advantage

Knowledge and Skills 

• Demonstrated ability of programming in UNIX/Linux systems
• Experience with Build Systems (e.g. CMake)
• Familiarity with software lifecycle maintenance is highly desirable
• Ability to write software for scientific-computing application on distributed high-performance computing (HPC) architectures would be advantageous

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

Candidates must be able to work effectively in English . A good knowledge of one of the Centre’s other working languages (French or German) is an advantage.

Other information

Grade remuneration:  The successful candidates will be recruited according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations. Full details of salary scales and allowances available on the ECMWF website at . 

Starting date:  September 2024

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

Interviews by videoconference (MS Team) are expected to take place shortly after the closing date. 

Successful applicants and members of their family forming part of their households will be exempt from immigration restrictions.

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 nationals of European Union member states. 

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. 

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.