At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us to develop innovative software for weather forecast verification and improve prediction accuracy.
- Company: ECMWF, a leading organisation in numerical weather predictions and environmental monitoring.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, attractive benefits package, and flexible remote work options.
- Other info: Dynamic, inclusive environment with opportunities for career growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on global weather forecasting while collaborating with top scientists and engineers.
- Qualifications: Strong Python skills and experience in scientific software development are essential.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We are looking for a Research Software Engineer (A2) to join the Product Development Services Team within the Development Section of the Forecasts and Services Department. Forecast verification is fundamental to numerical weather prediction, providing objective evidence of forecast quality, supporting scientific development, operational decision-making and user confidence.
As ECMWF continues to evolve its forecasting capabilities, including physics-based numerical prediction systems and emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based forecasting systems, robust, scalable and accessible verification frameworks are essential to evaluate forecast performance, understand model behaviour and support continuous improvement.
You will contribute to the modernisation of ECMWF's Forecast Verification Software stack for medium-range, sub-seasonal and seasonal ensemble predictions using the physics-based Integrated Forecasting System (IFS), the Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS) and future hybrid forecasting approaches. A key objective of this role is to consolidate and evolve existing verification software capabilities across ECMWF into a coherent, reusable and sustainable platform, enabling scientists, product developers, operational teams and external partners to evaluate and compare the performance of a broad range of forecasting systems.
A central aspect of this role is the development of verification software as part of ECMWF's Earthkit ecosystem. You will contribute reusable, well-designed and documented software components that can be used across ECMWF and by the wider scientific community. By building verification capabilities within Earthkit, the role will enable collaboration, knowledge sharing and software reuse between ECMWF teams, research groups, Member and Co-operating States, international partners and external users.
Working closely with scientists, software engineers and operational teams across ECMWF, you will design, develop and maintain robust, scalable and user-oriented verification software. You will integrate verification workflows into ECMWF's Pre/Post-Processing application (PPROC), leveraging its operational workflow framework to produce verification products consistently, reproducibly and efficiently at scale. Combining reusable Earthkit components with PPROC operational workflows will enable the transition of innovative verification methodologies into sustainable operational capabilities.
Beyond software development, you will develop, deploy and operate verification services that expose forecast evaluation products, statistics and metadata through modern APIs and service interfaces. These services will enable ECMWF applications, including ecCharts, OpenCharts and future product platforms, as well as external users and partners, to consume verification information in a consistent, scalable and reliable manner.
The Product Development Services Team is part of the Development Section within the Forecasts and Services Department. The team develops software and services supporting the production and verification of ECMWF forecast products. The team develops highly efficient pre/post-processing workflows within ECMWF's Pre/Post-Processing software, providing a common operational framework for generating, managing and delivering forecast products. The team also plays an active role in the development of the Earthkit ecosystem, creating reusable software components and services that support scientific computing, product generation, forecast verification and operational applications.
Your responsibilities include:
- Design, develop and maintain reusable forecast verification software as part of ECMWF's Earthkit ecosystem.
- Consolidate and modernise existing verification software capabilities across ECMWF into a common, maintainable and extensible verification platform.
- Contribute to the evolution of Earthkit as a collaborative software ecosystem supporting scientific and operational applications.
- Develop, deploy and operate verification services exposing forecast evaluation results, statistics and metadata through APIs and other service interfaces.
- Collaborate and support scientists in the transition to new verification methodologies.
- Maintain and contribute to the evolution of ECMWF's Forecast Verification Platform.
- Collaborate with scientific and operational teams on verification-related activities.
We are looking for someone who is passionate about developing high-quality scientific software with broad scientific and operational impact, interested in building software ecosystems that enable collaboration, reuse and innovation, motivated to bridge scientific developments with reliable, production-quality software, comfortable working in multidisciplinary teams involving software engineers, scientists and operational experts, able to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and scientific audiences, and committed to developing maintainable, robust, reusable and documented software.
Your profile should include an advanced university degree (EQF Level 7 or above), or equivalent professional experience, in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, Atmospheric Science, Physics, Data Science or a related discipline.
Essential experience and knowledge:
- Strong software development skills in Python.
- Experience developing scientific software, data-processing applications or software libraries, with focus on high-performance reusable software components.
- Experience with modern software engineering and development practices.
- Experience with either cloud-native technologies, containers or high-performance computing environments.
Desirable experience and knowledge:
- Experience with geosciences software.
- Experience developing APIs, web services or service-oriented applications.
- Experience developing workflow automation or operational data-processing.
- Experience with forecast verification methodologies or statistical evaluation.
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.
This role offers the opportunity to build a strategic software capability supporting the future of forecast evaluation at ECMWF. Your work will span reusable scientific software within the Earthkit ecosystem, scalable operational workflows powered by PPROC, and production services delivering trusted forecast evaluation information to ECMWF applications and users.
About ECMWF: The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is a world leader in Numerical Weather Predictions providing high-quality data for weather forecasts and environmental monitoring. As an intergovernmental organisation we collaborate internationally to serve our members and the wider community with global weather predictions, data and training activities that are critical to contribute to safe and thriving societies.
Our vision: World-leading monitoring and predictions of the Earth system enabled by cutting-edge physical, computational and data science, resulting from a close collaboration between ECMWF and the members of the European Meteorological Infrastructure, will contribute to a safe and thriving society.
Our mission: Deliver global numerical weather predictions focusing on the medium-range and monitoring of the Earth system to and with our Member States.
In addition, ECMWF has established 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 information: Grade remuneration: The successful candidates will be recruited according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations. In addition to basic salary, ECMWF also offers an attractive benefits package. Information about working with us and full details of salary scales and allowances are available on the ECMWF website.
Starting date: asap. Location: Reading, UK or Bonn, Germany (Candidates are expected to relocate to the duty station).
Remote work: As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility to staff to mix office working and teleworking.
Interviews by videoconference (MS Teams) will be conducted in English and are expected to take place approximately a month after the closing date.
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.
Research Software Engineer – Forecast Verification in Reading employer: ECMWF
ECMWF is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation in the field of climate science. With a strong commitment to employee growth, ECMWF provides opportunities for professional development through engaging projects and international networking, all while promoting a culture of inclusivity and respect. Located in a vibrant European setting, employees benefit from a hybrid working model that supports work-life balance, making it an ideal place for those passionate about making a meaningful impact in atmospheric monitoring.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Software Engineer – Forecast Verification in Reading
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at ECMWF or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to ECMWF.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like ECMWF.
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Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like ECMWF that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Research Software Engineer – Forecast Verification in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at ECMWF.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at ECMWF and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at ECMWF
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If ECMWF uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
