Team Leader - Climate Reanalysis

Team Leader - Climate Reanalysis

ECMWF - European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

Reading, UK or Bonn, Germany

GBP 94,251 or € 113,224 per year net

Job reference: VN26-077
Salary and Grade: Grade A3, Reading, UK: £94,251 or Bonn, Germany: €113,224 NET annual basic salary + other benefits
Deadline for applications: 23/09/2026
Department: Research
Contract type: STF-PL
Contract Duration: 4 years, with possibility of further extensions

Your role

Reanalysis is central to ECMWF’s role as a global leader in Earth-system prediction, climate monitoring and climate services. By combining observations with advanced data assimilation techniques, ECMWF provides comprehensive, high-quality reanalyses of the atmosphere, land, ocean and wider climate system that are used worldwide for operational decision-making, research, policy and commercial applications.

We are seeking a Team Leader for the Climate Reanalysis (CRA) Team, which develops, delivers and continually improves world-leading global climate reanalysis datasets, including the ERA series (e.g. ERA5 and ERA6) produced by ECMWF in the framework of EU’s Climate Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

The role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of climate reanalysis at ECMWF. You will guide scientific and technical developments in reanalysis production, quality assurance, uncertainty characterization and user-oriented data provision, ensuring that ECMWF’s reanalysis activities continue to set international standards and respond to evolving scientific, policy and service needs.

As Team Leader, you will provide scientific and managerial leadership for a team of experienced scientists and technical specialists. Reporting to and supporting the Head of the Earth System Assimilation Section, you will help set priorities, plan and manage the team’s work, and foster effective collaboration across ECMWF, with Copernicus Climate Change Service partners, ECMWF Member and Co-operating States, and the wider climate research and services community.

About the Climate Reanalysis Team

The Climate Reanalysis Team is part of ECMWF’s Earth System Assimilation Section in the Research Department and plays a central role in the scientific quality, evolution and production of ECMWF’s global reanalysis portfolio. Its work underpins global prediction and climate monitoring services, a wide range of international environmental research activities, and increasingly supports machine learning applications by providing training data.

The team develops and delivers global reanalyses: physically consistent reconstructions of the past state of the Earth system, produced by combining historical satellite and in-situ observations with numerical models through the ECMWF data assimilation system. This includes maintaining the current ERA5 delivery, production of its successor ERA6, and leading research towards future next-generation reanalysis products, by exploiting both four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) and AI and machine learning technique.

The team works closely with colleagues across ECMWF in data assimilation, observations, atmospheric composition, land, ocean, sea ice, model development, production, evaluation and user services. It also engages with Member and Co-operating States, Copernicus Climate Change Service partners and users to ensure that ECMWF’s reanalyses continue to meet the highest standards of scientific quality and operational reliability, while responding to evolving user and service needs.

Your responsibilities

As Team Leader, you will:

• Lead and manage the Climate Reanalysis Team, setting objectives and priorities, supporting effective delivery, coaching and developing team members;
• Work with the Head of Section and senior colleagues to shape ECMWF's scientific and technical strategy for the next generation of global analysis building on both 4D-Var and IA techniques;
• Guide the design, production, evaluation and quality assurance of reanalysis datasets, ensuring scientific excellence, traceability, robustness and appropriate characterization of uncertainty;
• Oversee the planning and timely execution of large-scale reanalysis production activities, including the on-going ERA6 production, ensuring that operational workflows, data delivery and issue resolution are well coordinated and effectively managed;
• Foster collaboration across ECMWF and with Copernicus Climate Change Service partners, Member and Co-operating States, research organizations and user communities, representing ECMWF where appropriate.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who combines strong scientific expertise in climate reanalysis, Earth-system data assimilation or closely related fields with practical, supportive leadership. You will be comfortable leading experienced scientists and technical specialists, setting clear priorities and maintaining a strong focus on scientific quality, operational delivery and user impact.

You will bring:

• An inclusive and decisive leadership style, empowering and developing team members;
• Excellent scientific judgement and confidence to help shape priorities for climate reanalysis in a fast-moving scientific, technical and service environment;
• The ability to take an Earth-system view of reanalysis, connecting observations, physics and AI-based modelling, data assimilation, uncertainty estimation, production workflows and user requirements;
• The ability to build trust and manage dependencies across scientific, technical, operational and user-facing teams;
• Strong listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand different user perspectives and to represent ECMWF effectively;
• Strong organizational skills and the flexibility and resilience to lead a major multi-year production and development programme, including adapting when priorities change or operational issues arise.

Your profile

Education:

• An advanced university degree or equivalent professional experience, in a relevant field.

Essential experience and knowledge:

• Track record in climate reanalysis, Earth-system data assimilation, observational data usage or climate monitoring;
• Experience contributing to the development, production, evaluation or application of large-scale Earth-system datasets, preferably in an operational or service-oriented environment;
• Demonstrated scientific and people leadership, including setting priorities and successfully leading cross-cutting projects or teams.

Desirable experience and knowledge:

• Understanding of ECMWF reanalysis products and the scientific and technical challenges associated with their production;
• Experience with reanalysis quality assurance, uncertainty estimation, observing-system evaluation or climate data stewardship;
• Experience engaging with climate services, operational or research users and international partners;
• Awareness of emerging AI and machine-learning approaches and their potential applications in climate reanalysis and Earth-system prediction.

Languages:

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

If this role interests you and you meet several but not all of the criteria listed above, we still encourage you to apply.

About Copernicus

Copernicus is the flagship Earth observation component of the European Union (EU) space programme. Based on the exploitation of space-based and Earth observations and scientific models, Copernicus provides validated information services for land, marine, atmosphere and climate monitoring, as well as emergency management and security. These services, and their free, open and quality-assured data and tools, support a range of environmental and security applications across sectors and policy domains. ECMWF has been entrusted to operate two of these Services - the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) - on behalf of the European Commission, as well as being a contributor to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) service provides consistent and quality-controlled information related to atmospheric composition, including air pollutants and greenhouse gases, solar energy, and climate forcing, everywhere in the world. For more information, see https://www.copernicus.eu/en/copernicus-services/atmosphere.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) service provides authoritative information about the past, present and future climate, as well as tools to enable climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies by policy makers and businesses. For more information, see https://www.copernicus.eu/en/copernicus-services/climate-change and www.copernicus.eu.

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.

The success of our activities depends on the funding and partnerships of the 35 Member and Co-operating States who provide the support and direction of our work. Our talented staff together with the international scientific community, and our powerful supercomputing capabilities, are the core of a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long-range predictions. We also hold one of the largest meteorological data archives in the world.

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 and the Strengthening Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) Programme. 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.

Our vision: The strength of a common goal.
Our mission: Deliver global numerical weather predictions focusing on the medium-range and monitoring of the Earth system to and with our Member States.

ECMWF is a multi-site organisation, with its headquarters in Reading, UK, a data centre in Bologna, Italy, and a large presence in Bonn, Germany, as a central location for our EU-related activities. ECMWF is internationally recognised as the voice of expertise in numerical weather predictions for forecasts and climate science - www.ecmwf.int.

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 at:  www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs/working-ecmwf.

Starting date:  01 January 2027
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. 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).

Interviews by videoconference (MS Teams) will be conducted in English and are expected to take place approximately a month after the closing date.

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

If you require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment process, please let us know. To contact the ECMWF Recruitment Team, please 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 Co-operating States.

ECMWF Member 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 (note: ECMWF will not be able to assist with leaving the country). Applications from nationals from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases.