The Center for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM) at ETH Zurich and the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) are collaborating to extend and strengthen MeteoSwiss’s operational warning verification activities. Weather warnings are among the most important services a national meteorological service provides. They help authorities, emergency services and the public prepare for heavy rain, strong winds, thunderstorms, snow, heat and other hazardous weather. To keep improving these warnings and to transparently show how well they perform, we need systematic, objective and reliable verification.
Project background
The project builds on a Python-based verification system that evaluates issued weather warnings and automated warning proposals against observations, such as gridded products and station measurements. A first set of rain warning verification products is currently being made operational with further weather hazard products to follow.
Job description
We are looking for a Scientific Software Engineer to join the Warning & Impact solution team within the Development of Forecasting division of MeteoSwiss for a three-year project on warning verification. Working closely with scientists, developers, forecasters and other users, you will further develop existing verification methods and turn them into robust, maintainable operational code.
Initially, your tasks will be to:
- Improve and extend the operational rain warning verification products
- Further develop and operationalize the wind warning verification pipeline, extending the existing station-based approach to a grid-based one
Later, depending on the team's priorities and progress, your work will include tasks such as:
- Integrating an existing nowcasting warning verification tool into our operational system, harmonizing approaches and consolidating code where reasonable
- Developing snow and heat warning verification pipelines and, if their quality is sufficient, implementing them operationally
The position is limited to three years.
Profile
We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds who meet most (not necessarily all) of the following criteria:
- MSc or PhD in computer science, data science, natural sciences (e.g. physics, atmospheric or environmental sciences), or a related field
- Experience in scientific and operational software development (e.g. automated testing, version control, CI/CD) and a keen interest in writing maintainable, well-documented code
- Strong Python skills, ideally with experience in handling station and gridded meteorological data, and familiarity with domain-specific formats and frameworks (e.g. Polars, Xarray, earthkit, GRIB, netCDF)
- Solid understanding of meteorology, preferably with a focus on high-impact weather and weather warnings
- Familiarity with forecast verification methods and statistical evaluation
- Willingness to contribute across the full workflow, from turning scientific methods into operational products to maintaining them
- A collaborative mindset, with the ability to take ownership of tasks and communicate effectively within a team
- Enjoyment of working closely with forecasters and other users and translating their needs into useful products
We offer
- The opportunity to shape how MeteoSwiss evaluates and improves its weather warnings, a core public service that helps protect people and infrastructure
- The chance to turn approaches for verifying weather warnings into robust operational products used across MeteoSwiss
- Access to a modern scientific software stack, powerful on-prem and cloud computing platforms and AI-powered tools
- Close collaboration with forecasters and other users, whose feedback directly shapes the products you build
- A supportive and interdisciplinary team at Switzerland's national weather service
- Flexible working arrangements with the possibility of partial home office, and the choice between two main workplace locations: Locarno-Monti or Zurich Airport
Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich
We value diversity and sustainability
In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.
Curious? So are we.
We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:
- Motivation letter
- CV, including contact details for at least one reference
Further information about MeteoSwiss and C2SM can be found on our websites www.meteoswiss.ch and www.c2sm.ethz.ch. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Lea Beusch, lea.beusch@meteoswiss.ch (no applications).
Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.
We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.
About ETH Zürich
ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.
