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Chief Scientist

Darmstadt, Germany, EUMETSAT [VN20/11]

Field(s) of expertise
Space Systems Engineering Aerospace Engineering
Job type
Contract
Education
BachelorDoctorateMaster
Deadline
Closed

About this job

The Chief Scientist provides high-level guidance and advice on all scientific aspects of the EUMETSAT strategy, focussing on international cooperation, the assessment of the impact of satellite data, peer reviews of EUMETSAT’s science and user consultation processes for the definition of future satellite systems.

The Chief Scientist also manages the EUMETSAT research fellowship programme, participates in international scientific fora and supports scientific aspects of external communication.

ABOUT EUMETSAT

EUMETSAT is Europe’s meteorological satellite agency. Its role is to establish and operate meteorological satellites to monitor the weather and climate from space – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation’s Member and Cooperating States in Europe, as well as other users worldwide.

EUMETSAT also operates several Copernicus missions on behalf of the European Union and provide data services to the Copernicus marine and atmospheric services and their users.

As an intergovernmental European Organisation, EUMETSAT has 30 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.)

 

Responsibilities

  • Advise the Director-General on all scientific aspects of the EUMETSAT strategy, including assessment of new opportunities;
  • Provide scientific leadership in bilateral and multilateral cooperation with other satellite operators and within WMO, including:
    • Scientific support to the EUMETSAT role of Permanent Secretary of the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites;
    • Coordination of scientific inputs to CGMS and WMO;
    • EUMETSAT representation in selected international high level scientific committees and user fora;
    • Support to the organisation of international scientific conferences and events, e.g. as a member of science programme committees;
  • Propose priorities for the acquisition of third party satellite products, based on the evaluation of their quality and relevance to NWP;
  • Evaluate the impact of satellite data on meteorological applications through interactions with Meteorological Services, ECMWF, WMO and international partners;
  • Support reviews of 5-year science roadmaps for the development of families of satellite products and organise peer reviews of proposed processing algorithms for satellite systems under development;
  • Support to the definition of high-level user requirements for future satellite systems:
    • Evaluation of the implications of ongoing research on user requirements placed on EUMETSAT;
    • Coordination of user consultation processes for collecting and prioritizing high level user requirements for future satellite systems;
    • Supervision of prospective scientific studies addressing new requirements or emerging applications;
    • Evaluation of the maturity and operational potential of new observing techniques demonstrated by research satellites;
  • Manage the EUMETSAT research fellowship programme;
  • Support external communication on scientific aspects of EUMETSAT’s business and impacts and socio-economic benefits of satellite data;
  • Organise scientific seminars on the applications of satellite data and the latest scientific developments.

Profile

  • In depth knowledge and proven experience of meteorological applications of satellite/remote sensing data and associated user communities;
  • Successful experience of interactions and networking within the international research and meteorological user communities, preferably in the definition of a satellite mission;
  • Successful experience in research and development in the area of remote sensing and/or meteorological applications of remote sensing data;
  • Successful contribution to the organisation of an international scientific conference;
  • Successful participation in a high profile international communication event, preferably in the field of meteorology.

QUALIFICATIONS:

University degree and PhD (or equivalent diploma) in a relevant scientific discipline.

LANGUAGES:

The official languages of EUMETSAT are English and French. Candidates must be fluent in English and have a working knowledge of French.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

The initial contract will be of 4 years’ duration, with subsequent 5 year contracts being awarded thereafter, subject to individual performance and organisation requirements. There is no limit to the amount of follow-up contracts a staff member can receive up to the EUMETSAT retirement age of 63 and there are certainly opportunities to establish a long career perspective at EUMETSAT. This post is graded A4/A5 on the EUMETSAT salary scales. The minimum basic salary for this post is EURO 8312 per month (net of internal tax) which may be negotiable on the basis of skills and experience. The salary scale provides for increments on the anniversary of taking up employment, and scales are reviewed by the EUMETSAT Council with effect from 1 January each year. In addition to basic salary, EUMETSAT offers attractive benefits. Further information, including salary details, is available on the EUMETSAT web site.

EUMETSAT is committed to providing an equal opportunities work environment for men and women.Please note that only nationals of EUMETSAT Member States may apply. The EUMETSAT Convention requires that Staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, account being taken of the international character of EUMETSAT.

 

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