Climate Modelling and Downscaling Expert

The consultant will strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of Meteo Rwanda to generate, evaluate, interpret and apply high-resolution climate projections. The role involves developing and applying climate-downscaling methodologies, evaluating climate-model products, generating validated projections, and providing training to Meteo Rwanda staff to support climate-risk management and adaptation planning.

Responsibilities

• Develop the methodology and institutional engagement framework for nationally owned climate projections including review of policies, climate studies, datasets and projections.
• Identify priority climate variables, indices, time horizons, scales and climate-information requirements through stakeholder consultations.
• Prepare institutional engagement plan, methodological approach and training plan for climate modelling and downscaling.
• Generate, downscale and validate climate projections working closely with Meteo Rwanda meteorologists and climate scientists.
• Evaluate historical climate-model products against observations and apply downscaling and bias-correction techniques.
• Produce high-resolution climate projections for temperature, precipitation and climate extremes and analyze trends, uncertainty and variability.
• Provide hands-on capacity development and knowledge transfer to Meteo Rwanda staff throughout the modelling and downscaling process.
• Produce climate maps, datasets and visualization products and ensure transfer of all data, codes and documentation to Meteo Rwanda.
• Document findings in comprehensive technical reports and develop accessible climate information products for decision-makers.
• Support presentation and dissemination of results to Meteo Rwanda and stakeholders and incorporate feedback into final outputs.

Requirements

• University degree preferably a Master’s or higher in meteorology, Climate Science, Atmospheric Science or a closely related discipline, with at least ten years of relevant professional experience in climate modelling.
• Demonstrated professional experience in meteorology, climate science, climate modelling, climate projections and climate downscaling.
• Demonstrated experience undertaking assignments involving the downscaling of climate-change projections.
• Demonstrated experience working with Global Climate Model datasets and climate-change scenarios.
• Demonstrated practical experience in statistical and/or dynamical climate downscaling, bias correction, climate-model evaluation and validation.
• Experience in analysing climate extremes, climate trends, model uncertainty and inter-model variability.
• Demonstrated experience in processing, analysing and visualizing large climate datasets using relevant computational and geospatial tools.
• Demonstrated experience in developing high-resolution climate projections and translating climate-model outputs into information relevant to national, sub-national and sectoral decision-making.
• Proven experience in providing training and technical capacity development in climate modelling and/or climate downscaling.
• Experience conducting climate-change and resilience research in East Africa would be an advantage.
• Relevant scientific publications in meteorology, climate science, climate modelling and/or climate projections would be an advantage.
• Strong analytical, scientific and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage, analyse and interpret complex climate datasets.
• Ability to translate technical climate-science information into clear and usable products for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent technical writing, presentation and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with national technical institutions and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong capacity-development and knowledge-transfer skills.
• Excellent knowledge of English (both oral and written). Knowledge of other official languages of the Organization would be an advantage.

Skills

• Climate Modelling
• Climate Downscaling
• Meteorology
• Climate Science
• Atmospheric Science
• Global Climate Model Analysis
• Climate-Change Projections
• Statistical Downscaling
• Dynamical Downscaling
• Bias Correction
• Climate Model Evaluation
• Climate Model Validation
• Climate Extremes Analysis
• Climate Trends Analysis
• Model Uncertainty Analysis
• Inter-Model Variability Analysis
• Large Climate Dataset Processing
• Geospatial Analysis
• Climate Data Visualization
• High-Resolution Climate Projections
• Technical Capacity Building
• Climate Risk Management
• Technical Writing
• Scientific Presentation
• Training Delivery

Languages

English