The World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), in the framework of their joint Subseasonal to Seasonal Prediction Project (S2S) are planning to organize a competition to stimulate Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML)/Deep Learning (DL) approaches to improve the forecast skill at the subseasonal to seasonal time scale and to promote the use of their S2S database. To that effect, we are looking for a contractor to set up and implement the competition platform on the Renkulab facility hosted by the Swiss Data Science Center at ETH Zürich and EPFL. The estimated total time for completion of the work effort of 45 days would be spread over a 10 month period with a possible start on 1 March 2021. We expect about 50% of the workload to be focused on the first 3 months. The pay band will depend on experience according to WMO rules.

Skills required:

1. IT Expertise in python, Jupyter notebooks, git, continuous integration pipelines and automation, and general software development and documentation

2. Experience with web technologies for the creation and hosting of dynamic websites

3. Familiarity with weather and climate predictions data formats (GRIB2, NetCDF, etc) would be an advantage

4. Experience using collaborative cloud-based computational environments, like renkulab.io, would be an advantage

5. Background in weather/climate science and knowledge of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning methods would be an advantage

6. Additionally, the ability to work with an international team and with contributing partners and synthesize requirements for the competition is also considered as important.

Duties:

1. Develop backbone python, git, and Jupyter notebook software for the competition to support the automated ingestion of S2S AI forecasts provided by external parties on the selected platform, evaluation, quantitative and graphical verification, and intercomparison of those products against agreed benchmarks and metrics (months M01-M03)

2. Prepare comprehensive documentation of the software platform, data format specification, process for data submission, timelines (month M03)

3. Timely IT/Help-desk support to competitors, software support and updates as necessary, and overall monitoring throughout the active phase of the competition (months M04-M10)

4. General work arrangements: home-based, monthly teleconferences organized by the incumbent with S2S Co-chairs, the S2S task team, and WCRP and WWRP Secretariat contacts to refine the initial work plan and requirements, regular reporting, validation of competition

For expressions of interest, please kindly send a detailed CV, a motivation letter as well as three reference names to Dr. Wenchao Cao (wcao@wmo.int), preferably by 31 January 2021.