Your role

ECMWF is opening an exciting new position for a Computing and Software Support Specialist (A2) in the User Services Section in the Forecast and Services Department of ECMWF, contributing to the Destination Earth initiative.

The Computing and Software Support Team provides technical advice and support to all users of ECMWF software and computing, including Member and Co-operating States, ECMWF and public users. As part of a team of ten staff, you will provide day-to-day second-line support to users and work on continuous improvements of our services, processes and documentation, with a specific focus on operational support to DestinE workflows across HPC platforms. 

As Digital Twins are being operationalised on ECMWF HPCF and EuroHPC systems, dedicated user support is required for managing compute resources. In this role, you will manage compute resources allocated to users on ECMWF HPCF and EuroHPC, setting up and supporting users of the systems. You will liaise with EuroHPC sites and other partners (e.g. EUMETSAT) regarding disruptions, scheduled maintenance or quotas on HPC and cloud platforms.

We are looking for a highly organised individual, with a keen interest in the latest technological developments, who enjoys managing competing priorities and a variety of tasks. You will have a direct impact on our user community by solving technical issues and shaping our client services and technologies. Excellent communication and collaboration skills are equally important in this role.

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 Earning 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.

About DestinE | Destination Earth

ECMWF is one of the entities entrusted with implementing the European Commission's DestinE initiative, alongside ESA and EUMETSAT, and works closely with over 100 partner institutions across Europe. DestinE delivers high-resolution, configurable digital twins of the Earth system that simulate past, present and plausible future environmental conditions and enable “what-if” scenario exploration. 

ECMWF is responsible for the delivery of these digital twins and of the Digital Twin engine, the software infrastructure needed to power the digital twins on the European HPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC) and ECMWF’s supercomputers and to handle and enable access to their data via the DestinE infrastructure, as well as for a range of Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning (AI/ML) activities. These include developments towards an ML Earth system model and a range of AI solutions that increase system interactivity and usability of digital twin data.

The third phase of DestinE (June 2026 – June 2028) marks the transition of the Climate Change Adaptation and Weather-induced Extremes Digital Twins, together with the Digital Twin Engine, into sustained operations. During this phase, the focus will be on consolidating, operating, and further evolving these key elements, as well as on maturing the AI Earth-system model components and AI-based solutions developed in phase 2.

The Climate DT is implemented by a partnership led by CSC, currently involving 12 leading climate institutions, supercomputing centres, national meteorological services, academia and industrial partners, through a contract procured by ECMWF.

For more about DestinE and the Climate DT, please see  and .

Your responsibilities

• Manage compute and file space resources allocated to users on ECMWF HPCF (and the common cloud infrastructure where required) and EuroHPC
• Provide technical advice on best use, and liaise with colleagues and contractors in Destination Earth on managing and monitoring the EuroHPC allocated resources
• Manage user access to resources (EuroHPC portal interactions, user registrations, access to IFS software, data access and data policy questions)
• Manage/support the implementation of cybersecurity requirements at HPC sites
• Communicate as required system availability and downtimes, planned upgrades preparation, and any other news regarding the individual EuroHPC or ECMWF’s HPC facilities that may affect use
• Provide annual summary reports on the use of the different systems
• Provide training on the use of ECMWF’s computing platforms and software to users
• Contribute to the creation of documentation to support users of our systems and services
• Review, improve and develop processes and workflows to effectively support users

What we are looking for

• Strong and effective interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach
• Flexibility with the ability to adapt to changing requirements or priorities, user needs and services
• Ability to work collaboratively and maintain a supportive and user-focused approach.
• Genuine passion for helping others

Your profile

• Advanced university degree (EQ7 level or above) or equivalent experience in computer science or engineering, computational science, physics or natural sciences, mathematics, or a related discipline.

Required experience and skills

• Experience in providing support for computing services in a Linux or Unix environment
• Experience in handling user queries and incidents with professionalism leading to successful resolution
• Experience with HPC technologies
• Knowledge of software management and scripting in Linux environments
• Knowledge of a modern scripting language such as Python
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, including the writing of technical documentation

Desirable experience and skills

• Relevant experience in providing technical training to users
• Experience in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) domain
• Knowledge of compiling and running scientific codes on high-performance computing facilities 
• Knowledge of data formats commonly used in meteorology (e.g. GRIB, BUFR, NetCDF)
• Knowledge of a high-level programming language, such as Fortran or C/C++

Candidates must be able to work effectively in English; knowledge of one of the Centre’s other working languages (French or German) would be advantageous.

If you feel that you have the relevant profile and motivation to join us but don't meet precisely all of the skills above, we still encourage you to apply!

Other information

Grade remuneration: The successful candidates will be recruited according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations. Details of salary scales and allowances are available on the ECMWF website at .

Starting date:  as soon as possible.

Candidates are expected to relocate to the duty station, either Bonn, Germany, or Reading, UK. As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility to staff to mix office working and teleworking, including away from the duty station (within the area of our member states and co-operating states).

Interviews by videoconference (MS Team) are expected to take place shortly after the vacancy closing date.

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

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 as well as nationals of European Union member states. In these exceptional times, we also welcome applications from Ukrainian nationals for this vacancy. Applications from nationals from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases.

ECMWF Member States 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.