University Assistant (prae doc)

We offer a PhD (“prae-doctoral”) position in the field of data assimilation for numerical weather prediction (NWP). The position will be embedded in the research group of Prof. Martin Weissmann and will be part of the Vienna Network for Atmospheric Research (VINAR), a collaboration between the University of Vienna and the Austrian National Weather Service ZAMG (Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik).

The starting date can be as early as 1 February 2022. The announcement is made for four years, whereby the employment relationship is initially limited to 1,5 years and is automatically extended to a total of four years, unless the employer submits a declaration of non-renewal after a maximum of 12 months.

The incorporation of ensemble-based estimates of error covariances in the framework of hybrid data assimilation schemes has been one of the major contributions to the improvement of forecast skill in recent years. ZAMG is currently still running a 3D-Var assimilation scheme with climatological covariances, but is planning to implement and test a new hybrid ensemble-variational (EnVar) scheme in 2022 that is being developed within the international ACCORD NWP (http://www.umr-cnrm.fr/accord ) consortium (mainly by Météo-France). The EnVar scheme is coupled with the convection-permitting NWP model AROME that is also used operationally by ZAMG.

The doctoral student will test this experimental EnVar scheme and develop improved approaches for the localization of horizontal and vertical ensemble-based covariance estimates. The development will be based on both simplified assimilation experiments with the experimental EnVar scheme as well as very large ensemble simulations with 1000 ensemble members that were recently conducted in collaboration with the RIKEN institute in Japan.

This position will be part of the Vienna Network for Atmospheric Research (VINAR), a collaboration between the University of Vienna and ZAMG (https://vinar.univie.ac.at/ ). The student will have access to data and models used at ZAMG and the research will be conducted in close collaboration with ZAMG.

Besides research, the successful candidate is also expected to participate in teaching and the supervision of students. Financial support is available for attending international meetings and visiting international research partners.

Participation in research, teaching and administration:
• Development of improved approaches for the localization of ensemble-based covariance estimates and assimilation experiments with the experimental EnVar scheme for the NWP model AROME.
• Scientific publications and presentations;
• Participation in teaching and independent teaching of courses as defined by the collective agreement;
• Support of collaboration activities in the Vienna Network for Atmospheric Research;
• We expect the successful candidate to sign a doctoral thesis agreement within 12 months. Participation in research, teaching and administration:
• Development of improved approaches for the localization of ensemble-based covariance estimates and assimilation experiments with the experimental EnVar scheme for the NWP model AROME.
• Scientific publications and presentations;
• Participation in teaching and independent teaching of courses as defined by the collective agreement;
• Support of collaboration activities in the Vienna Network for Atmospheric Research;
• We expect the successful candidate to sign a doctoral thesis agreement within 12 months.