Regional climate model specialist

Are you ready to contribute to pioneering climate research that addresses real-world challenges? The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) is seeking an experienced climate model specialist to develop and maintain our regional climate modeling infrastructure, collaborating with experts across national and international networks. Based in De Bilt, you will play a key role in improving climate models to help communities preparing for the local impacts of global climate change.

What will you be doing?

In this role, you will be at the centre of the development and maintenance of KNMI’s regional climate modeling systems, with a focus on transitioning from RACMO to HCLIM. Using your expertise in climate modeling, you’ll contribute to both the technical and scientific advancement of our infrastructure, generating simulations and scenario-based products that will enable policymakers and communities to make informed decisions. You’ll also coordinate with international partners within projects like CORDEX, working closely with KNMI researchers and the HCLIM consortium.

"You are motivated by the opportunity to contribute directly to scientific advancements that will support climate resilience. In this role, your expertise will help refine regional climate models, enabling climate projections to be precise and actionable for adaptation strategies. Working alongside a dedicated team of experts nationally and internationally energizes you, as together you strive to generate insights that equip communities to address the future challenges of climate change."
Ben Wichers Schreur, team leader

Our unique mission involves gathering information about the atmosphere and subsurface and translating it into insights which will help society to understand and to manage the risks.

Qualifications

• A PhD in meteorology or a closely related discipline
• Scientific knowledge of the components of a regional climate model and the processes resolved
• Demonstrable extensive experience with running and developing high-resolution weather/climate models, preferably with Harmonie/HCLIM and/or RACMO
• In-depth knowledge of software development and implementation for High Performance Computing
• Extensive experience with Linux, Python, and Fortran

As a climate model specialist, you stay current with modern software development tools and methodologies and bring a proactive, solution-oriented mindset to your work. You thrive in collaborative settings, navigating easily within scientific and international environments where you communicate and write fluently in both English and Dutch. Your strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and commitment to scientific accuracy enable you to approach complex climate challenges with clarity and precision. You are adaptable, resilient, and enthusiastic about continuous learning, which drives you to improve and innovate in climate modeling.

Our Department

The department Research and Development of Weather and Climate models (RDWK) investigates and develops research tools for weather and air quality prediction applications and climate research. We work on detailed physical processes, data assimilation, long term climate projections and practical applications including storm surge forecasts and statistics of extremes. RDWK participates in international projects directed towards a variety of weather and climate-related research and development areas. The department has a strong international network.

The department performs its activities in collaboration with partners like ACCORD, EC-Earth, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and universities. We work for the national road and water authority Rijkswaterstaat, the Ministry for Infrastructure and Water Management, the Dutch research funding organisation (NWO), the European Copernicus programme and other European research programmes; and on servicing the operational weather forecast centre, climate scenarios and strategic research. The department collaborates with the other KNMI departments.

Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI)

The weather is temperamental, the ground moves, and the climate changes. For our safety and prosperity, we need to know what risks and opportunities this brings. And: how we can best prepare ourselves. The Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) is the national knowledge and data centre for weather, climate, and seismology. Reliable, independent, and focused on what the Netherlands needs. For a safe Netherlands that is prepared for the impact of weather, climate, and earthquakes.

We use our core values - Development, Cooperation, and Relevance - to achieve our ambition, both within and outside KNMI, nationally and internationally. We develop our knowledge and expertise and work together to create a single KNMI that makes a difference to society!

The KNMI is an inclusive organization. An organization that provides space for everyone and uses the strength of its diverse workforce to achieve better results together for the Netherlands. Inclusive means that everyone feels involved and valued; not in spite of their differences, but thanks to them.

Organisationally, KNMI falls under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, committed to a safe, accessible, and liveable Netherlands. That is why the Ministry works on powerful connections by road, rail, water, and air, and protects against flooding, ensuring the quality of air, water, and soil, and the realization of a circular economy.