Physical Scientist: Climate Model Coupling Specialist

Update: Please note that the poster has been extended until October 15, 2020.

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

ONLY APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ON-LINE USING THE 'APPLY ON-LINE' BUTTON ABOVE WILL BE CONSIDERED.

TIPS FOR APPLICANTS: When answering the screening questions ensure that you provide complete and thorough details of your experience. Do not assume that the screening board has any previous knowledge of your background, qualifications, or work history. You must be specific and provide concrete examples/details for each Experience element, as applications will be screened only on the information provided. Failure to provide sufficient information may result in your application being screened out of the competition.

Information you must provide:
Your cover letter and résumé.
Your completed application.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

Duties

Duties:
As a Climate Model Coupling Specialist you will lead development and maintenance of the coupler used in the Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM). Duties will include improvements to the existing coupler (CanCPL); research of, and implementation of a new community based coupling system; and implementing coupling between new Earth System component models in the atmosphere, ocean, land and cryosphere. You will be responsible for the technical, numerical and physical aspects of interfacing component models with the coupler; maintaining up to date documentation; as well as version control and standards of the coupler source code. As the coupler affects every component of the coupled model, you will play a major role in the development of new versions of CanESM.

Work environment

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is always looking for talented and skilled individuals to join our team. Our success lies in a dynamic workforce that strives for excellence and innovation. Are you looking for an environment that offers many challenges with the opportunity to work on high profile issues? If you wish to contribute significantly by sharing your expertise, knowledge and initiative in the achievement of government priorities, we may have the job opportunity for you.

Intent of the process

To staff one indeterminate position at CCCma Office in Victoria, British Columbia. A pool may be established to staff similar positions with various tenures (e.g. acting, specified period, assignment/secondment, indeterminate, etc.), language profiles/requirements and conditions of employment in Victoria, British Columbia.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

Education:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution, with acceptable specialization in physics, geology or chemistry, or some other science (such as atmosphere, ocean or climate science, etc.) relevant to the position.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
•Recent and significant experience* in working with coupling components of Earth System Models
•Recent and significant experience* in scientific programming using Fortran90 or later and working in UNIX/Linux environment
•Recent and significant experience* in developing inline remapping approaches
•Recent and significant experience* designing and implementing code interfaces

*Recent and significant means at least one (1) year within the last five (5) years.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
•Knowledge of available community couplers and coupling strategies used in Earth System Models
•Knowledge of modern software engineering principles, including object orientated design, as applied to Earth System Models
•Knowledge of shared- and distributed-memory parallelization (OpenMP/MPI) in Fortran
•Knowledge of remapping algorithms and coordinate transformations in Earth system modelling context

Abilities:
Ability to lead small scientific/technical teams
Ability to develop and implement climate/atmospheric/ocean models
Ability to analyze and synthesize model outputs and provide recommendations/reports
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Ability to manage an integrated version control system

Personal Suitability:
Effective interpersonal relationships
Initiative
Judgement

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Asset Education:
Graduation with a post graduate (M.Sc., M.Eng. or Ph.D.) degree from a recognized post secondary institution with an acceptable specialization in atmospheric sciences, atmospheric physics, software engineering, mathematics, physics or some other science relevant to the position.

Degree equivalency

Asset Experience:
Experience with the Earth System Modelling Framework (ESMF) / The National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC) coupling system

Asset Knowledge:
Knowledge of other international modelling centers
Knowledge of numerical methods as they pertain to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Expert knowledge of coupled climate models
Knowledge of super-computer architectures, vendors and systems

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS:
Environment Canada is committed to having a skilled and diversified workforce representative of the population we serve. In support of our Engagement Strategy to achieve employment equity goals, selection may be limited to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal peoples, Persons with a Disability, Visible Minorities and Women.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Willingness and ability to travel within Canada and internationally

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent. We will contact candidates when the screening process is completed. Our intention is to communicate with the candidates by email. Candidates who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid email address and make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Qualifications will be assessed by a variety of tools and methods. Therefore, a written exam, an interview, reference checks or other assessment methods may be used in this process. Candidates are expected to make a reasonable effort to make themselves available for assessments as scheduled.

Depending on the number of applicants, the needs and/or Human Resources plans, volume management strategies such as random selection, top-down approach and/or establishing cut-off scores to determine who will continue in the staffing process, MAY BE USED for the purpose of managing applications.

Please note that any information provided through this selection process may be considered in the assessment of any of the essential and asset qualifications, including the ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Candidates will be required to provide proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only). Candidates with foreign educational credentials are required to provide proof of Canadian equivalency. You may consult The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials at http://www.cicic.ca for further information.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications, operational requirements or organizational needs depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.