Hydro-Climate Predictive Modeller

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Environmental and Climate Change Modelling Team Lead, the Hydro-Climate Predictive Modeller is responsible for supporting advanced operational modelling crucial for infrastructure operation, effective response to water shortage, and drought emergencies management. A significant part of the role involves the meticulous process of downloading, preprocessing, downscaling, and bias-correcting weather forecast inputs, and producing operational and seasonal ensemble hydro-climate forecasts.

This position also involves conducting a thorough analysis of seasonal forecast skill using retrospective historical forecasts to ensure the reliability and accuracy of these forecasts. This position is accountable for developing new methodologies and automated systems for the analysis of hydrological, meteorological, micrometeorological, and climate datasets. This encompasses the creation and potential co-development of programming packages and algorithms specifically tailored for analyzing the diverse and complex hydro-climate datasets prevalent across Alberta.

In this position, the incumbent will: 
•    Design, develop, calibrate, validate, and apply hydrological models to understand the past, current, and future environmental conditions including assessment of climate change impacts on hydrology in Alberta
•    Support the development and implementation of drought forecasting systems in Alberta.
•    Support the development and implementation of short- and long-term hydro-climate prediction analytical tools in Alberta.
•    Develop and manipulate data, including the processes of downloading, preprocessing, downscaling, and bias-correcting weather/climate data, and producing operational and seasonal ensemble hydro-climate forecasts.
•    Develop and maintain automated data pipelines to efficiently process and integrate diverse hydrological and meteorological data into operational models, such as water allocation and water demand forecasting models.
•    Implement systems for the continuously running hydrological forecasting models and the automatic updating of climate forcing data.
•    Develop statistical and mathematical methods including ML algorithms tailored to specific forecasting challenges in hydro-climate modelling.
•    Conduct in-depth analyses of snow data from various sources, and focusing on aspects like snow water equivalent (SWE), snow depth, and melt rates, and snow modelling.
•    Utilize GIS and remote sensing technologies to visualize and analyze spatial and temporal patterns in snow data from these different models.
•    Stay abreast of advancements in hydrological modelling and climate science, and publish findings in scientific journals.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

How Competencies will apply to this role:

Build Collaborative Environments: Actively collaborating with internal and external colleagues to improve products. Leading progress meetings to exchange knowledge and opinions.

Creative Problem Solving: Developing a guideline or methodologies to improve an existing system.

Drive for Results: Managing a number of complex issues, projects and priorities while delivering results and achieving outcomes.

Systems Thinking: Working independently in a multi-disciplinary team environment and identifying critical issues and needs to develop new programs and methodologies.

Develop Self and Others: Building and maintaining effective and productive relationships with researchers and professionals to resolve scientific issues.

Qualifications

Required: 
•    Ph.D. in a scientific discipline such as Atmospheric/Climate Science, Earth System Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or other related fields.
•    Minimum of two years related experience in hydrological or climate data modelling.

Equivalences will be considered: Additional related education considered in lieu of experience on a one-for-one basis. 
•    Masters degree plus 4 years related experience; or
•    University degree in a related field, plus 6 years related experience.

Additional requirements:
•    Computer programming skills (such as Python, R, Visual Basic, C#, and Visual Studio IDE) to develop input/output utilities for models.

Assets:
•    Training or certification in GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS) for spatial data analysis and visualization.
•    Knowledge or training in machine learning and data science applications in environmental contexts.
•    Certifications or training in hydrological or hydro-climate modelling software (e.g., MIKE SHE/MIKE 11, HydroGeosphere, RAVEN, etc.

The goal of this recruitment is to fill this position at a Scientific 3 level. However, candidates with lesser qualifications may be considered at a lower classification and salary.  

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

•    This competition is for 1 temporary position located in Calgary. 
•    Monday – Friday, 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week.

Any costs associated with obtaining required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Applicants are required to include a COVER LETTER with clear and concise specific examples that demonstrate how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements and competencies.

Instructions for your Resume:
For Employment Experience:
Please indicate duration of employment (month, year)
Please specify employment status (i.e. casual, part-time or full-time)
Ex: Youth Worker, Jan 2006 - June 2009, Part-time (three, 8 hour shifts/week)

For any Post-Secondary Education:
Please specify your major and length of program
Please specify the year you graduated
Ex: Bachelor of Social Work, 4-year Degree (Graduated 2017)

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer to prospective employees.
•    Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages- working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
•    Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
•    Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
•    Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
•    Leadership and mentorship programs.