Assistant/Associate/Full Project Scientist - Department of Earth & Planetary Science

The Department of Earth & Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley seeks a Project Scientist to conduct research in the domain of Atmospheric Science.

The candidate will help to create advanced forecasts of high-impact weather and climate phenomena for deployment at scale in tropical countries. As part of a multidisciplinary collaboration between universities, international development agencies, and governmental ministries in multiple countries, the selected candidate will contribute to the development of forecasts of dangerous heat stress, precipitation, monsoon onset, and other tropical phenomena using a range of physics-based, artificial intelligence, and statistical weather prediction models. The candidate will play a central role in Berkeley's new Tropical Risk Project; this project has grown out of a collaboration with the University of Chicago that, over the past two years, developed new AI-enabled long-lead forecasts of rainy season onset that were distributed to over 50 million farmers in India and subsequently institutionalized in the Indian government.

This Project Scientist role will help broaden this program to other phenomena, including heat stress, and support its expansion into other countries. In addition to original scholarly research, the role will involve managing activities of the project and contributing to writing of grant proposals. The position will be supervised by Profs. William Boos (Department of Earth and Planetary Science) and Lucas Vargas Zeppetello (Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management).

The research group of Prof. Boos focuses on large-scale atmospheric dynamics, using theory, observational analyses, and numerical models to understand and better predict monsoons, heat waves, intense precipitation and other weather and climate phenomena. Prof. Vargas Zeppetello leads the Plant Land-Atmosphere Climate Exchange (PLACE) group, which studies the relationships between water, energy, and carbon at Earth's land surface, with implications for drought, heat waves, ecohydrology, and the terrestrial carbon cycle.

Responsibilities:

Develop novel decision-oriented forecasting metrics, develop forecasting systems using AI, statistical, and physics-based methods, and evaluate forecast skill compared to novel baselines tailored for decision-makers.

Work as a key member of a fast-paced, multi-institutional team to develop built-for-purpose regional forecasts to improve livelihoods of farmers in low- and middle-income countries.

Build fundamental understanding of the forecasting potential for high-impact phenomena, such as extreme heat, using AI and statistical weather models.

Collaborate with meteorological agencies in multiple countries to help build an operational system to provide actionable, real-time predictions to tens of millions of people throughout the tropics, leveraging last-mile delivery pipelines developed by non-governmental partner organizations.

Disseminating research results through presentations and publications, and mentoring more junior project staff.

Contribute to writing of grant proposals

Labor Contract: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/ra/contract.html

Forecasting the Onset of the Indian Monsoon - HCWF: https://humancenteredforecasts.climate.uchicago.edu/forecasting-the-onset-of-the-indian-monsoon

Times Of India 20260519: https://boos.berkeley.edu/pdf/TimesOfIndia_20260519.jpeg

PhD or equivalent international degree.

Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, Statistics, Environmental Science, Mathematics, or a

related field.

Demonstrated experience handling and processing large-scale datasets (hundreds of terabytes and larger).

Demonstrated record of productivity and publications and/or scholarly contributions.

Demonstrated ability to work in a research team, manage active collaborations with other academic groups.

Expertise in data infrastructure, data governance.

Expertise in high performance computing environments.

Experience with cloud services (AWS, GCP, Azure, etc).

Experience with state-of-the-art AI/ML methods in the atmospheric sciences.

Experience mentoring more junior staff, such as students or BA/MA-level data scientists.

Experience with scientific and/or governmental speaking engagements.

Ability to effectively communicate, participate in efficient and open collaboration, and engage with a diverse group of researchers.

(required at time of start): At least one year of postdoctoral research experience

For consideration for the Associate Project Scientist rank: a minimum of 8 years of post-Ph.D. research experience in a relevant field or similar project.

For consideration for the full Project Scientist rank: a minimum of 14 years of post-Ph.D. research experience in a relevant field or similar project.

• 3 required (contact information only)

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment