SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE (SAWS) VACANCIES

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The South African Weather Service is therefore seeking to appoint an efficient and enthusiastic person to undertake the role of:
 
SCIENTIST: SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE (RE-ADVERTISEMENT) 
Salary: Negotiable 
Research Unit, Pretoria 
2-Year Fixed Term Contract 
(Ref: WS05/112024) 
 
Job Summary 
Provide support to the Research Department, ensuring that Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models, pre-processing, and postprocessing software needed to run the models, as well as software needed to develop products, are running efficiently. This position will contribute to optimising, updating, and upgrading our existing operational systems, data flows, and programming codes. In addition to contributing to the design and development of cutting-edge software solutions, you will assist in enhancing our operational infrastructure's performance, scalability, and reliability. The scientist will develop protocols to integrate scientific research into operational (R2O) tools within various forecasting systems. Experience in NWP modelling, supercomputing, dashboard development, data management, and monitoring will be highly beneficial to performing these tasks.
 
Key Performance Areas 
The candidate will be required to: 

• Collaborate with the team to design, develop, and implement software solutions to support research and development. 
• Participate in designing, developing, and implementing software solutions to address complex and time-sensitive challenges of producing numerical weather forecasts and products. 
• Conduct research and experimentation to explore new technologies, algorithms, and methodologies relevant to our field. 
• Collaborate with the design and implementation of data management systems and software tools for acquiring, storing, processing, and analysing meteorological, environmental, and geographical. 
• Develop and maintain software applications, algorithms, and models for computing and visualising the fire danger index, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and scalability.
• Integrate software components with existing systems and data sources, ensuring compatibility and interoperability with relevant meteorological and environmental databases and platforms. 
• Employ best practices in software development, version control, and documentation to ensure the reproducibility and traceability of research and analysis activities. 
• Collaborate with senior scientists and researchers to understand software requirements, provide technical expertise, and contribute to the optimisation of systems. 
• Stay informed about advancements in software development, data management, and scientific computing to identify opportunities to improve process efficiency and effectiveness. 
• Write clean, efficient, and maintainable code, adhering to coding standards and best practices. 
• Document technical specifications, design decisions, and implementation details for future reference and knowledge sharing. 
• Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve software issues and performance bottlenecks in collaboration with the operations team. 

 
Minimum Requirements 
Education and Experience 
• An appropriate Degree (e.g., Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field). 
Strong programming skills in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Java, C/C++, JavaScript). 
• Experience or working knowledge optimising and upgrading existing operational systems, data flows, and codes. 
• Familiarity with supercomputing technologies and parallel computing concepts. 
• Proficiency in dashboard development using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Grafana. 
• Proficiency in code version control processes and systems (e.g. Git). 
• Knowledge of data management principles and practices, including storage, retrieval, and processing. 
• Experience with monitoring tools and techniques for tracking system performance and data quality. 
 
Behavioural Competencies 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment. 
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to contribute to multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. 

 
 
Please Note: 
If you have previously applied, you do not need to apply again. 
Register as user on our website using this link: https://www.weathersa.co.za/home/vacancies to apply for the above position and upload your (Comprehensive CV with certified copies of qualifications). 
 
Enquiries for the above-mentioned positions must be directed to: Ms Thembisa Bixa, at 
 
Closing Date: 20 November 2024 
 
Preference will be given to People living with disabilities in line with SAWS EE targets. This is an EE position and preference will be given to females, Africans, Indians and Coloureds (AIC). Correspondence will be limited to short listed candidates only. Candidates who have not been contacted within 3 months after the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. The South African Weather Service is an equal opportunity employer. 
 
Record Reference HCM-ADVERT-

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The South African Weather Service is therefore seeking to appoint an efficient and enthusiastic person to undertake the role of: 
 
SENIOR SCIENTIST: FIRE WEATHER RESEARCH 
Salary: Negotiable 
Research Unit 
Two Year Fixed Term Contract 
(Ref: WS04/112024) 
 
Job Summary 
The principal scientific activity is developing, optimising, and implementing a new national operational fire weather index at the South African Weather Service to support a new National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS). The work will involve leading research and development efforts to understand, model, and predict fire weather conditions. This includes conducting in-depth meteorological and fire data analyses, refining various existing algorithms, multivariate data blending and models for calculating the fire weather index and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to incorporate expertise and feedback. The senior scientist will be essential in translating scientific research into operational (R2O) tools by integrating the fire weather index algorithms into forecasting systems and developing protocols for its use. Additionally, the successful candidate may be required to participate in other research activities within the Research Unit as delegated by the Lead Scientist or Senior Manager.
 
Key Performance Areas 
The candidate will be required to: 

• Lead the research and development of a new fire danger index, including the formulation of algorithms, models, and data analysis techniques. 
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to integrate meteorological, environmental, and geographical data into developing the fire danger index. 
• Conduct thorough literature reviews and stay abreast of the latest fire weather science and technology advancements. 
• Design and conduct field experiments and validation studies to assess the fire danger index's performance and accuracy. 
• Analyse and interpret complex datasets to identify patterns, trends, and correlations relevant to fire danger assessment. 
• Develop and maintain documentation, including technical reports, research papers, and presentations, to communicate the methodology and findings of the fire danger index development. 
• Provide technical guidance and training to scientists, forecasters and stakeholders on the new use and interpretation of the new fire danger index. 
• Collaborate with stakeholders and end users to understand their needs and incorporate feedback into refining the fire danger index. 
• Represent SAWS and present research outputs, where appropriate, at national or international scientific events, e.g. conferences and workshops. 
• Ensure that the work environment complies with legislative requirements for Occupational Health and Safety. 

 
Minimum Requirements 
Education and Experience 
• MSc in a related field (e.g., Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, Environmental Science, or a related field). 
• At least 5 years of experience in fire weather research, including developing fire danger indices or related methodologies. 
• Proven expertise in statistical analysis, data modelling, and programming languages commonly used in atmospheric and environmental research (e.g., Python, R, Fortran). 
• Knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques for incorporating geographical and environmental data into fire danger assessments. 
• Demonstrated experience in leading research projects, including the design, execution, and analysis of field experiments and validation studies. 
• Familiarity with the practical application of fire danger indices in wildfire management and public safety. 
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals, with a minimum of three publications as the lead author related to fire weather, atmospheric science, or environmental research. 
• Experience collaborating with interdisciplinary teams and stakeholders, including government agencies, research institutions, or industry partners. 
• Experience working with government agencies involved in fire management, wildfire prediction, or emergency services will be advantageous. 
 
Behavioural Competencies 

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to technical and non-technical audiences. 

 
Please Note: 
Register as user on our website using this link: https://www.weathersa.co.za/home/vacancies to apply for the above position and upload your (Comprehensive CV with certified copies of qualifications). 
 
Enquiries for the above-mentioned positions must be directed to: Ms Thembisa Bixa, at Tel. (012) 367 6091. 
 
Closing Date: 20 November 2024 
 
Preference will be given to People living with disabilities in line with SAWS EE targets. This is an EE position and preference will be given to females, Africans, Indians and Coloureds (AIC). Correspondence will be limited to short listed candidates only. Candidates who have not been contacted within 3 months after the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. The South African Weather Service is an equal opportunity employer. 
 
Record Reference HCM-ADVERT-