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Application deadline: 12:00 UTC, Monday 28 April 2025
The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) is a project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) coordinating climate simulations to understand past, present, and future climate changes. CMIP and its associated data infrastructure have become essential to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other international and national climate assessments. Its vision is to coordinate community-based research to tackle key and timely climate science questions and facilitate delivery of relevant multi-model simulations through shared infrastructure for the benefit of the international climate research community, climate impact and adaptation practitioners, national and international climate assessments, and society at large.
This call invites the community to nominate candidates (including self-nomination) who have expertise in the following areas:
- Land surface, cryosphere or carbon cycle modelling.
- ML/AI applications to coupled modelling.
- Historical and future forcing for coupled modelling.
The CMIP Panel
The CMIP Core Panel is a subcommittee of the Working Group on Coupled Modelling (WGCM) charged with overseeing the evolving design of CMIP and with coordinating the various activities contributing to the science and impact of CMIP. The CMIP Core Panel is currently composed of two co-chairs and four Core Panel members plus the WGCM Infrastructure Panel (WIP) Co-chairs. The extended CMIP Panel includes co-leads of the CMIP task teams and Fresh Eyes on CMIP, ex-officio members representing associated panels and other WCRP activities and an emeritus member. There are currently six task teams, two working groups, and the early career researcher activity, Fresh Eyes on CMIP, all of which report to the CMIP Core Panel and WIP Core Panel.
The CMIP Panel provides recommendations, proposals, and insight to the WGCM, which is the decision-making body and works closely and proactively across WCRP to drive forward climate modelling and climate science. The CMIP Panel works closely with the WIP that coordinates infrastructure support for CMIP and is responsible for many of the technical specifications for model output. Both Panels sit under the WGCM, within the Earth System Modelling and Observations (ESMO) core project, and are supported by the CMIP International Project Office.
Responsibilities of Core Panel members
- Attend and contribute to meetings to drive progress and review issues and risks arising in the delivery of CMIP.
- Report on areas of responsibility and adopt actions as needed.
- Work with other Panel members to develop white papers and other publications as relevant.
- Ensure adequate availability to be able to respond to requests for support from Panel co-chairs.
- Promote the work of the Panel and CMIP within their own networks and wider community.
- Commit to embracing diversity, demanding equality, and building capacity for the future within the CMIP project, in line with WCRP principles.
- Assist the co-chairs with the core delivery of CMIP and liaison with the task teams and the WIP.
- Represent the needs and requirements of regions currently under-represented in CMIP activities, promote their capacities, and support collaborations with appropriate regional groups and activities.
- Members are expected to conduct themselves according to the WCRP Code of Conduct.
Time commitment
All CMIP Core Panel appointments are initially for a maximum of four years, with up to two 2-year extensions possible.
CMIP Core Panel meetings take place regularly, typically of around two hours duration every one to two months or at the discretion of the CMIP Panel co-chairs and regular community events. There may be times when there is more or less work, depending on the activities undertaken (e.g., more intensive time demand may be needed with, for example, decisions regarding implementation/delivery activities, a workshop/event, stakeholder engagement or publishing a paper). Meetings will primarily be online, with some face-to-face meetings, if possible, to leverage suitable opportunities. Some out-of-hours work may be required due to time zones, but every effort is made to rotate meeting times to ensure fairness across the members and all meetings are recorded.
Typical additional activities that a Panel member would engage in could include:
- Involvement and contribution to the CMIP task teams and/or Fresh Eyes on CMIP.
- Attending CMIP-related workshops (virtually or in person).
- Additional virtual meetings for dialogue with other parts of WCRP and external stakeholders.
- Document preparation such as white papers, guidance documents or peer reviewed publications.
- Developing new cross-cutting themes.
- Developing or leveraging networks relevant to the aims of CMIP.
- Proposal conceptualization and development.
- Representing CMIP at conferences, workshops, and other events.
- Supporting capacity building in the global South and helping to foster collaboration.
- Mentoring / fostering early career researcher networks including Fresh Eyes on CMIP.
Eligibility criteria
We seek nominations that will help us to enhance the integration of diverse and regionally representative views and address some specific expertise gaps in the CMIP Panel. Therefore, nominees are sought from those with expertise in any of the following areas:
- Land surface, cryosphere or carbon cycle modelling.
- ML/AI applications to coupled modelling.
- Historical and future forcing for coupled modelling.
We also expect applicants to have demonstrable experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Relevant working knowledge of CMIP e.g., as data producers, data users, or involved in Model Intercomparison Project (MIP).
- Earth System model development, experimental design, execution, or evaluation experience including engagement in international and regional model intercomparisons.
- Experience of collaboration and co-creation with impacts and adaptation communities.
- Experience of contributing to scientific assessments e.g., IPCC or national climate assessments.
Please also be aware that all CMIP Core Panel members must:
- Be employed by an organisation or institution.
- Not have previously served as a CMIP Panel member in the past for more than six years.
- Not be a current voting member of any working group or panel under ESMO e.g., WGCM (Task Teams and ex-officio positions excluded).
Selection process
All open calls for CMIP Core Panel members will follow a four-stage selection process:
- An initial blind review of applications to generate a shortlist, which will then be reviewed in line with WCRP principles of embracing diversity, demanding equality, and building capacity for the future. Therefore, please adhere to guidance provided on the application form e.g., removing photographs, any personal details and publication list from your Curriculum Vitae.
- A full review of the shortlisted candidates – all information in the application will be considered at this stage. The CMIP Panel co-chairs will use the outcomes of the selection panel to produce a final, prioritised shortlist.
- Candidates on the priority shortlist will be asked to supply contact details for a supervisor/line manager who can confirm their support for the application.
- The prioritised shortlist will then be submitted as a recommendation to the WGCM for final approval.
Selection procedures align with the relevant clauses (14-19) in the CMIP Panel Terms of Reference. All selection panel members will be asked to identify if they have any conflicts of interest with regard to the shortlist of candidates. They can still assess all shortlisted candidates, but their scoring and views can be disregarded by the selection process for the final prioritised shortlist.
Remuneration
CMIP Panel members are not paid. Financial support to travel and participate in person to relevant meeting may be available on a case-by-case basis.
How to apply
Please complete the application form here
The deadline for applications/nominations is 12:00 UTC, Monday 28 April 2025
Please contact cmip-ipo@esa.int if you have any questions or require further information.
