Open call for new WIP co-chair

Application deadline: 04 September 08:00 UTC

The demands on this global data infrastructure are growing with a wider and more diverse range of users, rapidly advancing data technologies, and increasing numbers of climate data portals and platforms. The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Earth System Modelling and Observations (ESMO) Infrastructure Panel (WIP) is seeking a new co-chair to provide oversight and coordination of community efforts to address these,  and the many other, challenges faced.  The co-chair will  provide leadership in coordinating and delivering the infrastructure for CMIP7, and other  data publishing WCRP projects, and work with the WIP members to develop a vision for beyond CMIP7.

The WIP is a panel of the Scientific Steering Group (SSG) of the ESMO Core Project.   The WIP is charged with coordinating and promoting a robust and sustainable global data infrastructure in support of the development, dissemination and evaluation of Global and Regional Climate Model Intercomparison Project (MIP) data through the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) and other WCRP and community modelling activities as resources are available. This coordination role includes interaction with infrastructure delivery partners, most notably the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF), ensuring that the technical requirements of infrastructure contributors to meet CMIP project infrastructure delivery are met.

This call invites the community to nominate candidates (including self-nomination) who have well demonstrated skills and experience in the following areas of technical expertise:

• CVs, CF Conventions and data standards
• Software and standardisation tools meeting standard climate model experiments requirements
• Model and Experiment Documentation for all types of models
• International data delivery infrastructure including, but not limited to ESGF nodes
• Data citation services
• Data Request
• Errata systems and integration, and overview of issues raised by users
• Environmental sustainability including compression options
• Cloud Computing infrastructure/Data accessibility
• User experience and interface development

Responsibilities of a WIP co-chair

As outlined in the WIP Terms of Reference, co-chairs are expected to:

• chair meetings of the WIP.
• provide leadership of the WIP and vision and drive to achieve the WIP’s aims and objectives.
• provide oversight and ensure coordination of the infrastructure system, its maintenance and appropriate development to meet scientific need
• provide high level liaison with ESGF Steering and Executive Committee
• Interaction with CMIP Core Panel
• assist in technical areas that have relevant expertise in
• make operational decisions about the work of the WIP between meetings.
• actively promote the work of the WIP.
• liaise with the ESMO SSG co-chairs and the CMIP Panel co-chairs and provide guidance to the WIP regarding project priorities.
• report, as relevant, to the ESMO SSG, ESMO and WCRP Joint Scientific Committee (JSC).

All members of the WIP  are expected to conduct themselves according to the WCRP Code of Conduct.

Time commitment

This role is expected to require a minimum 25% FTE commitment.  The WIP co-chairs meet on a weekly basis to have fortnightly catch ups with the IPO and regular fortnightly WIP meetings, typically one hour every two weeks or at the discretion of the WIP co-chairs, with an annual meeting (virtual or in person) together with ESMO. 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 for decisions regarding implementation/delivery activities, a workshop/event, stakeholder engagement or publishing a paper). Meetings are primarily online, with some face-to-face meetings if suitable opportunities can be leveraged. Some out-of-hours work will be required due to time zone coordination, but every effort is made to rotate meeting times to ensure fairness across the members.  

Typical additional activities that a WIP co-chair might need to engage in include:

• Involvement and contribution to the WIP subsidiary bodies and/or Fresh Eyes on CMIP.
• Attending and presenting in a  WIP-related workshop (virtually or in person).
• Additional virtual meetings for dialogue with other parts of WCRP and external stakeholders.
• Document preparation such as white papers, decision papers, guidance documents or peer reviewed publications.
• Developing or leveraging networks relevant to the aims of CMIP/WCRP.
• Proposal conceptualization and development.
• Representing the WIP at conferences, workshops, and other events.
• Supporting capacity building in the global South and helping to foster collaboration.
• Mentoring / fostering early career researchers.

Eligibility criteria

Please also be aware that all WIP Core Panel members must:

1. Be employed by an organisation or institution.
2. Not have previously served as a WIP Panel member in the past for more than four years.
3. Not be a current voting member of any working group or panel under ESMO e.g., WGCM, WGORC etc (Task Teams and ex-officio positions excluded).

Selection process

All open calls for WIP Core Panel members will follow a four-stage selection process:

1. 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.
2. A full review of the shortlisted candidates – all information in the application will be considered at this stage.  The WIP Panel co-chairs will use the outcomes of the selection panel to produce a final, prioritised shortlist.
3. 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.
4. The prioritised shortlist will then be submitted as a recommendation to the ESMO SSG for final approval.

Selection procedures align with the relevant clauses (15-20) in the WIP 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

WIP co-chairs and 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 08:00 UTC Friday 4 September 2026

Please contact  if you have any questions or require further information.