Location
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Starting salary normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149

Contract
Fixed Term contract up to March 2028

About the Role
The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham is offering a fixed-term postdoctoral Research Fellow position starting November or December 2025, initially for one year with a possible extension for a further year. This role focuses on advancing the application of Machine Learning (ML) in weather forecasting and hydrological prediction, specifically developing ML methods for postprocessing numerical ensemble weather forecasts over India to improve precipitation prediction skill and generate hydrological forecasts.
The Research Fellow will work within a strong ML research environment, primarily contributing to the ‘HEavy Precipitation forecast Post-processing over India with Machine Learning’ (HEPPI-ML) project funded by the Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership (WCSSP) programme. The role also links to projects with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), with strong connections to the Institute for Data and Artificial Intelligence (IDAI) at the University of Birmingham.
The successful candidate will collaborate closely with academic staff at the University of Birmingham and BAS, as well as with the Indian National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting and the UK Met Office, including travel to India and the UK Met Office for project meetings.
This role involves implementing and testing various ML architectures for postprocessing precipitation forecasts, developing innovative input-output specifications, applying interpretable AI concepts, and implementing methods suitable for operational use. The Research Fellow will also contribute to hydrological prediction, publish research findings, present at conferences, contribute to funding proposals, supervise students, and engage in departmental research activities.

Experience
- PhD or near completion in meteorology, machine learning, climate science, physics, mathematics, statistics, or related quantitative fields
- Substantial experience with machine learning or weather forecasting models
- Experience working with large meteorological datasets
- Strong programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or R
- Familiarity with UNIX/LINUX environments
- Good understanding or capacity to develop understanding of statistics, meteorological processes, numerical weather prediction, and monsoon precipitation

About you
- High level analytical capability
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly
- Ability to assess and use resources effectively
- Ability to contribute to research planning, coordination, and administration
- Commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace
- Ability to work collaboratively and coordinate with others to avoid duplication of effort

Qualifications
- PhD or close to completion in a relevant quantitative discipline as stated above
- Essential programming and computational skills as outlined
- Demonstrated capacity for independent research and contribution to academic publications