International Project Office (IPO)

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

D I R E C T O R

CliC INTERNATIONAL PROJECT OFFICE (CIPO)

Norwegian Polar Institute Tromsø, Norway

(PDF version)

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) invite applications for the position of Director of the Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) International Project Office (CIPO). The Director of the Project Office takes a leading role in the international co-ordination and support of CliC activities, and ensures that the Project Office operates efficiently and actively serves the needs of the project and its scientists.

Background

CliC is a core project of the WCRP sponsored by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the International Council for Science (ICSU), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The WCRP goals are to determine the extent to which climate can be predicted and the extent of human influence on climate. The WCRP established CliC in 2000. Since 2004, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) of ICSU has cosponsored CliC.

The principal goal of CliC is to assess and quantify the impacts that climatic variability and change have on components of the cryosphere and the consequences of these impacts for the climate system, and to determine the stability of the global cryosphere. In order to achieve this goal, CliC has supporting objectives to enhance the observation and monitoring of the cryosphere and the climate of cold regions, and to improve understanding and modelling of the physical processes and feedbacks through which the cryosphere interacts within the climate system.

The CliC implementation strategy is targeted at finding solutions to the main science questions and building capacity in the areas of cryosphere modelling, observation, process studies and data management. The four CliC Project Areas (CPAs) cover the following areas of climate and cryosphere science:

The terrestrial cryosphere and hydrometeorology of cold regions

Glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets, and their relation to sea level

The marine cryosphere and its interactions with high latitude oceans and atmosphere

Links between the cryosphere and global climate

The CliC Scientific Steering Group (SSG) guides the project and is responsible to the WMO/ICSU/IOC Joint Scientific Committee (JSC) for WCRP. There are a number of working groups, panels and rapporteurs serving the project. Many of the goals of the project will be achieved through work with a number of partner organisations and research programmes.

More information on the project including its Science and Coordination plan is available at the website http://clic.npolar.no. The CIPO website is located at http://cipo.npolar.no.

Duties and responsibilities

The CIPO serves as an extension of the WCRP Joint Planning Staff (JPS). The CIPO Director reports to the Director of the WCRP and works in co-operation with the JPS. Under the guidance of the CliC SSG and other relevant national and international bodies, he/she is expected to support the effective planning, implementation and coordination of CliC studies within the four CPAs and data management programmes. The terms of reference for the CIPO are given below.

The Director leads the CIPO in accomplishing its specific tasks and is responsible for the management of the CIPO staff, budget and operations in accordance with the procedures laid out by the hosting institution and contributing agencies and organisations. He/she prepares and assists in the conduct of CliC and CliC related meetings and in the activities of the CliC governing bodies (SSG, its Chair and the Executive Committee) and working bodies. The Director updates, as and when necessary, the CliC project documentation; prepares reports on meetings and project-related events; ensures the timely flow of pertinent information to CliC participants and relevant international scientific bodies through the project newsletter, other publications and the web; participates in sessions of the CliC SSG, WCRP JSC and relevant meetings of other national and international bodies, represents the project at meetings, conducts consultations at the working level with agencies and institutions participating in the implementation of CliC; promotes CliC objectives in the cryospheric, climate, polar and broader science communities; seeks sources of maintaining adequate funding for the CIPO; and fulfils other duties as required or requested by WCRP and CliC.

Conditions of work

The successful applicant will be expected to commence duties on 1 July 2005, or as soon as possible thereafter. The Project Office is based at the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) located in Tromsø, Norway (see www.npolar.no for more details on the NPI). The successful applicant will be recruited as a member of NPI staff and be responsible to the Director, NPI, on administrative matters of direct relevance to NPI. A four-year commitment to the task is expected, with the possibility of extension. The remuneration and other conditions of service will be negotiated with the NPI according to qualifications, but are expected to be at the professor level. The town of Tromsø, sometimes called the "Paris of the North", is a lively, growing town with a university (see www.destinasjontromso.no and uit.no, respectively), and many cultural facilities.

Selection criteria:

The successful candidate will be expected to have:

a Ph.D. or equivalent qualification in atmospheric, oceanographic, environmental or other climate-related sciences (expertise in climate studies related to the cryosphere would be especially appropriate);

a broad knowledge of climate, cryospheric, and other related "Earth system" science;

the ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of project stake holders, including scientists and students from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds, data managers, funding agency staff, policy makers, managers of scientific programmes and institutes, technical and other support staff;

fluency in writing and speaking English (ability to work in other languages will be an advantage);

previous involvement in the organisation of multi-disciplinary scientific projects;

demonstrated ability to manage a small team responsible for supporting an international scientific project (this will include, but is not limited to, the provision of secretariat support for meetings; producing reports of meetings and project plans; ensuring a timely flow of information to stakeholders through publications and web-based systems, organising and supporting international conferences, work with budgets/resources, etc.);

knowledge of national/international sources and the processes of funding for large-scale scientific programmes (familiarity with earth system science research organisations/programmes would be an advantage);

ability to build public relations and promote CliC internationally.

Applications from suitably qualified female and male candidates are equally welcome.

Applications

Applications should be addressed to:

Dr Vladimir Ryabinin
Joint Planning Staff for WCRP
World Climate Research Programme
c/o World Meteorological Organisation
7bis, Avenue de la Paix
Case Postale No. 2300
CH-1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland

Fax: + 41 (0) 22 730 8036
Tel.: + 41 (0) 22 730 8486
e-mail: vryabinin@wmo.int

Submission of applications by e-mail is strongly encouraged.

The deadline for submission of applications is 28 February 2005. Applicants should submit a complete curriculum vitae, the names and contact details of three persons willing to provide letters of recommendation, and a statement (2-4 pages) saying what the applicant would bring to this job and which personal skills and experience would allow him/her to meet the selection criteria. Receipt of the applications will be acknowledged by e-mail. Please do not include text or copies of articles or originals of diplomas in the application, but note that the latter may eventually be required.

A selection board will assess applications. It is expected that the short-listed candidates will be notified by 28 February 2005, and that interviews will take place in March 2005.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CliC INTERNATIONAL PROJECT OFFICE (CIPO)

The CliC International Project Office (CIPO) supports the CliC Scientific Steering Group (SSG) in implementing the WCRP's Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) project, and assists in the project's scientific development. The CIPO operates as a component of the WMO/ICSU/IOC Joint Planning Staff for WCRP, and the Director of CIPO (D/CIPO) is responsible to the Director of the World Climate Research Programme (D/WCRP). The Director of the CIPO attends the sessions of the CliC SSG and represents CliC at relevant national and international meetings. The CIPO is based at the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromsø, Norway. It may be constituted by staff seconded by participating countries. Support for international travel, as required for discharging the responsibilities of the Office, will be provided by the Joint Climate Research Fund (under the responsibility of D/WCRP). Specific tasks of the CIPO include:

To support the planning and implementation of CliC and cryosphere-related activities of the WCRP as required.

To support the work of CliC SSG, its Chair, CliC working groups and panels.

To initiate international correspondence and carry out international liaisons at the working level, as required for the development and implementation of CliC observational, modelling, and data management systems, ensuring the widest possible participation of all interested nations in the CliC project.

To facilitate the coordination of national commitments of resources and logistical support, as required, to achieve the goals and objectives of CliC.

To ensure the timely flow of operational and other relevant information to the CliC Scientific Steering Group, CliC panels, national agencies, appropriate international bodies, and CliC participants and to the climate science community.

To assist in planning, organising and conduct of CliC meetings, workshops and conferences as required.

To support the preparation and distribution of the working plans and documents required for the implementation of CliC, and to inform the broad scientific community of CliC activities.

To maintain CliC documentation and prepare reports of CliC related meetings as required.

In cooperation with the CliC Data Management and Information Panel and under the guidance of the CliC SSG, to develop and implement a data management plan for CliC, and to create a Data and Information Service for CliC (DISC).

To develop and maintain a CliC site on the World Wide Web.

To submit annual reports on CIPO activities to the Chairman of the CliC SSG, the Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, D/WCRP and to the agencies which have seconded personnel to the office or made monetary contributions to its operations.

To liaise with the JPS in order to ensure the timely handling of issues relevant to the CliC project.

To carry out other related duties as may be required during the course of CliC.