Senior Project Officer I-Climatologist

Internal/External Job Announcement.

Position:                                  Senior Project Officer I- Climatologist

Term of Employment:            One year with a possibility of extension

Duty Station:                           Addis Ababa

Required Number:                  One

Application Deadline:            January 24, 2025

Job Description

BACKGROUND

The Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) was established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify systemic bottlenecks, conduct studies, and provide recommendations, provide implementation support, manage projects, create linkages and coordination among activities and agricultural development programs. The Institute is a strategy and delivery-oriented government institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions that, to be the leading centre of innovative solutions to catalyse and contribute to the transformation of Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030 where smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability.

ATI provides a unique platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our teams with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

The programmatic focus of the Institute responds to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and other sectors along commodity value chains. Across the programs, the ATI engages public, private, and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models. Currently, ATI is tasked to coordinate the revised Agriculture and Rural Development policy agendas of the sector and such sectoral level delegation requires high level expertise in the policy areas and skillsets in coordination and networking with multiple stakeholders.

Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results.  Our culture is one where talented, dedicated, and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great teamwork to achieve excellent results. At ATI, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

Project Background:

The Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) has been established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify and address systemic bottlenecks to Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The Institute does this through problem-solving, implementation support, and capacity building of stakeholders involved in implementation of interventions that address the systemic bottlenecks.​ ATLAS Adaptation is a new project in ATI which brings together and confirms disparate spatially explicit Ethiopian data on the nature and evolving patterns of climate hazards, the exposure of smallholder populations, farms, and crop and livestock enterprises, factors illustrative of the adaptive capacity of those populations, and evidence of the efficacy of a range of climate adaptation intervention options (“solutions”).

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation into agricultural systems through enhancing ATLAS Adaptation Africa. This role will require expertise in climate science, data analysis, policy development, and agricultural practices, with a strong focus on climate-smart agriculture techniques, sustainable land management, carbon sequestration, and water resource management. The successful candidate will be responsible for high-impact climate risk assessments, and strategic solutions to mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change.

The Expert will play a critical role in coordinating complex climate issues, advising stakeholders, and shaping organizational strategies to address both current and future climate impacts. The expert will report to the data and knowledge management team leader and will work closely with the ATLAS Adaptation Africa Project team in ATI, farmers, agricultural stakeholders, policymakers, and environmental organizations to design and promote climate-resilient agricultural systems. He/she is accountable for: Climate Data Analysis and Modelling, Climate Risk Assessment, Policy and Strategy Development, Stakeholder Engagement and Climate Education and Advocacy.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1.Climate Data Analysis and Modelling

• Lead and conduct advanced climate modelling and data analysis to predict future climate trends, variability, and extremes.
• Use climate data to identify and assess climate risks and their potential impact on ecosystems, economies, and communities.
• Develop and refine models for forecasting long-term climate scenarios.

2.Climate Risk Assessment

• Design and implement risk assessments to evaluate the potential impacts of climate change on infrastructure, natural resources, and vulnerable populations.
• Provide technical expertise in climate impact assessments in agriculture sector.
• Prepare technical reports and policy briefs on climate change trends, projections, and adaptation strategies.
• Identify climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies (technologies and practices) datasets and integrate in the ATLAS platform.

3.Policy and Strategy Development

1. • Advise government agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners on climate change policies, strategies, and regulations.
   • Provide scientific input to the development of climate action plans, emissions reduction targets, and sustainable development strategies.
   • Lead the creation of frameworks and strategies for climate resilience and adaptation at local, national, and global levels.
   • Stay up to date with the latest climate science and policy developments and integrate new knowledge into ongoing projects.

4.Stakeholder Engagement

1. • Engage with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, research institutions, international organizations, and communities, to promote climate action and raise awareness.
   • Provide guidance and mentorship to junior climate scientists and analysts.
   • Provide technical support for organizations to utilize ATLAS datasets sustainably.

5.Climate Education and Advocacy

1. • Support the development of educational materials and training programs on climate change for various audiences, including policymakers, businesses, and the public.
   • Advocate for effective climate action and sustainability practices in agriculture sector.

Required qualifications, competencies, skills, training, and experience:

• Minimum MSc in Climate Science, Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture, Climate and Development, Climate Change, Applied Climate Science, Environmental Science, Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, and related fields.
• A minimum of 6 years with directly related experience.
• Proven experience in climate modelling, assessments, and policy development.
• Experience with climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
• Expertise in climate data analysis, modelling tools (e.g., GCMs, R, Python, GIS), climate risk assessment, and climate impact assessment methodologies.
• Experience of climate smart practices (CSA) for climate change adaption.
• Strong understanding of climate science, global warming trends, and regional climate variability.
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to interpret and present complex climate data.
• Knowledge of climate change policies, international frameworks (e.g., Paris Agreement, IPCC), and environmental regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical information to non-experts.
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and sectors.
• Fluency in English and Amharic

 

HOW TO APPLY

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) a CV (maximum 5 pages) to: https://apply.ata.gov.et

It is mandatory to mention the position title under the subject line of your application email.

Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.