Deadline 31 March 2025

Are you passionate about advancing polar environmental prediction and services? We invite you to apply to join one of the newly formed Task Teams within the PCAPS project of the WMO World Weather Research Programme. Apply by 31 March 2025.

This is a great opportunity to collaborate with a global network of experts, contribute to cutting-edge research, and help shape the future of polar forecasting and services. Your expertise and insights can make a real impact. Importantly, we strongly welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

What are PCAPS Task Teams?

The PCAPS Task Teams are detailed below along with key goals and activities over the next two years. This circular is to advise individuals involved in activities related to the Task Teams work of the opportunities to collaborate and be considered as part of one of the Task Teams. Applications are particularly sought from Early Career Scientists, and researchers from developing and least developed countries working on relevant topics.

What does being part of a PCAPS Task Team involve?

The Task Teams typically work remotely with regular online meetings (of an hour or so duration) that may occur outside normal working hours due to the international nature of the work. Ideally, Task Team members also address related issues as part of their day-to-day activities and can thus couple their normal work with that of the Task Team.

Task Teams typically use English (written and oral) for communication. Occasionally the Task Teams may be able to meet face-to-face around other meetings but there is currently no financial support dedicated for this.

The Steering Group reviews the progress and ongoing need for Task Teams annually.

We are collecting soliciting applications for the seven PCAPS Task Teams below:

1. PCAPS Distributed Observational Networks to Advance Coupled Forecasting Systems Task Team

2. PCAPS Observational Requirements in the Context of AI Prediction Systems (ORCAS) Task Team

3. PCAPS Processes Task Team

4. PCAPS Sea Ice Thickness (SIT) Task Team

5. PCAPS Services and Actionability (S&A) Task Team

6. PCAPS Sustainability and Impact Task Team

7. PCAPS Verification Task Team

The PCAPS Distributed Observational Networks to Advance Coupled Forecasting Systems Task Team is seeking applications for experts in numerical modeling, observational science, or operational forecasting, with a focus on coupled atmosphere-ice-ocean-wave prediction challenges in the Arctic and Antarctic.

The PCAPS ORCAS Task Team is seeking applications for experts in AI/machine learning applications for sea ice prediction or specialists in polar observing systems, including field campaigns and satellite observations.

The PCAPS Processes Task Team is seeking applications from experts that would like to contribute to community efforts with the aim to improve representation of small-scale parameterized processes in numerical models of importance to polar weather and climate.

The PCAPS SIT Task Team is seeking applications for experts who are 1) collecting or producing observations of sea ice thickness (in-situ or remote) and who would like to see these being assimilated into numerical models and/or 2) developing or hoping to develop assimilation of sea ice thickness-related observations to constrain numerical models.

The PCAPS S&A Task Team is seeking applications for 1 or 2 additional Task Team members with an academic affiliation, particularly those with expertise in economics/impact valuation or cognitive or behavioral science approaches.

The PCAPS Sustainability and Impact Task Team is seeking applications for social scientists (sociologists, anthropologists), economists and environmental scientists, or service providing professionals, working on cases of, or scientific approaches for, assessing the impacts of enhanced environmental services to communities and mobile operators in the Polar Regions.

The PCAPS Verification Task Team is seeking applications - applications from the Southern Hemisphere polar community are especially welcomed - that can support the exchange of verification scores of major operational prediction systems over the Polar Regions (both Arctic and Antarctic).

What is in it for me?

Participation in the PCAPS Task Teams would be particularly beneficial to ECR’s and people new to their field as it will help build their networks. It will provide opportunities to work in a multi-disciplinary international team addressing key environmental prediction and services issues with more senior people in the field(s). In some cases, the Task Teams may generate recommendations for international standards of practice for WMO or generate publications for the scientific literature. There is no financial allowance and travel support is not foreseen at this stage.

How do I apply?

Please submit your nomination and a short CV through the online application form.

If you wish to apply to more than one of the PCAPS Task Teams, you must submit one application for each Task Team that you want to be considered for membership.

The deadline for applications is 31 March 2025. Please share this call widely and within your networks.