This position is located in the Atmospheric Composition & Environmental Services (ACES) Section of the Science, Services and Capacity Development (SSCD) Department. The ” ASSOCIATE SCIENTIFIC OFFICER supporting Atmospheric Composition – Sand and Dust Storm (AC-SDS) activities” will report to the Scientific Officer of the Atmospheric Composition & Environmental Services (ACES). The focus of this position is to contribute atmospheric composition activities under the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme, specifically, to the support its Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS) initiative.
WMO, through its SDS-WAS initiative under the GAW Programme, supports international coordination and scientific cooperation to improve monitoring, forecasting, and early warning capabilities related to sand and dust storms, contributing to disaster risk reduction, public health protection, and resilience-building efforts worldwide. In this context, WMO is leading the activities on monitoring, forecasting and early warning systems under the UN Coalition for Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Scientific Officer of the Atmospheric Composition & Environmental Services Section, the Associate Scientific Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
a.Support the implementation and coordination of activities related to the SDS-WAS within the framework of the GAW Programme including:
Support to the organisation of the different meetings of expert groups including SDS-WAS global steering committee and its regional nodes/centers that includes academia, research institutions, operational forecasting centres, and WMO Members;
Coordinating the preparation of scientific and technical reports, guidance documents, training materials, and policy-relevant information products relevant to SDS-WAS activities;
Assistance to the preparation of the relevant publications including the annual Airborne dust bulletin and other scientific and technical reports, guidance documents, training materials, and policy-relevant information products;
Assist in organizing international conference and technical workshops, in the framework of SDS-WAS activities;
b. Assist in advancing Early Warning Systems for Sand and Dust Storms through improved scientific coordination, forecasting capabilities, observational integration, and capacity building including:
Assist in organizing training events, and capacity development activities in the framework of SDS-WAS Trust Fund activities;
Support outreach and communication activities aimed at enhancing the visibility and societal benefits of SDS-WAS;
c. Support reporting of SDS-WAS activities (including the representation of WMO within the UN Coalition for Combating Sand and Dust Storms) and other related duties as required supporting activities of the GAW Programme (e.g. GAW communication tasks, e.g. Newsletter, meetings, reporting).