Job Description
Full Time, Fixed Term (42 months) Contract
The closing date for applications is 23.59 on 27th February 2026
By reference to the applicable SOC code for this role, sponsorship may be possible under the Skilled Worker Route. Applicants wishing to consider the SWR must ensure that they are able to meet the points requirement before applying. There is further information about this on the UK Visas and Immigration Website.
To undertake research into convective updrafts and their interactions with anvil cloud processes and larger scales, including how to improve the representation of these processes in global km-scale models, as part of the “Improving understanding and modelling of convective UPdraFts and anvil cLOuds (UPFLO) project.,” UPFLO contributes to the overall goals of the AFESP programme, both in Theme 2: “Challenges and opportunities in simulating the Earth System at the kilometre-scale,” and across the three AFESP themes.
This role is funded by the research programme on Advancing the Frontiers of Earth System Prediction (AFESP) - a £30million 15-year investment by the University of Reading, in partnership with the European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts (ECMWF), the UK Met Office and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. It will deliver sustained investments to tackle some of the far-term (10–15 year) and difficult (high-risk, high-reward) research challenges in global Earth System prediction.
By enhancing our capabilities in global data assimilation, simulation and analysis, the research programme will deliver a new class of accurate, reliable and usable forecasts, aiming to re-define the medium-range predictability limit from two to at least four weeks, enabling a wide range of new scientific and societal applications.
Main duties and responsibilities
Undertake collaborative research and make significant contributions to the following activities:
- Evaluate top-of-atmosphere radiation budgets and updraft characteristics in global km-scale models, and relate biases in these properties to cloud properties and convective organisation.
- Use new observation products from the EarthCARE satellite mission and the upcoming INCUS satellite mission to evaluate updrafts and anvil cloud properties in global km-scale atmospheric models.
- Analyse and run global km-scale atmospheric simulations and smaller-domain sub-km-scale process simulations using the ECMWF (IFS) and Met Office (UM) models.
- Attend, contribute to, and organise relevant project meetings, and liaise with project partners.
- Report on progress and results of the research through appropriate methods, including papers for submission to scientific journals, presentation of results at conferences and workshops, etc.
Interviews will be held: 26 March 2026. The interview will likely include a presentation during the interview slot (details TBD).
We welcome applications from both external and internal candidates. As part of the University’s ongoing commitment to professional development, this role can be considered on a seconded basis for existing staff members. Internal candidates should discuss this with their line manager prior to applying.
For more information, please contact:
Contact Name: Professor Christopher Holloway
Contact Job Title: Professor in Convection
Contact Email address: c.e.holloway@reading.ac.uk
The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.
