We are looking for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Support Officer to provide AI support to the Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its Technical Support Unit (TSU). When is this a job for you? Well especially if you (1) want to make global impact and (2) if have experience in applying AI in academic settings, including literature search and classification using AI-based text-mining and processing techniques. 

Do you want to advise and support the authors of the IPCC reports with your experience? And can you assist our TSU IT officer in helping authors and TSU people to work with our IT environment? Please read on! 

What can you expect as Artificial Intelligence Support Officer? 

Your goal is to provide support in applying Artificial Intelligence to compile and review the Working Group II (WGII) reports. 

Your vision and expertise in applying AI aims to enhance the report preparation processes in various ways. It automates the search for relevant publications (including peer-reviewed scientific papers and non-peer-reviewed sources like technical reports) and their classification. AI can also help with processing review comments, clustering research articles, producing topographic maps and interactive study databases, and performing consistency checks of key results. In short: applying AI properly can benefit the whole team in reaching our goal to deliver a useful series of assessment reports.

Your main tasks are

• Provide AI support by selecting and testing relevant AI algorithms and packages. You prototype their application and guide authors (from various technical backgrounds and abilities) in their use. 
• You are responsible for the procurement, configuration, maintenance, back-up, security and modernisation of AI packages at dedicated server platforms. 
• You will develop, test, and validate custom machine learning algorithms tailored to the IPCC drafting process, using techniques from current scientific literature where suitable. 
• You support additional AI-driven tasks that might arise in the course the reports’ preparation. 
• Jointly with the IT Officer of the TSU you provide basic IT support to the Deltares TSU team. 

As AI support officer you collaborate with many stakeholders and colleagues. For example, AI support may also be arranged in the TSUs of the other IPCC Working Groups. It is important to maintain close working relationships with these colleagues. You also work together with the IT officer in the Singapore Support Unit of Working Group II and the ICT unit of Deltares. A collaborative mindset is therefore a must have! 

Requirements:

• Either:
  • a degree in computer sciences & internet technology (or related), with demonstrated skills in the deployment of AI in the academic environment including text mining and analysis, or
  • a degree in literature analysis or comparative literature (or related), with demonstrated skills in applying AI technology;
• Operational experience with Artificial Intelligence end to end systems, in particular text processing, data mining and natural language processing;
• Proven skills in replicating and adapting open-source relevant applications and packages available on developer platforms such as GitHub or GitLab;
• Adequate IT Infrastructure Knowledge:
  • Understanding of fundamental IT infrastructure components, including servers, networking, and storage systems;
  • Experience with troubleshooting hardware and software issues;
  • System knowledge of Windows, Macintosh, Linux, networks, database software, backup systems and related software such as Python;
  • Familiarity with ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) framework and processes; 
  • Knowledge of incident management, problem management, and service request management.
• Excellent oral and written English at the technical level;
• Because the TSU strives for international diversity, candidates from outside the Netherlands are explicitly encouraged to apply.

Due to the international nature of the work, willingness to travel internationally is a must have. You need to provide IT support at international meetings.

About the IPCC Working Group II
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently initiated its Seventh Assessment cycle. Working Group II focuses on the Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability of Climate Change. Its Technical Support Unit (TSU) is co-located at Deltares in the Netherlands and at the Singapore Management University in Singapore. The TSU provides scientific, technical and organisational support of the activities and products of the Working Group.

What we offer 

This is a full-time fixed term contract at Deltares for the duration of at least 3 years. The position is funded by the Dutch government, and employment conditions (e.g., renumeration scales, insurance and other benefits) are through the Deltares. In addition we offer:

• The opportunity to work with a motivated and enthusiastic team in an informal work environment with global exposure;
• Salary will be based on your experience with a maximum of €5.872, gross per month based on 40 hours per week. We will come to an appropriate scale in consultation;
• An open, inclusive and collaborative culture;
• 34 days of vacation per year, vitality budget and a mobility budget;   

Here you can find more information about our attractive terms of employment.

Procedure
Apply with your CV and motivation letter before September 16. Applications without motivation letter will not be reviewed. Interviews will start during the week of September 30 and selection may include multiple interviews and evaluation of assignments representative for the support work carried out in the TSU. Starting date: as soon as possible. The position is based in the Netherlands. Working remotely from another country is not possible. Questions? Please call our recruiter Brian de Bruin (HR Recruitment Officer; sollicitatie@deltares.nl; +31615267686).