Research Scientist (Historical Windstorms)

Emetsoc; Reading; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned academic institution in the UK is seeking a motivated Research Scientist to enhance historical windstorm reconstructions. The successful candidate will leverage a reanalysis system while collaborating with insurance companies. A PhD in physical or mathematical sciences or equivalent research experience is required. Key skills include knowledge of climate reanalyses, analytical abilities, and effective communication. This role contributes significantly to understanding past extreme weather events, ensuring current risk estimates are reliable.

Qualifications

• PhD in physical or mathematical sciences or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of climate reanalyses and dynamics of extreme weather.
• Experience analysing climate reanalyses or similar datasets.
• Ability to communicate effectively and maintain collaborations.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and programming skills.

Responsibilities

• Use reanalysis system to improve historical windstorm reconstructions.
• Produce and analyse improved dynamical reconstructions of key windstorms.

Skills

Knowledge of climate reanalyses

Analysis of climate datasets

Effective communication

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Programming skills

Education

PhD in physical or mathematical sciences

Job description

Research Scientist (Historical Windstorms)

University of Reading, UK
Closing date: 4 January 2026

University of Reading seeks a motivated researcher to use a reanalysis system to improve reconstructions of historical windstorms over northern Europe.

Windstorms are one of the most damaging types of extreme weather, but the most severe events happen only rarely. There is a need to improve sampling of past extremes to ensure that current risk estimates are appropriate and reliable.

There are now more of the historical observations required to constrain reanalyses before the satellite era so it is timely to revisit reconstructions of many past extreme events. In partnership with two insurance companies, this project will use the 20 th Century Reanalysis system to produce and analyseimproved dynamical reconstructions of key European windstorms that occurred before 1950, and even before 1900.

You will have:

• a PhD inphysical or mathematical sciences,or expect shortly to obtain this, or equivalent research experience, witha publication record appropriate to experience
• knowledge of climate reanalyses and the dynamics of extreme weather events
• experience of analysing climate reanalyses or similar datasets
• the ability to communicate effectively and to develop and maintain productive collaborations
• excellent analytical, problem solving and programming skills