The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, invites applications from dynamic researchers to join its office in New Delhi, India, as National Researcher - Climate Services.
The National Researcher - Climate Services will lead the design, development, and delivery of climate information services (CIS) that strengthen climate risk management across agricultural value chains. The role supports the integration of seasonal, sub-seasonal, and short-term forecasts into actionable advisories, digital platforms, and decision-support tools for governments, private sector partners (insurance, agri-finance, input suppliers), and farming communities.
The incumbent will contribute to scaling innovative climate services through API integrations, AI-driven analytics, capacity development, and partnerships. The incumbent will be part of the Water Data Science Strategic Program, especially Water Data for Climate Resilience\u2013related projects, ensuring the timely delivery of project objectives and outputs.
Climate Services Development & Delivery,
Generate, interpret, and validate seasonal, sub-seasonal, and short-term forecasts, and translate them into user tailored advisories, climate outlooks, and risk bulletins.Develop climate services products (e.g., drought/flood alerts, crop specific advisories, extreme weather warnings) to support agricultural extension and farmer decision making.Maintain and enhance scientific rigor in climate diagnostics, including anomaly mapping, risk profiling, and forecast skill assessment.Integration Across Agricultural Value Chains,
Co-design CIS solutions with agricultural value chain actors\u2014including insurers, agri banks, agro input companies, and farmer organisations\u2014to support scaling and sustainability.Collaborate with private sector partners to integrate CIS into bundled services (insurance schemes, credit scoring, advisory apps, procurement systems).Provide climate risk insights for value chain resilience planning and agricultural investment decisions.Digital Innovation & API Integration,
Lead climate services API integration with digital platforms, dashboards, mobile apps, and early warning/early action systems.Collaborate with data science teams to incorporate machine learning and AI models for climate impact prediction, advisory automation, and user personalized services.Support the development of digital public goods for climate smart agriculture and risk management.Climate Risk Management & Extension Support,
Translate climate information into district specific and crop specific advisories for agricultural extension services.Support integration of CIS into agricultural contingency plans, crop calendars, and decision matrices.Liaise with government agencies (meteorological departments, ministries) to strengthen operational climate risk management frameworks.Capacity Building & Stakeholder Engagement,
Design and deliver training for extension officers, farmer groups, private sector partners, humanitarian agencies, and government institutions.Strengthen institutional capacities in forecast interpretation, climate data use, and integration of CIS into operational workflows.Facilitate multi stakeholder dialogues to accelerate adoption of climate informed decisions.Research, Innovation & Knowledge Generation,
Conduct applied research on climate services, agriculture\u2013climate interactions, and digital climate solutions.Publish and contribute to scientific papers, technical reports, climate bulletins, and policy briefs.Support monitoring, evaluation, learning, and documentation of best practices and innovations.Requirements
Essential,
Master\u2019s degree in Meteorology, Climate Science, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Hydrology, or a related field, coupled with at least 8 years of relevant work experience, or a PhD in the aforementioned fields with at least 3 years of relevant work experience.Professional experience in operational climate services, climate\u2011agriculture applications, or climate risk management.Demonstrated experience in interpreting seasonal/sub\u2011seasonal forecasts, downscaling climate data, and generating CIS products.Proven experience working with agricultural value chain actors (insurance sector, agri\u2011finance, agro\u2011input companies) on climate\u2011informed solutions.Experience integrating climate services into digital platforms, APIs, or AI/ML\u2011based applications.Experience in capacity building and stakeholder engagement across government, private sector, and community institutions.Experience with AI, machine learning, and digital solutions for climate impact prediction and advisory generation.Essential,
Strong understanding of climate services frameworks, climate forecasting systems, and risk analytics.Expertise in seasonal, sub seasonal, and short term weather forecasting and skill evaluation.Familiarity with climate informed agricultural advisories, contingency planning, and extension services.Proficiency in climate data analysis tools (Python, R, GIS, climate portals).Understanding of API integration, digital platform development, and data interoperability.Ability to design, test, and refine digital climate services products.Strong ability to engage with diverse partners\u2014government agencies, meteorological institutions, private sector, extension networks, and farmers.Excellent scientific writing, communication, and presentation skills.Ability to translate complex climate information into clear, user friendly advisories.Demonstrated leadership in climate services and innovation.Strong problem solving and adaptive management skills.Ability to work across interdisciplinary teams and multi country projects.Commitment to inclusive, gender responsive, and locally led climate service delivery.Excellent oral and written language skills in English, including effective listening and strong verbal and written communication abilities.Benefits
This is a nationally recruited position and only Indian nationals will be considered. IWMI offers a competitive salary and benefits package, inclusive of health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of three years with the possibility of extension.
HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on January 26, 2026 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.