HPC Software Engineer / HPC Software Engineeress

Center for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM)

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specializing in science and technology. It is renowned for its excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research, and its commitment to translating new knowledge and innovations into practice.

About the Position

The Center for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM) at ETH Zurich, in partnership with the Federal Institute of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, jointly develops and operates the ICON weather and climate model. We are seeking a High Performance Computing (HPC) Software Engineer to further develop and optimize the ICON model (80-100%).

Your Role

To leverage the latest advances in hardware technologies, the ICON model has been ported to run on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), making it one of the first models utilized in production on this type of hardware. Various technologies are adopted for GPU processing, including compiler directives inserted in the code and a complete rewrite of certain components using a Python domain-specific language (DSL) called gt4py.

Key Responsibilities

• Port components of the data assimilation system to GPUs using compiler directives.
• Contribute to the development and optimization of model components rewritten with the gt4py DSL.
• Integrate existing model features with new DSL-based components to ensure the system is production-ready.

Qualifications

• MSc in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related fields, with a strong software engineering background.
• Solid programming skills, particularly in Python.
• Strong experience in GPU programming and HPC development.
• Familiarity with numerical weather prediction or atmospheric sciences is a plus but not required.
• Open-minded, enthusiastic, and collaborative, with a strong ability to thrive in diverse teams.

Work Environment

At C2SM and MeteoSwiss, we are committed to promoting flexible and family-friendly working models. Achieving a healthy work-life balance is essential to us. This position offers engaging and challenging tasks, with the opportunity to work on a cutting-edge operational weather prediction system alongside a highly motivated team. Your contributions will directly impact operational weather forecasts for Switzerland, providing significant value for weather-related decisions across various sectors.

Apply Online

To apply, please complete the online application using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Additional Information

The position is limited to one year, is available immediately, and will remain open until filled. The place of work is at MeteoSwiss at Zurich-Airport, though working remotely a few days per week is common practice.

For further information regarding this position, please contact Xavier Lapillonne (he/him) at xavier.lapillonne@meteoswiss.ch; please note that applications sent to this address will not be considered. For more information about C2SM and the collaboration between ETH and MeteoSwiss, visit our website or reach out to Christina Schnadt Poberaj (she/her) at christina.schnadt@c2sm.ethz.ch; again, no applications will be accepted through this contact.

We emphasize that pre-selection will be carried out by responsible recruiters, and not by artificial intelligence. For recruitment services, the General Terms and Conditions of ETH Zurich apply.