> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/1925162-climate-tipping-point-modeller](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/1925162-climate-tipping-point-modeller). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md).

---

# Climate Tipping Point Modeller

- **Company:** Ukceh
- **Location:** Wallingford, UK
- **Salary:** £40,574.0 - £43,056.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Computer Programming, Dynamical Systems, Python (Programming Language), Linux System Administration
- **Published:** August 5, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerjet.co.uk/job/gb473ba916e188a76d409039cb1ead7a26/eaa

## About the Role

A PhD in mathematics, physics, or a closely-related scientific discipline
A genuine passion for environmental and climate science
Excellent programming skills in a high-level language (e.g. Python), with experience working in Linux environments and running numerical models
Can demonstrate experience applying advanced statistical methods to data from observations and/or models
Proven ability to communicate research activities and outcomes effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
A confident communicator, with the ability to build strong relationships and clearly convey complex technical concepts
This is an exciting opportunity to apply your quantitative and analytical skills to help ensure a safer future for society as global warming continues. Your work will advance cutting-edge dynamical systems and their application to climatological science, directly informing policy and aiding governments in planning for the profound societal and environmental impacts should the world approach a range of tipping points.
This role will particularly suit someone with a genuine passion for climate science and a curiosity to explore complex systems in depth - someone who values rigour, follows robust scientific processes, and is committed to transparency and reproducibility in their work.

## Description

We're seeking a passionate and highly driven Research Scientist with strong mathematical and statistical expertise to help advance Early Warning Systems (EWS) for climate tipping points. Based within our globally recognised team in Wallingford, this role places you at the forefront of one of the most critical challenges of our time, detecting when Earth's systems approach potentially irreversible change. Your work will directly contribute to strengthening our ability to anticipate and respond to climate risks, informing decisions at the highest levels and helping safeguard our planet's future.
In this role, you will push the boundaries of climate science by developing and applying nonlinear dynamical systems models to understand the behaviour of key Earth system components. You'll calibrate these models against real-world climate observations and evaluate them alongside state-of-the-art Earth System Models, while also translating abstract model behaviour into real-world meaning - linking critical thresholds in your models to human-driven climate forcing such as rising greenhouse gas concentrations. At the heart of your work lies a profound challenge: using these dynamical systems models in tandem with statistics to reduce uncertainty and build more accurate Early Warning Systems. Such systems will help the world better anticipate when tipping points may be crossed despite the inherent variability and complexity of the climate system.
In this role, you won't just contribute to research, you'll be immersed in a fast-moving, high-profile programme at the forefront of climate science. You'll collaborate with prestigious partners including the Universities of Exeter and Leicester, the Met Office, the European Space Agency and the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, bringing together diverse expertise to tackle one of the most complex challenges in environmental science.
Your work will span dynamic, high-impact projects, from assessing the resilience of rainforests and dryland ecosystems to exploring shifts in ocean circulation through the ESA-funded PREDICT and ARIA-funded Forecasting Tipping Points programmes. Along the way, you'll work alongside internationally recognised experts and prolific researchers, gaining exposure to cutting-edge approaches, rich Earth Observation datasets, climate models and a breadth of ideas rarely found in traditional research roles.
You'll also have the opportunity to contribute to the future direction of the programme, including supporting the development of funding proposals and shaping new research ideas. It's a unique opportunity to be part of something ambitious, collaborative and truly influential - shaping science that matters right now.
Your main responsibilities will include:
Developing reduced-complexity dynamical systems that emulate large-scale components of the climate system.
Incorporating background variability ("noise") into these systems to represent high-frequency climate fluctuations and explore how these signals can enhance the accuracy of existing or proposed EWSs.
Evaluating both dynamical systems and full Earth System Models (ESMs) against real-world observations, including multisensor and multiphysics Earth Observation datasets, while rigorously quantifying uncertainty.
Assessing differences between ESM projections of future tipping points and integrating this extra uncertainty into the calibration and improvement of EWSs.
Designing and delivering "blind tests" to evaluate the predictive power of novel early warning approaches within climate models.
Managing tasks across project workstreams to ensure timely and high-quality delivery.
Contributing to the development of funding proposals to support the continuation and growth of this important research area.
The overarching aim of this role is to develop accurate and reliable Early Warning Systems for climate tipping points. These systems must strike a careful balance - delivering the smallest possible uncertainty bounds while transparently accounting for the inherent variability and complexity of the climate system. In doing so, you will build a distinctive and impactful research profile, contributing to a strong portfolio of outputs including peer-reviewed publications, stakeholder reports, and the release of datasets and models. You will also share your insights with the wider community through presentations at conferences and workshops.
A key aspect of the role will involve developing a deep understanding of the priorities and expectations of major funders, including the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), ensuring your work remains aligned with high-impact, strategically important research. Project links below:
ESA:
ARIA:
We are looking for a good communicator who is confident building relationships and translating complex technical concepts for diverse audiences. You will collaborate across ESA and ARIA work packages, working closely with colleagues across UKCEH and external partners. You'll also contribute to professional networks, events, and organisation-wide initiatives-playing an active role in a collaborative and outward-facing research environment.


## Related Videos

- [Dynamic Entities in .NET: Building Low-Code Systems on Top of Entity Framework Core](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100218-dynamic-entities-in-net-building-low-code-systems-on-top-of-entity-framework-core)
- [Photonic Computing: Programming a New Class of AI Accelerators (incl. Live Coding)](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100196-photonic-computing-programming-a-new-class-of-ai-accelerators-incl-live-coding)
- [#90DaysOfDevOps - The DevOps Learning Journey](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/548-90daysofdevops-the-devops-learning-journey)
- [Strange New Worlds: shaping the future of the digital age](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/677-strange-new-worlds-shaping-the-future-of-the-digital-age)
- [AI in High-Stakes Industries: Lessons Learned](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100253-ai-in-high-stakes-industries-lessons-learned)
- [Enhancing Workload Security in Kubernetes](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/356-enhancing-workload-security-in-kubernetes)

## Related Articles

- [A Guide to Green Tech and Green IT Careers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/374-a-guide-to-green-tech-and-green-it-careers)
- [Is Software Development Making the Climate Crisis Worse?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/551-is-software-development-making-the-climate-crisis-worse)
- [Data Engineer Salary UK](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/253-data-engineer-salary-uk)
- [6 Emerging Technologies We’ll Learn About in 2025](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/381-6-emerging-technologies-we-ll-learn-about-in-2025)
- [Data Analyst Salary in the UK](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/278-data-analyst-salary-in-the-uk)
- [The Most Popular IT Jobs on the Market](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/376-the-most-popular-it-jobs-on-the-market)