Extreme Events Attribution Specialist – Africa Climate Solutions (ACS)

THE ORGANIZATION

Africa Climate Solutions (ACS) is evidence and innovation centered scientific non-profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to advancing climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable, and equitable development across Africa. ACS operates to generate actionable scientific evidence that supports resilient development pathways, climate justice, and sustainable environmental management. The organization focuses on scientific research, climate analytics, data systems, innovation, climate services, and evidence-based policy support across critical sectors including agriculture, water, energy, health, infrastructure, ecosystems, governance, and climate finance.

ACS is committed to addressing Africa’s major climate and environmental challenges, including increasing climate extremes, limited observational data systems, growing climate vulnerabilities, and the need for integrated climate intelligence to support adaptation, mitigation, and Loss and Damage assessment. Through its research programs, digital innovations, and partnerships, ACS seeks to strengthen Africa’s capacity to generate, manage, and utilize climate information for policy and investment decision-making.

About the Position

Africa Climate Solutions (ACS) is seeking a highly motivated and scientifically rigorous Extreme Events Attribution Specialist to lead and strengthen the organization’s work on climate extremes, attribution science, probabilistic risk assessment, and Loss and Damage evidence generation. The position is central to ACS’s mission of advancing climate intelligence and evidence-based decision-making across Africa.

The specialist will be responsible for conducting advanced analyses to assess how anthropogenic climate change influences the likelihood, intensity, duration, and spatial extent of extreme weather and climate events such as droughts, floods, heatwaves, and compound events. The role requires strong expertise in climate science, statistics, climate modeling, and risk analytics, as well as the ability to translate complex scientific outputs into policy-relevant evidence that supports climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, climate justice, and Loss and Damage frameworks.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of ACS’s Extreme Events & Attribution Platform, which aims to provide near-real-time scientific assessments of climate extremes and support governments, development partners, and communities in understanding and responding to climate risks. The position will also contribute to regional and global climate science initiatives aligned with frameworks and methodologies developed by institutions and programs such as IPCC, World Meteorological Organization, and international attribution research collaborations.

The role requires a combination of strong technical expertise, analytical leadership, scientific communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.

Specific Terms of Reference include:

Lead the design and implementation of attribution studies for extreme weather and climate events across Africa, including droughts, floods, heatwaves, and compound extremes.
Conduct probabilistic analyses to estimate changes in event likelihood, intensity, and return periods associated with anthropogenic climate change.
Analyze observational datasets, reanalysis products, and climate model ensembles to assess climate variability and extreme event dynamics.
Develop and apply statistical and dynamical methodologies for event attribution and climate risk assessment.
Contribute to the operationalization of ACS’s near-real-time Extreme Events & Attribution Platform.
Generate climate hazard profiles and support sector-specific climate risk assessments.
Integrate attribution evidence into Loss and Damage assessments and climate justice frameworks.
Prepare scientific publications, technical reports, policy briefs, and climate intelligence products.
Contribute to the development of climate indicators and early warning information systems.
Support national and regional climate policy processes through evidence generation and technical advisory services.
Engage with national meteorological agencies, research institutions, universities, and regional climate centers.
Provide technical support for climate finance proposals, including climate rationale and risk analysis components for funding mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund.
Contribute to training, mentorship, and institutional capacity strengthening activities in attribution science and climate analytics.
Maintain awareness of advances in attribution methodologies, climate modeling, and international climate science developments.

Requirements

Education and Technical Qualifications

PhD (preferred) or MSc in Climate Science, Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, Statistics, Environmental Science, Hydrology, or a related field.
Demonstrated expertise in extreme event attribution, climate risk assessment, and climate data analysis.
Strong understanding of climate dynamics, climate variability, and climate model evaluation.
Advanced analytical and programming skills in R, Python, MATLAB, or related analytical environments.
Experience working with large climate datasets, including NetCDF and gridded datasets.
Familiarity with observational datasets, reanalysis products, CMIP climate model ensembles, and downscaled climate products.
Experience applying statistical techniques such as extreme value analysis, return period estimation, trend analysis, and uncertainty quantification.
Knowledge of GIS and spatial analysis tools is an asset.

Professional Experience

Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional or research experience.
Proven track record of scientific publications or technical reports related to climate extremes or attribution science.
Experience contributing to interdisciplinary climate research and policy-oriented projects.
Experience working in African climate contexts is highly desirable.
Familiarity with international climate frameworks, including UNFCCC processes, adaptation planning, and Loss and Damage discussions, is an advantage.

Competencies

Strong scientific writing and communication skills.
Ability to translate complex technical findings into policy-relevant outputs.
Strong organizational and project management skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
Commitment to scientific integrity, innovation, and excellence.

Terms of Employment

Full-time position based at Africa Climate Solutions (ACS).
Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Initial contract duration of one year, renewable subject to performance and funding availability.
Opportunity to contribute to high-impact regional and international climate initiatives.
Access to collaborative research networks, training opportunities, and scientific conferences.
The position may require regional travel within Africa and participation in international scientific and policy events.

Applications

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis until the best candidates are identified.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Interested applicants are invited to submit:

A cover letter describing their motivation and suitability for the position.
A detailed curriculum vitae (CV).
Copies of academic qualifications.
A list of relevant publications or technical reports.
Contact information for at least three professional referees.

Applications should be submitted electronically to hr@africaclimatesolutions.org mentioning the position “Extreme events attribution specialist” in the Subject of the email.