Pedram Hassanzadeh

The University of Chicago is seeking multiple postdoctoral fellows and research scientists for Project Cirrus, an interdisciplinary initiative at the intersection of AI, climate adaptation, and human-centered weather forecasting. The positions are part of the Human-Centered Weather Forecasting (HCF) and AI for Climate Initiative, focusing on developing and understanding AI weather models, climate adaptation strategies, and decision-support tools for stakeholders in regions with data scarcity, particularly in the tropics and developing countries. Project Cirrus is led by a distinguished team including Prof. Pedram Hassanzadeh, Prof. Tiffany Shaw, Prof. Amir Jina, Dr. Katie Kowal (all University of Chicago), and Prof. Bill Boos (UC Berkeley). The team has demonstrated real-world impact, such as disseminating AI-based monsoon forecasts to millions of farmers in India in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. Research topics include AI model development and understanding, forecasting tropical dynamics, scientific machine learning, performance optimization, human-centered benchmarks, and the development of practical decision-support tools. The project emphasizes improving prediction accuracy for weather extremes and shocks, especially in regions with sparse observational data, and assessing risk and vulnerability for agricultural communities. Applicants should have a PhD in climate/atmospheric science, physics, mathematics, engineering, or computer science, with a strong interest in climate impact and AI applications. Postdoctoral fellow positions are for recent PhD holders (1-3 years post-PhD), while research scientist roles require 3+ years of postdoc experience and offer leadership opportunities. International scientists are encouraged to apply. These are fully funded positions with competitive salaries ($75,000-$120,000 per year) and benefits. The application deadline is January 1, 2026, with a flexible start date before March 1, 2026. To apply, candidates should submit a single PDF containing a CV, publication list, research statement, and references to Mauricio Ortiz-Riomalo at [email protected]. For informal inquiries, contact Dr. Katie Kowal at [email protected]. Keywords: AI weather forecasting, climate adaptation, machine learning, atmospheric science, tropical meteorology, weather models, Project Cirrus, University of Chicago, decision-support tools, human-centered forecasting.

The University of Chicago’s Human-Centered Weather Forecasting (HCF) and AI for Climate Initiative are seeking multiple postdoctoral fellows and research scientists to join Project Cirrus, an interdisciplinary team focused on AI-driven weather forecasting. The project is led by Professors Pedram Hassanzadeh, Tiffany Shaw, Amir Jina, Dr. Katie Kowal (all at University of Chicago), and Professor Bill Boos (UC Berkeley). Project Cirrus aims to bridge the gap between AI advances in weather and subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasting and their practical usefulness for decision-makers, especially in developing regions and the tropics. Research topics include developing tools to understand AI weather models for forecasting tropical dynamics, creating human-centered benchmarks for decision-making, and improving AI model performance for weather extremes in data-sparse regions. The project leverages advanced scientific machine learning, atmospheric dynamics, new observations, and collaborations with national meteorological services, leading weather centers, and tech companies. Researchers will benefit from the vibrant academic environment at the University of Chicago, including the Data Science Institute, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth, and AI+Science Initiative. There are also opportunities to work with the Development Innovation Lab on expanding weather forecast access in low- and middle-income countries. Applicants must have a PhD in a relevant field (climate science, atmospheric science, agrometeorology, physical oceanography, applied/computational mathematics, physics, engineering, or related), strong programming and numerical skills, experience with high-performance computing and large datasets, and strong communication skills. Preferred qualifications include expertise in weather forecasting or climate modeling, scientific deep learning, and experience with observational data and AI weather models. The positions are fully funded, with a salary range of $75,000–$120,000 and full benefits. Applications are accepted until January 1, 2026, and should include a CV (with publications and references) and a 1-page statement of research fit, sent as a single PDF to Mauricio Ortiz-Riomalo ([email protected]) with the subject 'Application: Cirrus'. The start date is flexible but should be before March 1, 2026. Outstanding applicants with more than 3 years of postdoc experience may be considered for research scientist appointments. The University of Chicago is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and encourages applicants from all backgrounds. For more information, visit the project and university diversity statements linked above.