Weather Radar Site Technical Assessment Consultant
Organizational Context
The Strengthening Hydro-Meteorological and Multi-Hazard Early Warning Services in the Caribbean – Phase 2 (CREWS Caribbean 2.0) project supports Caribbean countries in strengthening meteorological, hydrological and multi-hazard early warning systems and improving capacities for monitoring, forecasting and the provision of timely and authoritative warnings. In Jamaica, a reliable and resilient weather radar capability is essential for monitoring hurricanes, intense rainfall, severe convective weather and other high-impact hydro-meteorological hazards.
Job Purpose
The consultancy will undertake an in-depth technical assessment of Jamaica's existing weather radar capability, including radar hardware, software, operational performance, site and coverage, infrastructure, maintenance arrangements and human-resource capacity. The assessment will compare options for repairing or rehabilitating the existing radar, relocating or replacing it, complementing it with an additional radar or implementing a phased approach. It will provide clear recommendations regarding the future weather radar capability required for Jamaica, including radar number and locations, technologies and frequencies, network configuration, software and operational requirements, staffing and competencies, operation and maintenance arrangements and long-term sustainability. The results will provide an evidence-based technical foundation for government decision-making and future resource mobilization and investment in Jamaica's weather radar and early warning capabilities.
Responsibilities
Conduct a comprehensive desk review and field-based technical assessment of Jamaica's existing weather radar hardware, infrastructure, software, operational performance, maintenance arrangements, data quality and operational applications. Assess the suitability of the existing radar site and technically relevant alternative locations and prepare radar coverage, beam-blockage and network scenarios using GIS and/or specialized radar coverage modelling software. Assess existing radar software and its functionality for QPE, nowcasting, severe-weather monitoring, hurricane analysis and other MSJ operational forecasting and warning requirements. Compare options for repairing or rehabilitating, relocating or replacing the existing radar, adding an additional radar or implementing a phased approach. Provide clear recommendations concerning the required number and location of radars, radar technologies and frequencies, network configuration, integration, redundancy and infrastructure requirements. Assess MSJ's staffing, competencies and training needs for radar operation, maintenance, calibration, radar data processing and operational use. Assess operation and maintenance, spare-parts, lifecycle, vendor-support, infrastructure-resilience and other requirements necessary for long-term sustainability. Prepare a comprehensive Weather Radar Technical Assessment and Recommendations Report, including an options matrix and prioritized recommendations for future investment. MAINS DELIVERABLES: 1. Inception Report. 2. Draft Weather Radar Technical Assessment and Recommendations Report. 3. Final Weather Radar Technical Assessment and Recommendations Report 4. Presentation of the final findings and recommendations.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in weather radar systems, including radar network design, operation, technical assessment, maintenance, radar technology and/or radar data processing and applications. Demonstrated experience assessing operational weather radar systems, including hardware, software, auxiliary infrastructure, performance and operational reliability. Demonstrated experience in radar network design, radar siting and radar coverage analysis. Experience using GIS and/or specialized radar coverage modelling tools for radar siting, beam-blockage and coverage assessment. Sound knowledge of weather radar technologies and frequency bands. Sound knowledge of weather radar applications for QPE, nowcasting, severe-weather monitoring and tropical cyclone/hurricane analysis. Demonstrated knowledge of radar signal processing, quality control, visualization and operational product generation. Experience with weather radar operation and maintenance, calibration, spare-parts planning, lifecycle management and vendor support. Experience assessing technical staffing, competencies and training requirements related to weather radar operations. Experience working with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services would be highly desirable. Experience working with governments, United Nations organizations, development banks or donor-funded hydrometeorological and early warning programmes would be considered an asset.
Skills
Excellent analytical and technical report-writing skills. Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder engagement skills. Ability to undertake field-based technical inspections and translate findings into practical and prioritized recommendations. Ability to work independently and coordinate effectively with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. Familiarity with relevant WMO weather radar guidance and technical standards. Professional experience in tropical cyclone/hurricane-prone environments and/or Small Island Developing States would be considered an asset. Previous professional experience in Jamaica and/or the Caribbean region would be highly desirable. Availability to undertake a field mission to Jamaica during the consultancy period.