diff --git a/internal/archiver/archiveWorker.go b/internal/archiver/archiveWorker.go
index 6e514cb..42a60b9 100644
--- a/internal/archiver/archiveWorker.go
+++ b/internal/archiver/archiveWorker.go
@@ -73,10 +73,7 @@ func archivingWorker() {
 			log.Debugf("archiving job %d took %s", job.JobID, time.Since(start))
 			log.Printf("archiving job (dbid: %d) successful", job.ID)
 
-			id := job.ID
-			jobMeta.ID = &id
-
-			repository.CallJobStopHooks(jobMeta)
+			repository.CallJobStopHooks(job)
 			archivePending.Done()
 		default:
 			continue
diff --git a/internal/repository/jobHooks.go b/internal/repository/jobHooks.go
index 49535f7..1016335 100644
--- a/internal/repository/jobHooks.go
+++ b/internal/repository/jobHooks.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 type JobHook interface {
 	JobStartCallback(job *schema.Job)
-	JobStopCallback(job *schema.JobMeta)
+	JobStopCallback(job *schema.Job)
 }
 
 var (
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func CallJobStartHooks(jobs []*schema.Job) {
 	}
 }
 
-func CallJobStopHooks(job *schema.JobMeta) {
+func CallJobStopHooks(job *schema.Job) {
 	if hooks == nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/internal/tagger/classifyJob.go b/internal/tagger/classifyJob.go
index ec1e843..f7195e3 100644
--- a/internal/tagger/classifyJob.go
+++ b/internal/tagger/classifyJob.go
@@ -7,14 +7,16 @@ package tagger
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"embed"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/fs"
+	"maps"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"text/template"
 
 	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/internal/repository"
 	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/internal/util"
+	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/pkg/archive"
 	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/pkg/schema"
 	"github.com/expr-lang/expr"
@@ -24,31 +26,100 @@ import (
 //go:embed jobclasses/*
 var jobclassFiles embed.FS
 
+type Variable struct {
+	Name string `json:"name"`
+	Expr string `json:"expr"`
+}
+
+type ruleVariable struct {
+	name string
+	expr *vm.Program
+}
+
+type RuleFormat struct {
+	Name         string     `json:"name"`
+	Tag          string     `json:"tag"`
+	Parameters   []string   `json:"parameters"`
+	Metrics      []string   `json:"metrics"`
+	Requirements []string   `json:"requirements"`
+	Variables    []Variable `json:"variables"`
+	Rule         string     `json:"rule"`
+	Hint         string     `json:"hint"`
+}
+
 type ruleInfo struct {
-	tag  string
-	rule *vm.Program
+	env          map[string]any
+	metrics      []string
+	requirements []*vm.Program
+	variables    []ruleVariable
+	rule         *vm.Program
+	hint         *template.Template
 }
 
 type JobClassTagger struct {
-	rules   map[string]ruleInfo
-	tagType string
-	cfgPath string
+	rules      map[string]ruleInfo
+	parameters map[string]any
+	tagType    string
+	cfgPath    string
 }
 
-func (t *JobClassTagger) compileRule(f fs.File, fns string) {
-	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
-	_, err := buf.ReadFrom(f)
+func (t *JobClassTagger) prepareRule(filename string, fns string) {
+	b, err := os.ReadFile(filename)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("error reading rule file %s: %#v", fns, err)
+		log.Warnf("prepareRule() > open file error: %v", err)
+		return
 	}
-	prg, err := expr.Compile(buf.String(), expr.AsBool())
+
+	var rule RuleFormat
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(b)).Decode(&rule); err != nil {
+		log.Warn("Error while decoding raw job meta json")
+		return
+	}
+
+	ri := ruleInfo{}
+	ri.env = make(map[string]any)
+	ri.metrics = make([]string, 0)
+	ri.requirements = make([]*vm.Program, 0)
+	ri.variables = make([]ruleVariable, 0)
+
+	// check if all required parameters are available
+	for _, p := range rule.Parameters {
+		param, ok := t.parameters[p]
+		if !ok {
+			log.Warnf("prepareRule() > missing parameter %s in rule %s", p, fns)
+			return
+		}
+		ri.env[p] = param
+	}
+
+	// set all required metrics
+	for _, m := range rule.Metrics {
+		ri.metrics = append(ri.metrics, m)
+	}
+
+	// compile requirements
+	for _, r := range rule.Requirements {
+		req, err := expr.Compile(r, expr.AsBool())
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("error compiling requirement %s: %#v", r, err)
+			return
+		}
+		ri.requirements = append(ri.requirements, req)
+	}
+
+	// compile rule
+	exp, err := expr.Compile(rule.Rule, expr.AsBool())
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("error compiling rule %s: %#v", fns, err)
+		return
 	}
-	ri := ruleInfo{tag: strings.TrimSuffix(fns, filepath.Ext(fns)), rule: prg}
+	ri.rule = exp
 
-	delete(t.rules, ri.tag)
-	t.rules[ri.tag] = ri
+	// prepare hint template
+	ri.hint = template.Must(template.New(fns).Parse(rule.Hint))
+
+	delete(t.rules, rule.Tag)
+	t.rules[rule.Tag] = ri
 }
 
 func (t *JobClassTagger) EventMatch(s string) bool {
@@ -65,11 +136,8 @@ func (t *JobClassTagger) EventCallback() {
 	for _, fn := range files {
 		fns := fn.Name()
 		log.Debugf("Process: %s", fns)
-		f, err := os.Open(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", t.cfgPath, fns))
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("error opening app file %s: %#v", fns, err)
-		}
-		t.compileRule(f, fns)
+		filename := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", t.cfgPath, fns)
+		t.prepareRule(filename, fns)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -84,13 +152,23 @@ func (t *JobClassTagger) Register() error {
 	t.rules = make(map[string]ruleInfo, 0)
 	for _, fn := range files {
 		fns := fn.Name()
-		log.Debugf("Process: %s", fns)
-		f, err := appFiles.Open(fmt.Sprintf("apps/%s", fns))
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("error opening app file %s: %#v", fns, err)
+		filename := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", t.cfgPath, fns)
+
+		if fn.Name() == "parameters.json" {
+			b, err := os.ReadFile(filename)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Warnf("prepareRule() > open file error: %v", err)
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if err := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(b)).Decode(&t.parameters); err != nil {
+				log.Warn("Error while decoding parameters.json")
+				return err
+			}
+			continue
 		}
-		defer f.Close()
-		t.compileRule(f, fns)
+		log.Debugf("Process: %s", fns)
+		t.prepareRule(filename, fns)
 	}
 
 	if util.CheckFileExists(t.cfgPath) {
@@ -102,20 +180,69 @@ func (t *JobClassTagger) Register() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *JobClassTagger) Match(job *schema.JobMeta) {
+func (t *JobClassTagger) Match(job *schema.Job) {
 	r := repository.GetJobRepository()
+	jobstats, err := archive.GetStatistics(job)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("job classification failed for job  %d: %#v", job.JobID, err)
+		return
+	}
 
-	for _, ri := range t.rules {
-		tag := ri.tag
-		output, err := expr.Run(ri.rule, job)
+	for tag, ri := range t.rules {
+		env := make(map[string]any)
+		maps.Copy(env, ri.env)
+
+		// add metrics to env
+		for _, m := range ri.metrics {
+			stats, ok := jobstats[m]
+			if !ok {
+				log.Errorf("job classification failed for job %d: missing metric '%s'", job.JobID, m)
+				return
+			}
+			env[m] = stats.Avg
+		}
+
+		// check rule requirements apply
+		for _, r := range ri.requirements {
+			ok, err := expr.Run(r, env)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("error running requirement for rule %s: %#v", tag, err)
+				return
+			}
+			if !ok.(bool) {
+				log.Infof("requirement for rule %s not met", tag)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		// validate rule expression
+		for _, v := range ri.variables {
+			value, err := expr.Run(v.expr, env)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("error running rule %s: %#v", tag, err)
+				return
+			}
+			env[v.name] = value
+		}
+
+		match, err := expr.Run(ri.rule, job)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("error running rule %s: %#v", tag, err)
 		}
-		if output.(bool) {
+		if match.(bool) {
 			id := job.ID
-			if !r.HasTag(*id, t.tagType, tag) {
-				r.AddTagOrCreateDirect(*id, t.tagType, tag)
+			if !r.HasTag(id, t.tagType, tag) {
+				r.AddTagOrCreateDirect(id, t.tagType, tag)
 			}
 		}
+
+		// process hint template
+		var msg bytes.Buffer
+		if err := ri.hint.Execute(&msg, env); err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Template error: %s", err.Error())
+		}
+
+		// FIXME: Handle case where multiple tags apply
+		r.UpdateMetadata(job, "message", msg.String())
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/tagger/detectApp.go b/internal/tagger/detectApp.go
index 8057aad..a37924e 100644
--- a/internal/tagger/detectApp.go
+++ b/internal/tagger/detectApp.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func (t *AppTagger) Register() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *AppTagger) Match(job *schema.JobMeta) {
+func (t *AppTagger) Match(job *schema.Job) {
 	r := repository.GetJobRepository()
 	jobscript, ok := job.MetaData["jobScript"]
 	if ok {
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ func (t *AppTagger) Match(job *schema.JobMeta) {
 			tag := a.tag
 			for _, s := range a.strings {
 				if strings.Contains(jobscript, s) {
-					if !r.HasTag(*id, t.tagType, tag) {
-						r.AddTagOrCreateDirect(*id, t.tagType, tag)
+					if !r.HasTag(id, t.tagType, tag) {
+						r.AddTagOrCreateDirect(id, t.tagType, tag)
 						break out
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/internal/tagger/detectApp_test.go b/internal/tagger/detectApp_test.go
index 56bd856..3b43cce 100644
--- a/internal/tagger/detectApp_test.go
+++ b/internal/tagger/detectApp_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/internal/repository"
 	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/pkg/log"
-	"github.com/ClusterCockpit/cc-backend/pkg/schema"
 )
 
 func setup(tb testing.TB) *repository.JobRepository {
@@ -52,12 +51,7 @@ func TestMatch(t *testing.T) {
 	err = tagger.Register()
 	noErr(t, err)
 
-	jobMeta := &schema.JobMeta{
-		ID:        &job.ID,
-		BaseJob:   job.BaseJob,
-		StartTime: job.StartTime.Unix(),
-	}
-	tagger.Match(jobMeta)
+	tagger.Match(job)
 
 	if !r.HasTag(5, "app", "vasp") {
 		t.Errorf("missing tag vasp")
diff --git a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highload.json b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highload.json
index a65f400..29d4026 100644
--- a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highload.json
+++ b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highload.json
@@ -12,27 +12,22 @@
   ],
   "requirements": [
     "job.exclusive == 1",
-    "job.duration > job_min_duration_seconds",
-    "required_metrics_min_samples > job_min_duration_seconds / sampling_interval_seconds"
+    "job.duration > job_min_duration_seconds"
   ],
   "terms": [
     {
+      "name": "",
       "load_mean": "cpu_load[cpu_load_pre_cutoff_samples].mean('all')"
     },
     {
-      "load_threshold": "(job.numHwthreads/job.numNodes) * excessivecpuload_threshold_factor"
+      "name": "load_threshold",
+      "expr": "(job.numHwthreads/job.numNodes) * excessivecpuload_threshold_factor"
     },
     {
-      "highload_nodes": "load_mean > load_threshold"
-    },
-    {
-      "highload": "highload_nodes.any('all')"
-    },
-    {
-      "load_perc": "load_mean / load_threshold"
+      "name": "load_perc",
+      "expr": "load_mean / load_threshold"
     }
   ],
-  "output": "highload",
-  "output_scalar": "load_perc",
-  "template": "Job ({{ job.jobId }})\nThis job was detected as excessiveload because the mean cpu load {{ load_mean.array }} falls above the threshold {{ load_threshold }}."
+  "rule": "cpu_load > load_threshold",
+  "hint": "This job was detected as excessiveload because the average cpu load {{ cpu_load }} falls above the threshold {{ load_threshold }}."
 }
diff --git a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highmem.json b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highmem.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 69ffcf3..0000000
--- a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/highmem.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "High memory usage",
-  "tag": "high_memory_load",
-  "parameters": [
-    "high_memory_load_threshold_factor",
-    "job_min_duration_seconds",
-    "sampling_interval_seconds"
-  ],
-  "metrics": [
-    "mem_used"
-  ],
-  "requirements": [
-    "job.duration > job_min_duration_seconds",
-    "required_metrics_min_samples > job_min_duration_seconds / sampling_interval_seconds",
-    "hasattr(job, \"allocated_memory\")"
-  ],
-  "terms": [
-    {
-      "memory_alloc": "job.allocated_memory"
-    },
-    {
-      "memory_used": "mem_used.max('time')"
-    },
-    {
-      "load_threshold": "memory_alloc * high_memory_load_threshold_factor"
-    },
-    {
-      "high_mem_nodes": "memory_used > load_threshold"
-    },
-    {
-      "high_mem": "high_mem_nodes.any('all')"
-    },
-    {
-      "load_perc": "memory_used / (memory_alloc * high_memory_load_threshold_factor)"
-    }
-  ],
-  "output": "high_mem",
-  "output_scalar": "load_perc",
-  "template": "Job ({{ job.jobId }})\nThis job was detected as high_memory_load because the memory usage {{ high_mem_nodes.array }} falls above the threshold {{ load_threshold }}."
-}
diff --git a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowgpuload.json b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowgpuload.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 80339b2..0000000
--- a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowgpuload.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "Low GPU load",
-  "tag": "lowgpuload",
-  "parameters": [
-    "lowgpuload_threshold_factor",
-    "job_min_duration_seconds",
-    "sampling_interval_seconds"
-  ],
-  "metrics": [
-    "nv_util"
-  ],
-  "requirements": [
-    "job.duration > job_min_duration_seconds",
-    "required_metrics_min_samples > job_min_duration_seconds / sampling_interval_seconds"
-  ],
-  "terms": [
-    {
-      "load_mean": "nv_util.mean('all')"
-    },
-    {
-      "load_threshold": "job.numAcc * lowgpuload_threshold_factor"
-    },
-    {
-      "lowload_nodes": "load_mean < load_threshold"
-    },
-    {
-      "lowload": "lowload_nodes.any('all')"
-    },
-    {
-      "load_perc": "1.0 - (load_mean / load_threshold)"
-    }
-  ],
-  "output": "lowload",
-  "output_scalar": "load_perc",
-  "template": "Job ({{ job.jobId }})\nThis job was detected as lowgpuload because the mean gpu load {{ load_mean }} falls below the threshold {{ load_threshold }}."
-}
diff --git a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowload.json b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowload.json
index e860361..3c5bd4d 100644
--- a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowload.json
+++ b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/lowload.json
@@ -11,28 +11,18 @@
   ],
   "requirements": [
     "job.exclusive == 1",
-    "job.duration > job_min_duration_seconds",
-    "required_metrics_min_samples > job_min_duration_seconds / sampling_interval_seconds"
+    "job.duration > job_min_duration_seconds"
   ],
-  "tagRule": [
+  "variables": [
     {
-      "load_mean": "cpu_load[cpu_load_pre_cutoff_samples:].mean('all')"
+      "name": "load_threshold",
+      "expr": "job.numHwthreads * lowcpuload_threshold_factor"
     },
     {
-      "load_threshold": "job.numHwthreads * lowcpuload_threshold_factor"
-    },
-    {
-      "lowload_nodes": "load_mean < load_threshold"
-    },
-    {
-      "lowload": "lowload_nodes.any('all')"
-    },
-    {
-      "load_perc": "1.0 - (load_mean / load_threshold)"
+      "name": "load_perc",
+      "expr": "1.0 - (cpu_load / load_threshold)"
     }
   ],
-  "valueRule": [],
-  "output": "lowload",
-  "output_scalar": "load_perc",
-  "hint": "Job ({{ job.jobId }})\nThis job was detected as lowload because the mean cpu load {{ load_mean }} falls below the threshold {{ load_threshold }}."
+  "rule": "cpu_load < load_threshold",
+  "hint": "This job was detected as lowload because the average cpu load {{ cpu_load }} falls below the threshold {{ load_threshold }}."
 }
diff --git a/internal/tagger/jobclasses/parameters.json b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/parameters.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39e94c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tagger/jobclasses/parameters.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  "lowcpuload_threshold_factor": 0.9,
+  "excessivecpuload_threshold_factor": 1.1,
+  "highmemoryusage_threshold_factor": 0.9,
+  "node_load_imbalance_threshold_factor": 0.1,
+  "core_load_imbalance_threshold_factor": 0.1,
+  "high_memory_load_threshold_factor": 0.9,
+  "lowgpuload_threshold_factor": 0.7,
+  "memory_leak_slope_threshold": 0.1,
+  "job_min_duration_seconds": 600.0,
+  "sampling_interval_seconds": 30.0,
+  "cpu_load_pre_cutoff_samples": 11.0,
+  "cpu_load_core_pre_cutoff_samples": 6.0
+}
diff --git a/internal/tagger/tagger.go b/internal/tagger/tagger.go
index d5e42b1..ffdd011 100644
--- a/internal/tagger/tagger.go
+++ b/internal/tagger/tagger.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 type Tagger interface {
 	Register() error
-	Match(job *schema.JobMeta)
+	Match(job *schema.Job)
 }
 
 var (
@@ -48,5 +48,8 @@ func (jt *JobTagger) JobStartCallback(job *schema.Job) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (jt *JobTagger) JobStopCallback(job *schema.JobMeta) {
+func (jt *JobTagger) JobStopCallback(job *schema.Job) {
+	for _, tagger := range jobTagger.stopTaggers {
+		tagger.Match(job)
+	}
 }