Atmospheric Data and Physics Specialist

Job Description
Atmospheric Data and Physics Specialist

About Urban Sky:
Urban Sky is a venture-backed aerospace startup that pioneers utilization of the stratosphere and reimagines the way humans view and analyze the earth. We design, build, operate, and sell stratospheric balloon systems, and the data we collect supports a wide range of applications, from real-time wildfire monitoring to urban mapping. Our technology is also employed by government customers including the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, and others. Urban Sky sends flight vehicles to the stratosphere on a weekly basis.
Our team consists of engineers, makers, developers, and doers who believe in the power of human potential when passion meets utility within a small, supportive team. At Urban Sky we strive to create a team culture grounded in candor, inclusion, respect and empowerment.

We are building the next chapter of stratospheric history in Denver and are seeking self-starting, open-minded, and hard-working team members.

About The Role:
Urban Sky is seeking a physics and data specialist to help design and advance the next generation of software products for high-performance stratospheric balloon systems. Our ideal candidate has experience with both lighter than air physics and meteorological data products.

In this role, you will work with weather model outputs like GRIB and GRIB2 files paired with unique physics algorithms to predict and control the flight of high altitude lighter-than-air systems while integrating the data produced by those balloon systems back into a database while the balloons are flying.

This is not a role for those seeking a well-trodden path—our work involves solving problems with no clear precedent, designing novel solutions, and iterating rapidly in ambiguous and fast-paced environments. You should be comfortable taking on big ambiguous projects at the forefront of physics, atmospheric science and AI/ML. In this role you will have autonomy to innovate at the cutting edge of aerospace.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build and own the weather data engine that collects and serves model data to balloon system prediction and control systems
• Create balloon flight physics algorithms for various types of balloons
• Create control algorithms for balloon systems including autopilot systems
• Work with software engineers to integrate the products you produce into web-native software
• Write code in Python, and interface with full stack software engineers to deploy that code

Qualifications:

• 5+ years working as a data scientist, meteorologist, physicist, or simulation specialist
• Strong understanding of physics principles including gas laws, thermodynamics and aerodynamics
• Strong understanding of weather models and how atmospheric modeling works
• Strength in mathematics and an ability to create numerical models from scratch

Nice-to-Haves/Preferred Skills:

• Specific experience with global weather models (GFS, ICON, ECMWF)
• Field experience flying balloons
• Understanding of meteorology

Requirements:

• Must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Must be located near Denver, CO or willing to relocate to Denver, CO

Benefits:

• Salary $100,000 - $150,000 per year
  • We are required to post this salary range per Colorado law. Your salary will be determined based on your abilities and experience.
• Stock Options
• Medical, Vision and Dental
• Unlimited Vacation Days
• Cell Phone Bill Stipend

NOTE: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes that they have the skills and the passion necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.

This position may require the candidate to deal with commodities, software, technology, defense articles, and/or technical data which are subject to the Export Administration Regulations and/or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Additional information may be requested so as to determine whether export authorization is required from the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. If authorization is required, employment will be contingent upon the Company successfully obtaining such authorization from the relevant government agency.

Urban Sky is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.