SHINE Project Scientist I

Job Description Summary:The Climate and Global Dynamics (CGD) Laboratory at NSF NCAR is pleased to announce an opening for a Project Scientist I position within their Oceanography Section.

The successful candidate will conduct independent and team based research in the area of Earth System Science relevant to NSF NCAR strategic priorities. This position will also conducts research aligned with specific laboratory priorities, possibly through sponsored research. This position primarily supports scientific validation of and research with the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6) coupled to the Model for Prediction Across Scales - Atmosphere (MPAS-A). The incumbent is also expected to participate in the development and evaluation of global high-resolution (1/12o and 1/36o) MOM6 configurations in collaboration with existing efforts within the Oceanography Section (OS) of CGD. The position will also take the lead in driving efforts to scientifically validate a new global high-resolution ocean-atmosphere coupled system using MPAS-A and MOM6. The incumbent is expected to help maintain existing post-processing tools for high-resolution ocean model evaluation and develop new ones as needed.

While the incumbent will be a member of the OS/CGD group and is expected to closely collaborate with staff in OS/CGD working on MOM6 development they will also collaborate with staff in the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology (MMM) Laboratory working on scientific questions related to ocean-atmosphere coupling in high-resolution simulations with MPAS-A coupled to MOM6. The incumbent may pursue development and evaluation of regional MOM6 capabilities with MPAS-A and the Community Earth System Model (CESM). The incumbent will participate in professional development and training activities provided by NSF NCAR and UCAR.

More information on CGD and CESM can be found online at https://www.cgd.ucar.edu/ and https://www.cesm.ucar.edu/.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

Yes

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

Yes

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

Compensation Range:

Salary Range $94,406 - $118-006

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role.*

This position is being advertised as being Hybrid, which means there is a requirement of working a minimum of 3 days in the office (in Boulder, CO) each week.

Application Notes

Application Deadline:

• This position will be posted until 11:59 PM MDT, Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Required application materials: (preferably in PDF Format)

• Resume

• Cover Letter - In addition to addressing how your skills and experience meet the needs of this position (for more information, please refer to the Key Responsibilities and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities sections of this job posting) also explain your research interests. No more than 2 pages.

• Three professional references with contact information (email and phone #) and 1 to 2 sentences explaining your connection.

Background Checks: Conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.
Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be
performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

What You Will Do

Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

• Leading research in ocean model development, evaluation, and coupling in accord with NSF NCAR strategic priorities, in particular leading the scientific evaluation and development of MOM6 coupled to MPAS-A within the CESM framework

  • Working independently and with other scientists in oceanography on high-resolution ocean modeling; in particular, contributing to the development and evaluation of high-resolution MOM6

  • Collaborating with scientists in CGD and MMM on scientific questions related to high-resolution coupled Earth system modeling

  • Possibly contributing to development of and evaluation of regional ocean modeling capabilities for NSF NCAR models

• Publishing and communicating research results to the broad community, laboratory, and NSF NCAR leadership

  • Contributing to scientific programs by serving on NSF NCAR and national committees

  • Possibly contributing to future proposals for external funding

  • Publishing and other dissemination of research results, potentially to research sponsors

• Participating in professional development activities and training. Examples of continuing professional development activities include attending workshops, seminars and conferences; mentoring; and participating in online and other external training opportunities, as well as training provided by NSF NCAR EdEC, NSF NCAR Labs and UCAR HR. The incumbent may also participate in established networking opportunities for early career staff.

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education and Experience (Required/Desired):

• Ph.D. in Oceanic, Atmospheric, or related Earth Sciences; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

  DESIRED:  Two or more years of experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (Required/Desired)

• Expert understanding of the physical and mathematical basis of oceanic general circulation or similar models.

• Demonstrated background in, and technical knowledge of, atmosphere-ocean interactions and coupling.

• Demonstrated knowledge of ocean model dynamical core and parameterizations.

• Demonstrated experience with the MOM6 or another general ocean circulation model.

• Demonstrated experience with running coupled climate models.

• Familiarity in designing and implementing reliable modules for complex geophysical systems, particularly the ocean model.

• Knowledge of data analysis methodologies for regional and global climate models.

• Proven experience with open-source workflows, including version control systems like Git/GitHub, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, and issue tracking systems.

• Demonstrated knowledge of Python and Python-based tools for analysis of high-resolution geophysical models (Dask, Xarray, Jupyter notebooks, etc) in distributed computing environments.

• Demonstrated skill in planning and organizing a research effort.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with specialized and general audiences, skill in oral and written presentation of technical and scientific material for a variety of audiences.

Desired but not Required:

• Familiarity with regional ocean models.

• Capacity to work collaboratively as part of a team effort.

Benefits Overview 

UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance,  UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:

• Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities

• UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one

• Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions)

• 10 paid holidays

• 10 days of sick leave each year

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave

• Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary

• EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost

Commitment to Job Application Fairness

Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.

Some Final Considerations

At UCAR|NCAR|UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science  problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core.

Flexible Work

At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.

Equal Opportunity Employer

UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.

Export Control

All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.

Visa Wait Times

Please consider the length of visa procurement when applying for this posting, understanding that you will not be able to begin employment until you are able to get a visa and enter the U.S.

Work Location

UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

AI Software

ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing the way society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.