Research Professional

Department

PSD Geophysical Sciences: Administration and Staff

About the Department

The Department of the Geophysical Sciences provides a vibrant venue in which scientists carry out research across several broad subject areas that span the past, present, and future evolution of the Earth, its life, and its cosmic environment. We pride ourselves on the innovative and interdisciplinary research of highly accomplished faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates, all of whom push the boundaries of their respective fields.

The Department supports a PhD program in Geophysical Sciences while offering undergraduate degrees in both Geophysical Sciences and Environmental Science, and a master’s degree in Environmental Science. These programs allow students to discover, learn, and share knowledge about the natural processes that have and continue to shape our world and other planetary bodies. The Department is committed to fostering an environment where individuals from all backgrounds can grow and become the unique scientists they wish to be.

Job Summary

The job performs routine assignments related to scientific research projects. Ensures compliance of research activities with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives and mandates. Analyzes possible solutions using standard procedures. Writes articles, reports and manuscripts. Assists in drafting presentations on research findings.

Responsibilities

• Leverage high-performance computing and large-scale data analysis to establish benchmarks and metrics for evaluating AI-driven weather forecasting models.
• Develop and implement AI-based probabilistic forecasting systems, particularly targeting improvements in subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) weather prediction.
• Ensure that AI models accurately represent extreme weather events and align closely with established physical climate principles and AI theory.
• Contribute to algorithm development and foundational model design for innovative AI weather and climate forecasting frameworks.
• Provide support for high-performance computing tasks, optimizing computational workflows and assisting team members with their computational demands.
• Manage and maintain the research group's GitHub repository, ensuring that published results are supported by clear, reproducible, and publication-quality code.
• Maintains technical and administrative support for a research project.
• Analyzes and maintains data and/or specimens. Conducts literature reviews. Assists with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Completion of a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Environmental Science, Atmospheric Science, Data Science, or Engineering.

Experience:

• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) systems and working with big data.
• Expertise in weather forecasting or climate modeling.
• Familiarity with the theoretical and practical aspects of scientific deep learning.
• Experience with AI-driven weather/climate models.
• Proven experience analyzing and visualizing large datasets.
• Experience with developing and validating scientific models.
• Demonstrated track record in research or operational forecasting environments.

Working Conditions

• This position is for a term expected to begin on June 1, 2025, and will end on September 1, 2026.

Preferred Competencies

• Familiarity and competency with programming languages including Python, R, and Bash.
• Understanding of Unix-like environments, especially command-line interfaces.
• Proficiency with HPC job management software, including SLURM and PBS.
• Strong understanding of cloud computing platforms and infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.).
• Experience supporting others and providing technical assistance.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Familiarity with data version control and collaboration tools such as Git/GitHub.
• Competency using LaTeX for scientific documentation, reports, and presentations.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter including your interest in this position (required)
• List of three professional references (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$50,000.00 - $55,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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