CPAESS Project Scientist II

Job Description Summary:UCAR/CPAESS is excited to announce the job opening for the CPAESS Project Scientist II role. This position will support CPAESS partners at the Ocean Ecology Laboratory (OEL) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the collection, processing, and evaluation of oceanographic bio-optical measurements including of apparent and inherent optical properties, and support data processing for the SeaBASS database.

CPAESS (Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science) serves the Earth System Science community in three distinct areas of service. We partner with federal agencies and businesses to hire critical scientific staff enabling a more robust workforce. Through our scientific programs we seek to edify new research with our postdoctoral programs, our visiting scientist and internship programs, along with our interagency support programs. We also help build the Earth system science community by convening and managing summer schools and institutes, conferences, and advisory committees.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Greenbelt, Maryland

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Regular

Compensation Range:

$109,097 - $136,370

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

Application Notes

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59:59pm MT, Wednesday, July 23. Applications will not be accepted past this date.

Required application materials (preferably in PDF Format): 

• Resume

• Questionnaire - (to be completed when submitting your application) In lieu of a traditional cover letter, the hiring team wants to learn more about your skills/experiences regarding very specific questions related to the critical skills needed to be successful in this position. Your responses to these questions will be read and weighed equally to your resume, so please ensure you're providing detailed, yet informative, responses based on your previous work experiences. That being said, we encourage you to keep responses to 1 - 3 paragraphs.

  • Describe your experience using computer programming languages/tools including (but not limited to) Python, MATLAB, and/or R in relation to data analysis and/or processing of satellite and remote sensing data. 

  • Share a brief example of a time when you used optical instruments used to collect measurements of aquatic radiometry (and other inherent optical properties), biogeochemical sample collections at sea, and your process for collecting and analyzing data. 

Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Work Location: Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD). This position is open to candidates seeking in-person, hybrid (combination of in-person and remote), and/or fully remote opportunities. UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories. CPAESS staff deployed to federal agencies must abide by their respective federal agency requirements concerning remote/flexible work arrangements.

What You Will Do

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

Scientific Data Management & Quality Assurance

• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) in SeaBASS and IOPs Bio optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS; http://seabass.gsfc.nasa.gov).

• Ensure quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of various optical and cytometry data submissions.

• Perform data reprocessing and uncertainty quantification.

• Prepare and organize bio-optical measurements and metadata.

• Systematically develop and revise field measurement collection protocols.
   

Fieldwork & Instrumentation

• Organize and participate in fieldwork (shore-based and oceanographic).

• Manage logistics and instruments for field deployments.

• Develop in-house capabilities for optical instrumentation and field data analysis.

• Create ENV files for satellite data matchups.
   

Scientific Communication & Tool Development

• Prepare reports and technical documentation.

• Support and lead manuscript preparation for peer-reviewed publications.

• Develop and document software tools to support data processing and analysis.

• Contribute to collaborative protocol development with external stakeholders.

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education & Experience

• Ph.D. in oceanography, physical sciences, or closely related science discipline;

• 3 years of experience in a specialized scientific field;

  • Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired, but not required: 

• 5 years of postdoctoral related experience.

• Previous experience working on oceanographic research cruises.

• A publication record within peer-reviewed journals.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced computer programming skills, including Python, MATLAB, and other programming languages and software tools.

• Demonstrated skill with optical and specialized research instrumentation, including data extraction, quality control, and reduction for aquatic radiometry and inherent optical properties.

• Advanced knowledge/in-depth understanding of research skills within oceanographic science, ocean color satellite, and/or airborne remote sensing data.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, coupled with strong technical problem-solving skills in research environments.

• Ability to engage in sea-going research, including deployment on two or more oceanographic cruises per year (10-35 days each).

Desired, but not required: 

• Demonstrated skill in data analysis and publication of oceanographic data.

• Demonstrated ability with deployment of radiometers and IOP instrumentation at sea for collection of ocean apparent and inherent optical properties.

• Expertise with biogeochemical sample collection at sea, laboratory analysis, and data processing.

• Expertise in processing satellite and/or airborne remote sensing observations.

• Excellent statistical skills and knowledge: proficiency in applying statistical methods for data analysis, including hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and time series analysis.

• Willingness to stay abreast of advances in a range of disciplines related to aquatic ecology and biogeochemistry.

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.