Job Description

Full job description

Position Location

Boulder, CO

Work Location

Position qualifies for hybrid/in-office work

Research Professional Position

Yes

Posting Number

202401458AP

Position Type

Admin Professional/ Research Professional

Classification Title

Research Associate II

Number of Vacancies

1

Work Hours/Week

40

Proposed Annual Salary Range

$70,000 - $74,000 Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion , and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here .
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator .
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in !

Desired Start Date

10/01/2024

Position End Date (if temporary)

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on

09/02/2024

Description of Work Unit

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University (CSU) is a multi-million dollar research organization located on CSU’s Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. CIRA is a cooperative institute that is also a research department within CSU’s College of Engineering, in partnership with the Department of Atmospheric Science. Its vision is to conduct interdisciplinary research in the atmospheric sciences by entraining skills beyond the meteorological disciplines, exploiting advances in engineering and computer science, facilitating transitional activity between pure and applied research, leveraging both national and international resources and partnerships, and assisting NOAA, Colorado State University, the State of Colorado, and the Nation through the application of our research to areas of societal benefit.

CIRA conducts collaborative research with the Weather Visualization and AI Research Development Branch of the Weather Informatics and Decision Support Division (WIDS) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Systems Lab (GSL), located in Boulder, CO. Together we identify, investigate, and develop high-performance computing methods, products, systems, and tools to support research and operations. Our research transforms these new technologies and capabilities into innovative and valuable forecast and analysis systems that ingest, manage, analyze, and display environmental data in ways that help the NOAA National Weather Service, other professional users, educators, and the public understand our complex Earth.

NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) is a federal science and research laboratory under NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. GSL provides the National Weather Service (NWS) and the nation with environmental observing, prediction, computer, visualization, and information systems. These systems deliver data, forecasts, and predictions of weather, including severe weather events, within the next few minutes to weeks away. GSL is a leader in the applied research, directed development, and technology transfer of environmental data, models, products, and services that enhance environmental understanding with the outcome of supporting commerce, protecting life and property, and promoting a scientifically literate public.

Position Summary

Over the past two years purely AI-based models have emerged for the task of global weather prediction. These AI models, denoted “AI for weather prediction” (AI4WP), have surprised the community in their ability to reach, and even beat, traditional numerical weather prediction (NWP) models for certain performance metrics. However, these AI4WP models are still very limited and most of them are global models at a coarse scale, typically at a 0.25° latitude-longitude grid. The primary goal of this position is to work on the development of an AI-based regional model at a scale of 3-4km that emulates NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) or similar model. A key challenge is that a model at such high resolution must explicitly resolve many physical processes that are not represented in the coarse (global) AI models. Developing such a model will be a team effort of CIRA and NOAA GSL. The individual in this position will thus be a member of a team that is highly interdisciplinary – including experts in atmospheric science and AI – and inter-institutional – including scientists from both CIRA and NOAA-GSL. The individual will be a key member of both the CIRA and NOAA GSL machine learning (ML) science teams, which includes regularly presenting their work to, leading discussions with, and participating in activities with both teams.


While the individual will be an employee of CSU in Fort Collins, CO, this position is located at NOAA-GSL in Boulder, CO, where the individual will join other CIRA scientists with expertise in atmospheric science and AI who are already working at that location. The position is situated within the Weather Informatics and Decision Support (WIDS) Division of GSL at a federal facility and requires the ability to pass a Tier One, National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI, federal background check) for building access. This position qualifies for flexible work arrangements including a preference toward a hybrid on-site at GSL in Boulder, CO 2-3 days and telework 2-3 days. A fully remote option will be considered. The individual will report directly to the Atmospheric Scientist for Machine Learning Applications, and be supported by CIRA’s Machine Learning lead, GSL’s Weather Visualization and AI Research Development Branch Chief, and other CIRA/GSL personnel. This opportunity is a 24 month position. Renewal may be possible contingent upon performance and funding. This position will be assigned Research Scientist I or Research Associate II based on the requirements listed below.

Required Job Qualifications

In the cover letter, please specifically address EACH requirement as relates to your experience. A cover letter that fails to address the required qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.



Research Scientist I Requirements
Recent Ph.D. degree in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, computer science, or other relevant STEM field;



Research Associate II Requirements
M.S. degree in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, computer science, or other relevant STEM field;



Requirements for all classifications

• Classes or research in atmospheric science or meteorology;
• Experience developing AI algorithms, including convolutional neural networks, for earth science applications;
• Experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar AI development framework;
• Experience with high-performance and/or accelerated computing.
• Experience reading, writing, and manipulating scientific datasets, using Python;
• Experience working on Linux or Unix operating systems;
• Ability to pass a Tier One Background Check (federal background check) for building access.

Preferred Job Qualifications

In the cover letter, please specifically address the applicable preferred qualifications for this position. A cover letter that fails to address the preferred qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.

• Familiarity with NWP models (RAP/HRRR, WRF, GFS/FV3);
• Experience with NWP model verification;
• Understanding of complex neural network architectures, such as transformers and diffusion models;
• Experience of or interest in working in an interdisciplinary team environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, particularly across disciplinary boundaries;

Diversity Statement

Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Essential Duties

Job Duty Category

Collaborative Research

Duty/Responsibility

• Explore cutting edge ML/AI methods for the development of AI-based regional weather forecasting models at 3-4km resolution;
• Coordinate and collaborate closely with other CIRA and GSL team members on the development and validation of the above models;
• Collaborate with other team members on closely related machine learning applications in weather and climate modeling;
• Contribute to and lead scientific studies that serve the CIRA and GSL mission;
• Develop future proposals that may lead to an independent research program.

Percentage Of Time

80

Job Duty Category

Documentation and Reporting

Duty/Responsibility

• Present results at scientific conferences, disseminate knowledge through journal publications;
• Mentor colleagues, including students, both at CIRA/GSL and other institutions, in applied ML for weather and climate science.

Percentage Of Time

20

Application Details

Special Instructions to Applicants

CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.


The position is situated within the Weather Informatics and Decision Support (WIDS) Division of GSL at a federal facility and requires the ability to pass a Tier One, National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI, federal background check) for building access.


This opportunity is a 24 month position. Renewal may be possible contingent upon performance and funding.



Applications must be submitted via online portal. To apply, please upload a cover letter that addresses the required and preferred job qualifications, a resume, and the contact information for three professional references. We will not accept materials sent via email or other mode. NOTE : In your cover letter, please specifically address the required and preferred qualifications of this position. A cover letter that fails to address the qualifications of this position may not be further considered after review by the search committee. Likewise, an online application with a generic cover letter or missing a cover letter, and/or an application that does not include current/correct reference contact information may not be further considered after review by the search committee. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.

Conditions of Employment

Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Special Requirements/Other - This position is located in a federal facility in Boulder, CO and requires the ability to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI, federal background check) for building access.

Search Contact

Jennifer.Raab@colostate.edu

EEO Statement

Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.


The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, titleix@colostate.edu .


The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .


The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .


Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

Job Tags

Full time, Contract work, Temporary work, Flexible hours,

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