CESM Software Engineer I

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR); Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off (PTO) and holidays

Tuition assistance

PSLF eligible employer

Job summary

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, CO is seeking a Software Engineer to modernize the CESM ecosystem, improve performance, memory efficiency, and hardware portability, including GPUs. You will work with the Community Software Facility and engineers and leadership on strategic priorities.

The role emphasizes rapid development for the scientific community, with collaboration across CGD’s Laboratory.

Qualifications

• Identify performance bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and technical limitations through profiling and code analysis.
• Recommend and implement modernization strategies, including refactoring legacy code and updating libraries.
• Apply software development processes including requirements analysis and design of software components.
• Work independently and in a team on challenging software projects.
• Demonstrate attention to detail and clear communication of complexities.
• Experience with at least one compiled language (Fortran, C, C++, etc).

Responsibilities

• Participates in enhancement of the CESM modeling ecosystem for performance and portability.
• Collaborates with team members and stakeholders on changes for integration into the model.
• Review and analyze existing modeling software to assess structure and maintainability.
• Document findings, decisions, and changes for knowledge sharing across a large team.
• Explore and evaluate benchmarks in newer languages and paradigms.
• Stay current with emerging tools and techniques for software modernization.

Skills

Profiling & analysis

Performance bottlenecks

Software modernization

Software development process

Independent & team work

Attention to detail

Compiled languages (Fortran/C/C++)

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer-related field

Tools

MPI

OpenMP

OpenACC

Job description

Position Type: Regular

Visa Sponsored Job: Yes

Relocation Assistance Eligible: Yes

Hiring Range: 66,707.00 USD - 83,383.00 USD

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

Application Closes at 12:00am MST on: 2026-09-08

About the Role

This position will focus on modernizing the software in CESM, a world-leading Earth system model, towards new architectures, infrastructure and computational approaches. The work will require some knowledge of algorithms, data structures, software development and hardware platforms, as well as attention to detail, and will emphasize problem solving and rapid development for the scientific community we serve. The position will interact with our Community Software Facility, as well as a variety of software engineers and scientific leadership on targeted, strategic priorities.

This Software Engineer position is part of the computer engineering group within NSF NCAR's CGD Laboratory. CGD is home to approximately 130 staff members, along with visiting researchers from around the world. Together, they advance the understanding of Earth system variability and change while addressing the risks of environmental change through collaborative, innovative, and inclusive research. More information about CGD can be found online at https://www.cgd.ucar.edu/.

Job Description

Application Deadline:

• This position will be posted until 11:59 pm MDT on Monday, September 7, 2026.

Required application materials: (preferably in PDF Format)

• Resume
• Cover Letter - Please address 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).

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.

Visa Sponsorship and Relocation Assistance may be available to final candidate if eligible.

What You Will Do

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

Software Engineering & Optimization

• Participates in the enhancement of the CESM modeling ecosystem, targeting performance improvements, memory reductions, hardware portability (GPUs) and other key project needs.
• Collaborates with team members & project stakeholders on proposed changes & processes for integration into the model.

Code & Capability Analysis

• Review and analyze existing modeling software capabilities to assess its structure, quality, and maintainability.
• Document findings, proposed changes, and technical decisions to support knowledge sharing across a wide team of scientists and engineers.

Exploratory Development

• Explore & evaluate benchmarks in newer languages and paradigms
• Stay current with emerging tools, languages & techniques relevant to software modernization.

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

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

Education and Experience (Required):

Bachelor's degree in computer-related field; or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience (e.g. Associate's degree and four years' experience).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Required:

• Proven ability to identify performance bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and other technical limitations through profiling, testing, and code analysis.
• Ability to recommend and implement modernization strategies, including refactoring legacy code, updating outdated libraries or frameworks, and applying current development standards and best practices.
• Demonstrated skill applying the software development process, including participation in software requirements analysis and design of software components.
• Ability to work both independently and within a team on interesting & challenging software projects.
• Attention to detail and strong communication skills to accurately assess and convey complexities.
• Experience with at least one compiled language (Fortran, C, C++, etc)

Desired, but not required:

• Familiarity with parallel programming (MPI, OpenMP, OpenACC, JAX, etc)
• Some knowledge of numerical methods, data structures and algorithms

Preferred Qualifications

Hiring Salary Range $66,707 - $83,383

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

Application Requirements

For full consideration, all application materials must be submitted by 12am (MST) at the start of the application deadline. These should highlight how your skills and experiences align with the responsibilities of this position. We recognize that no candidate will meet 100% of the listed qualifications.

Supplemental questionnaires are often requested in lieu of a cover letter, where you address critical skills needed for the position. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your resume and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences.

Background checks and/or federal screenings are conducted for candidates selected for hire.

Benefits Overview

UCAR offers a comprehensive benefits package: health insurance, dental, retirement plan, leave plans, tuition assistance, and employee assistance programs:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Generous retirement plan - UCAR contributes of 10% of base salary
• Time Off Plans
  • Minimum 20 days of annual PTO
  • 10 paid holidays
  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave
  • FAMLI Leave
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer

UCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age-related information (like date of birth or graduation dates) in initial submissions.

For sponsored positions: UCAR can sponsor individuals for H-1B status only if they are already in the U.S. in H-1B status or another visa status that allows them to change to H-1B status within the U.S. UCAR is unable to sponsor new H-1B visas for individuals who are outside the U.S. and need to obtain H-1B status through Consular Processing.

While UCAR does not prohibit the use of AI tools in job applications, we strongly recommend that applicants submit primarily original work.

All roles require compliance with U.S. export control regulations and work location requirements. All hybrid staff are expected to work on-site approximately 3 days per week.