CESM Software Engineer II

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Tuition assistance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) seeks a CESM Software Engineer II to modernize and optimize the earth system model across architectures, including GPUs. You will profile, refactor, and enhance software while collaborating with scientists and engineers in a hybrid work setting in Boulder, CO.

Requirements include a bachelor’s in computer science or related field and 4–8 years of relevant experience; familiarity with MPI/OpenMP/OpenACC is desirable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a computer-related field and 4–8 years of relevant experience (or equivalent).
• Proven ability to identify performance bottlenecks via profiling, testing, and code analysis.
• Experience with software modernization, refactoring, and current development standards.

Responsibilities

• Enhance the CESM modeling ecosystem for performance and memory efficiency.
• Collaborate with team members and stakeholders to integrate changes into the model.
• Review, document, and communicate findings and technical decisions for scientists and engineers.

Skills

Profiling

Code analysis

Refactoring

Software development

C/C++/Fortran

Parallel programming

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer-related field

Tools

MPI

OpenMP

OpenACC

Fortran

C/C++

Job description

## CESM Software Engineer IIApplyremote type: Location Type: Hybrid Option Available (Mix of in-person and remote)locations: Boulder, COtime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todayjob requisition id: REQ-2026-116# **Position Type:**Regular# **Visa Sponsored Job:**Yes**Relocation Assistance Eligible:**Yes **Hiring Range:**83,299.00 USD - 104,127.00 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 RoleThis 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 strategic 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 and progressive relevant experience, which is typically gained by four to eight years of experience; or equivalent combination of education and 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 systems design* 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:*** Familiarity with parallel programming (MPI, OpenMP, OpenACC, JAX, etc)* Some knowledge of numerical methods, data structures and algorithms # Preferred Qualifications**Salary Range $83,299 - $104,127***\*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. If you believe your background has prepared you for success in this role, we encourage you to apply. 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.*