CESM Software Engineer II

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; United States; On-site; USD 83,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Holidays

Parental leave

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

UCAR is seeking a Software Engineer to modernize the CESM modeling ecosystem, focusing on performance, memory usage, and GPU portability. You will work within CGD Laboratory to advance Earth system modeling and contribute to scientific computing for the broader community.

The role requires a Bachelor's in a computer field and 4–8 years of relevant experience, with strong profiling and modernization skills and the ability to work both independently and in a team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a computer-related field and 4–8 years of experience, or equivalent.
• Experience identifying performance bottlenecks through profiling and code analysis.
• Ability to modernize legacy code, update libraries, and apply current development standards.

Responsibilities

• Participates in enhancement of the CESM modeling ecosystem to improve performance and portability.
• Review and analyze existing modeling software capabilities and document decisions for the team.
• Explore benchmarks in newer languages and paradigms and stay current with tools and techniques.

Skills

Performance profiling

Modernization strategies

Software development process

Independent & team work

Attention to detail

Compiled languages

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer-related field

Job description

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 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.

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/.

What You Will Do

• 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

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 Deadline

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

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.

Background Checks

Conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Visa Sponsorship

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.

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

Equal Opportunity 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.

About UCAR and NCAR

At NCAR - the National Center for Atmospheric Research - we study weather, water, climate, air quality, and space weather to help protect lives and livelihoods, grow the economy, and enhance our nation’s security and well-being. We collaborate with research partners to advance the science that makes predictions better and with end users to develop applications for forecasters, farmers, resource managers, retailers, the military, and many other stakeholders. UCAR - the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research - manages NCAR on behalf of the National Science Foundation. We are a nonprofit consortium of more than 115 colleges and universities with research and training programs in Earth system science. We bring together the academic community and provide the operational management that are both essential to NCAR’s success. UCAR's community programs, from educational resources to data delivery and other services, extend the reach and impact of NCAR’s world-class research to the community and society. We seek talented people with diverse backgrounds, training, and skills to join us in our mission of science in service to society. Want to learn more? Visit ucar.edu.