CIRES/ GSL Temporary Researcher, Deep Cumulus Parameterization Developer

University of Colorado; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 77,000 - 102,000; Part time

Job summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder welcomes applications for a Temporary Researcher, Deep Cumulus Parameterization Developer. This role will refine and translate developments into the next-generation Community Convective Cloud (C3) parameterization to support NOAA operational modeling efforts.

This appointment is for no more than 0.25 FTE (~10 hours per week) for 12 months and pays hourly from $55.88 to $74.04 per hour.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science or related field.
• At least twenty years of experience developing, testing and evaluating deep cumulus parameterizations.
• Ability to collaborate with a diverse team of developers and researchers.
• Experience with community modeling approaches for numerical weather prediction.
• Experience contributing to shared code bases in a GitHub workflow.

Responsibilities

• Further develop, test, and refine a novel physically-based scale-awareness representation for deep cumulus parameterizations and implement it within the community-governed Community Convective Cloud (C3) parameterization (55%).
• Further develop, test, and refine the representation of atmospheric aerosols for the C3 parameterization (15%).
• Prepare briefing materials and presentations for branch management, internal meetings, conferences, and workshops, and prepare and submit a scientific manuscript for eventual publication on the work completed (15%).
• Contributes code developments to the C3 parameterization Github repository, working with other C3 parameterization developers to ensure that all contributions are designed and implemented in a mutually agreeable fashion (10%).
• Other duties related to maintaining and debugging existing deep cumulus parameterization codes used in NOAA operational models as assigned (5%)

Education

Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science or related field

Twenty years of experience developing, testing and evaluating deep cumulus parameterizations

Tools

Github

NOAA model development

Job description

Requisition Number: 74968

Location: Boulder, Colorado

City: Boulder

State: Colorado

Employment Type: Research Faculty

Schedule: Full-Time

Posting Close Date: 24-Sep-2026

Date Posted: 22-Sep-2026

Job Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder welcomes applications for a Temporary Researcher, Deep Cumulus Parameterization Developer. This role is needed to refine and translate developments from the Grell-Freitas-Li deep cumulus parameterization to the next-generation Community Convective Cloud (C3) parameterization to support the \"Improving Numerical Weather Prediction through Model Physics Development\" task within the 2026-27 CIESRDS-GSL Science Plan, specifically the objective to \"Improve physics parameterizations and their interconnectivity for future NOAA operational modeling systems.\" This appointment is for no more than 0.25 FTE (~10 hours per week) for 12 months.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

At CIRES, the Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences, more than 900 people work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people's relationship with the planet. An institute at the University of Colorado Boulder, we have partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since 1967. Our areas of expertise include weather and climate, wildfire and water, changes at Earth's poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earth sciences, and more. Our researchers work in 10 CU Boulder departments and eight NOAA laboratories and centers.

GSL is one of ten NOAA Research Laboratories and is located in Boulder, Colorado. Our research improves environmental prediction models, develops state-of-the-science decision support tools, visualization systems, and uses high-performance computing technology and artificial intelligence research to support a Weather-Ready, Fire-Ready Nation.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Further develop, test, and refine a novel physically-based scale-awareness representation for deep cumulus parameterizations and implement it within the community-governed Community Convective Cloud (C3) parameterization (55%).


• Further develop, test, and refine the representation of atmospheric aerosols for the C3 parameterization (15%).


• Prepare briefing materials and presentations for branch management, internal meetings, conferences, and workshops, and prepare and submit a scientific manuscript for eventual publication on the work completed (15%).


• Contributes code developments to the C3 parameterization Github repository, working with other C3 parameterization developers to ensure that all contributions are designed and implemented in a mutually agreeable fashion (10%).


• Other duties related to maintaining and debugging existing deep cumulus parameterization codes used in NOAA operational models as assigned (5%)

What You Should Know

• This appointment is not eligible for vacation leave, holidays, annual merit pay increases, nor employee health, retirement, or related benefits, except those required by law.


• This appointment will accrue 0.034 hours of sick leave for every hour worked.


• We expect this position to be at approximately 10 hours per week. This is an hourly paid position with timesheets required.


• The hours for this position may vary and are not guaranteed.


• This temporary position cannot extend past a maximum of 12 months.

What We Can Offer

The hourly rate for this position ranges from $55.88 - $74.04 per hour. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits

Temporary positions at the University of Colorado are not benefits-eligible, however, all positions are eligible for paid sick leave.

Be Statements

Be courageous. Be proactive. Be Boulder.

What We Require

A Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science or a related field plus at least twenty years of experience developing, testing, and evaluating deep cumulus parameterizations.

What You Will Need

• Ability to effectively collaborate with other developers of the community-governed deep cumulus parameterization to ensure that innovations are effectively and efficiently integrated into the shared code base.


• Ability to work as part of a team of diverse scientists, researchers, developers, engineers, and staff in a research environment.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Familiarity with Github, particularly including using it to conduct and manage code development within a shared code base.


• Experience with community modeling approaches for numerical weather prediction, including developing physics parameterizations in an interoperable way such that they can be used with multiple host models.