CPAESS Computational Scientist V

ucar; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 129,000 - 167,000; Full time

Job summary

UCAR, a leading institution in Earth system science, seeks a Computational Scientist V to advance coupled ocean and sea ice data assimilation within CPAESS for NOAA's OMD. The role emphasizes developing innovative HPC methods, guiding teams, and translating complex simulations into actionable insights for weather and climate prediction.

The candidate will mentor staff, shape strategic directions, and contribute to publications and outreach while collaborating with senior leadership and sponsors

Qualifications

• PhD or master with extensive experience in numerical methods and HPC.
• Experience leading scientific teams and project management.
• Proven ability to disseminate research through publications and talks.

Responsibilities

• Leading, designing, and executing complex computational research initiatives focused on Earth system science.
• Developing numerical methods and computational algorithms for scientific problems.
• Directing teams in implementing and optimizing scientific software for HPC environments.
• Designing scalable computational frameworks for atmospheric and environmental processes.
• Analyzing large-scale simulations and assimilating data to validate models.

Skills

High-performance computing

Numerical methods

Parallel computing

Data assimilation

Mentoring

Leadership

Education

Bachelors + 15+ years

Master's + 11+ years

PhD + 7+ years

Job description

Position Type: Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

Visa Sponsored Job: Yes

Relocation Assistance Eligible: Yes

Hiring Range: 128,520.00 USD - 167,180.00 USD *Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Application Closes at 12:00am MST on: 2026-10-10

About the Role

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Computational Scientist V role with the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS) working with NOAA's Office of Modeling and Development (OMD). This position will focus on enhancing coupled ocean and sea ice JEDI-based data assimilation system for the Global Forecasting System (GFS) by integrating critical marine observations. This may include transition from retrieved products to direct assimilation of Level 1b radiances for sea-surface-sensitive channels to improve atmosphere-ocean balance and sea surface temperature conditions, and integrating sea ice freeboard observations to address model biases and significantly improve sea-ice forecast skill.

Job Description

Develops innovative numerical methods for high-performance computing implementations. Advances computational frameworks for atmospheric and environmental processes while analyzing large-scale simulations. Requires expert collaboration with other scientists and stakeholders to validate models and communicate scientific insights. Leads scientific teams or programs, defining strategic directions aligned with institutional and sponsor priorities. Mentors less experienced staff, drives program innovation, and represents the organization in high-level scientific, operational, and collaborative engagements across sectors. Engages in mission-aligned activities both within the organization and throughout the broader scientific community. Contributes through a combination of scientific expertise, professional service, education, and outreach.

Responsibilities

• Leading, designing, and executing complex computational research initiatives focused on Earth system science, ensuring alignment with program objectives.
• Developing innovative numerical methods and computational algorithms to solve difficult scientific and engineering problems.
• Directing teams in implementing and optimizing scientific software for high-performance computing environments.
• Designing scalable computational frameworks that advance understanding of atmospheric and environmental processes.
• Analyzing large-scale simulation results and assimilating data to validate models and extract insights for Earth system science.
• Engaging with senior leadership and sponsors to shape scientific strategies, align goals with broader priorities, and guide proposal development and program planning.
• Supporting the professional growth of less experienced computational scientists, mentoring, and fostering collaboration and team performance. Enabling collaboration between computational experts and other scientists.
• Contributing actively to, leading, and/or co-leading papers, reports, technical documentation, data sets and findings, and proposals that advance computational science capabilities within programs, as appropriate.
• Disseminating significant outcomes through peer-reviewed publications, technical tools, invited talks, stakeholder briefings, and thought leadership that influence computational science and practice.
• Implementing advanced visualization techniques to communicate complex scientific results to diverse stakeholder groups.
• Representing the organization in external engagements, participating in advisory roles, national panels, or collaborative initiatives with emerging influence at strategic levels.
• Leading development of complex products and/or tools for projects and programs.

Requirements

Education

Typically requires a minimum of a Bachelors of Science degree and 15 years related experience, or a Master's degree and 11 years of experience, or a PhD in a scientific discipline and 7 years related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge

Has expert knowledge of numerical methods, parallel computing, and high-performance computing architectures. Possesses deep understanding of scalable software architectures and parallel computing frameworks for atmospheric process simulation. Has extensive expertise in proposal development, technical documentation, and computational science project management.

Skills and Abilities

Is profi