CPAESS Scientist III

UCAR - The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; College Park (MD); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Visa sponsorship

Job summary

UCAR is seeking a CPAESS Scientist III to lead advanced forecasting methods, including AI/ML and ensemble post-processing, to improve sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) predictions of extreme climate events for CPC/NCEP/NEWS program.

The incumbent will engage stakeholders, drive co-development of impact forecasts, and manage training initiatives with partners in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and related regions, while demonstrating professional bilingual proficiency in English and French.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree with 8+ years related experience, or a Master’s/ PhD with relevant experience.
• Solid knowledge in a relevant scientific field and ability to apply theories to complex problems.
• Experience with proposal development and scoping technical work.
• Experience mentoring less experienced staff.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute scientific investigations using established and emerging methods.
• Develop and adapt tools, models, or methods for data collection and analysis.
• Interpret observational or model data and contribute to new insights.
• Lead project components and coordinate teams across collaborators.
• Author scientific reports, datasets, and proposals and present findings.
• Collaborate across disciplines and mentor junior staff.

Skills

Advanced forecasting methods

AI/ML techniques

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring

Technical writing

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Independent analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in science

Master's degree or PhD in a scientific discipline

Tools

GIS tools

AI/ML frameworks

GIS software

Forecasting tools

Job description

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

Position Type: Regular

Visa Sponsored Job: Yes

Relocation Assistance Eligible: Yes

Hiring Range: 85,780.00 USD - 111,490.00 USD

Application Closes at 12:00am MST on:

2026-10-28

About The Role

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the CPAESS Scientist III position, supporting NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) under NOAA's Early Warning Systems (NEWS) program. The incumbent will independently lead the application of advanced forecasting methods (including AI/ML and ensemble post-processing) to improve sub‑seasonal to seasonal (S2S) predictions of extreme climate events. The CPAESS Scientist III will serve as a primary point of contact for stakeholder engagement, driving the co‑development of impact forecasts and training programs with partners in the Caribbean and Latin America, or Africa, and must demonstrate professional bilingual proficiency in English and French.

CPAESS serves the Earth system science community in three distinct areas of service. CPAESS partners with federal agencies and businesses to hire critical scientific staff, enabling a more robust workforce. Through scientific programs, CPAESS seeks to edify new research with postdoctoral programs, visiting scientist and internship programs, along with interagency support programs. CPAESS also helps build the Earth system science community by convening and managing summer schools and institutes, conferences, and advisory committees. Through Scientific Partnerships, CPAESS supports large‑scale partnerships and initiatives in the Earth system science (ESS) community. Currently, there are about 100 scientists in a variety of federal agencies and laboratories across the U.S.

Job Description

Designs and executes scientific analyses; develops, and adapts, and/or tests hypotheses, models and/or tools. Contributes to papers, reports, technical documentation, data sets, findings, and/or proposals. Mentors less experienced colleagues, collaborates across disciplines, and supports proposal development to advance scientific goals through high‑quality, methodologically sound work. Engages in mission‑aligned activities both within the organization and throughout the broader scientific community. Contributes through a combination of scientific expertise, professional service, and education and outreach efforts.

Responsibilities

• Designing and executing scientific investigations or analyses using established and/or emerging methods to address defined research, operational, or applied science questions.
• Developing or adapting tools, models, or methods to support data collection, processing, analysis, system evaluation, or experimental workflows.
• Performing detailed analysis and interpretation of observational, experimental, or model‑generated data, contributing to new insights or improvements in scientific understanding.
• Leading or contributing to components of a larger project or small project teams through coordination of activities, deliverables, and technical direction across collaborators.
• Authoring or co‑authoring peer‑reviewed publications, technical documentation, data sets, findings, project reports, and/or proposals, and presenting findings in internal, sponsor, or scientific community settings.
• Collaborating across disciplines and institutions, contributing technical expertise to team‑based projects and enhancing interdisciplinary research or operational outcomes.
• Supporting proposal development and project planning activities by contributing to scoping, technical writing, and alignment with programmatic objectives.
• Providing technical guidance to less experienced staff/students, mentoring on methods, tools, and best practices while engaging in and modeling inclusive team participation.
• Developing products, tools, instruments and/or technologies for projects and programs.

Requirements

Education

Typically requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree and 8 years related experience, or a Master’s degree and 4 years related experience, or a PhD in a scientific discipline; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge

• Has solid knowledge in a relevant scientific field, with an ability to apply theories, methods, or frameworks to complex or interdisciplinary problems.
• Is familiar with project planning and proposal development, including scoping technical work, aligning with program goals, and supporting deliverable management.

Skills And Abilities

• Is skilled in developing or refining scientific tools, workflows, or models, including quality assurance and integration with broader project efforts.
• Is skilled in using data analysis tools used for data preparation, visualization, or workflow automation.
• Is committed to mentoring with the ability to guide less experienced colleagues on methods, tools, and collaborative practices.
• Is capable of contributing to peer‑reviewed publications, sponsor reports, or presentations, with clear and accurate scientific communication tailored to varied audiences.
• Collaborates effectively within multidisciplinary teams, integrating diverse inputs and fostering productive working relationships.
• Demonstrates the ability to design and carry out analyses or investigative tasks independently using established methods, adapting approaches as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

Skills & Experience

• Strong knowledge of the global climate system, with regional expertise in the Caribbean, Latin America, or Africa at S2S timescales.
• Experience engaging stakeholders in agriculture, water resource management, or food security in developing‑world contexts.
• Familiarity with operational forecast workflows, including model output processing, forecast verification, and communicating uncertainty to end users.
• Proficiency in verbal and written English and French to effectively communicate technical scientific information to clients and stakeholders.

Program/Project-Specific Details

• Contribute to the development and delivery of training materials on subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) forecasting for meteorologists, scientists, and stakeholders across agriculture, water resource management, and health sectors.
• Author technical and scientific reports documenting work related to the PREPARE Early Warning System project.

Role-Specific Responsibilities

• Apply advanced scientific methods — including model calibration, bias correction, and AI/ML tools — to post‑process global ensemble forecasts (GEFS, NMME, and others) and improve precipitation and temperature forecasts at week 2–4, monthly, and seasonal timescales.
• Verify forecasts using statistical methods and apply multivariate and spectral analysis to observations and model outputs to understand and advance sub‑seasonal predictability, including prediction of extreme events.
• Use GIS tools to map extreme event forecasts and collaborate with stakeholders to co‑develop impact forecasts for agriculture, water resource management, and health.

Additional Information

Start Date

Candidates selected for hire must undergo a federal screening in addition to a standard background check (learn more). The start date will be confirmed upon successful completion of the federal screening.

Work Location Expectations

This position is open to candidates seeking in‑person, hybrid (combination of 3 days in‑person and 2 days of remote), or fully remote opportunities. UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories. UCAR Staff deployed to federal agencies must abide by their respective federal agency requirements concerning remote/flexible work arrangements.

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.