Research Assistant

University-of-Louisiana-At-Monroe; Breard (LA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Louisiana State Mesonet, housed within the School of Sciences at the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM), seeks applications for a research assistant to translate weather and water data into actionable information. You will develop and maintain an operational geospatial dashboard that integrates real-time observations from LSM stations, planned expansion data, and regional model output.

Responsibilities include implementing dashboard features, building backend data pipelines, and

Qualifications

• Master's or Doctoral degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, or related field.
• Experience developing geospatial or data-driven web applications with interactive mapping or dashboards.
• Ability to visualize large environmental datasets including weather observations and model output.
• Familiarity with weather and water impacts communication for droughts, floods or high-impact events.
• Experience with backend web development and data pipelines linking live feeds to visualizations.
• Strong problem-solving, collaboration, and willingness to learn new technologies.
• Excellent spoken and written communication; ability to convey complex weather information to non-experts.
• Publication record in peer-reviewed journals.

Responsibilities

• Implement water-focused dashboard components showing drought, soil moisture, and flood risk in the Lower Mississippi River basin.
• Incorporate regional model forecast output to provide short- and medium-term outlooks.
• Develop and integrate severe weather impact layers using regional model output.
• Build and maintain backend infrastructure linking dashboards to geospatial data streams with real-time ingestion.
• Develop and maintain a dedicated project webpage hosting the dashboard and documentation.
• Collaborate with the mesonet team, partners, and stakeholders to refine products per end-user needs.
• Perform other duties as needed by the Mesonet Executive Director.

Skills

Geospatial visualization

Dashboard development

Weather data interpretation

Python

JavaScript

Data pipeline development

Oral and written communication

Collaborative work

Leaflet/Mapbox/ArcGIS Online

Education

Master's or Doctoral degree in Meteorology/Atmospheric Science/Geography/Environmental Science/Computer Science

Tools

Leaflet

Mapbox

ArcGIS Online

Geospatial data tools

Job description

The Louisiana State Mesonet, within the School of Sciences at the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM), is seeking applications for a research assistant with experience in geospatial data visualization, weather and water impacts communication, and web-based dashboard development. The researcher will assist the mesonet program in developing and maintaining an operational, impacts-based geospatial dashboard that integrates real-time observations from Louisiana State Mesonet (LSM) stations, data from planned network expansion stations, and output from the LSM regional weather model. The primary goal of this position is to translate weather and water data into actionable, decision-relevant information for end users, partners, and stakeholders across the Lower Mississippi River basin region. The researcher may be tasked with implementing specific dashboard features and products to support project objectives and partner/stakeholder requests. This is a full-time, 12-month position currently funded for 1-year at a competitive salary with a full benefits package. Employment extension beyond the first year is possible based on funding availability and a favorable formal review.

• Implement water-focused dashboard components highlighting current and forecasted drought conditions, soil moisture saturation levels, and short- and long-term flood risk areas across the Lower Mississippi River basin region
• Incorporate regional model forecast output into the dashboard to provide short- and medium-term outlooks on evolving drought or flooding threats
• Develop and integrate severe and hazardous weather impact layers into the dashboard using regional model output, identifying when and where significant weather threats may occur in the short- and medium-term forecast periods
• Collaborate with the LSM team to build and maintain the backend infrastructure linking the dashboard to geospatial data streams from LSM stations and regional model output, ensuring reliable, near-real-time data ingestion and display
• Develop and maintain a dedicated project webpage to host the impacts dashboard and associated documentation
• Collaborate with the mesonet team, partners, and stakeholders to refine dashboard products based on end-user needs, ensuring that impacts-based information supports timely and appropriate decision-making
• Any other duties as needed at the request of the Mesonet Executive Director
• Masters or Doctoral degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline
• Experience developing geospatial or data-driven web applications, including interactive mapping or dashboard tools (e.g., Leaflet, Mapbox, ArcGIS Online, or similar frameworks)
• Demonstrated ability to work with and visualize large environmental datasets, including weather observations, gridded model output, and soil or hydrological data
• Familiarity with weather and water impacts communication, including experience interpreting or presenting data in the context of drought, flooding, or other high-impact weather events
• Experience with backend web development and data pipeline construction, including linking live data feeds to front-end visualization tools
• Strong problem-solving skills, ability to work in a collaborative environment, and a desire to learn new technologies are a must
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to convey complex weather and water information to non-expert audiences
• A record of high-quality, peer-reviewed publications
• Proficiency in the computer programming necessary for data processing, geospatial analysis, and dashboard development (e.g., Python, JavaScript, or equivalent)
• Ability to work a flexible schedule