Wildfire Scientist - Wildfire Spread Modeler

AON PLC; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Aon plc in Boston is seeking a Wildfire Scientist – Wildfire Spread Modeler to operate and enhance wildfire spread modeling workflows, with emphasis on WUI transitions and ember dynamics. You will develop pipelines in R/Python, evaluate models against historical data, and collaborate across a global team.

The role is hybrid, combining time in the Boston office with virtual work, and offers an opportunity to contribute to state-of-the-art wildfire modeling.

Qualifications

• MS/PhD in wildfire science, fire behavior, environmental science, or closely related field (required)
• Direct experience with wildfire spread modeling (required) such as using FARSITE, FlamMap, BehavePlus or related tools
• Strong understanding of wildland-urban interface (WUI) fire behavior and structure-to-structure spread (preferred)
• Strong programming/scripting in R and/or Python (required)
• Experience with geospatial data and tools (raster/vector, GDAL, ArcGIS, QGIS, sf/terra in R) (required)
• Experience with HPC or cloud environments and large datasets (preferred)
• Excellent technical writing and presentation skills (required)
• Experience with catastrophe modeling or risk modeling (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Operate, maintain, and enhance wildfire spread modeling workflows
• Improve WUI representations and embed ember generation, spotting, and structure-to-structure spread
• Develop, test, and maintain modeling/data-processing pipelines in R and/or Python
• Evaluate traditional wildfire spread science within the modeling framework
• Perform model validation against historical perimeters and footprints
• Prepare technical documentation, presentations, and summaries
• Collaborate with an international interdisciplinary team
• Contribute to model deployment and market-ready workflows

Education

MS/PhD in wildfire science or closely related field

Tools

FARSITE

FlamMap

BehavePlus

ArcGIS

QGIS

GDAL

Job description

Posting Description

Wildfire Scientist – Wildfire Spread Modeler

This is a hybrid role with the opportunity to work virtually and from our Boston office

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive team and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

• Operate, maintain, and enhance Aon’s current wildfire spread modeling workflows, including:
  • Running large catalogs of simulated events for model development, testing, and calibration.
  • Working directly with our current wildfire spread engine and associated tooling to ensure reliable, repeatable runs
  • Diagnosing performance bottlenecks and improving stability and throughput of spread simulations.
• Work on improving how our models representspread in and through the WUI, including:
  • Representing transitions from wildland fuels to urban and suburban areas.
  • Incorporating ember generation, spotting, and structure‑to‑structure fire spread behaviors.
  • Evaluating how different fuels, topography, and exposures influence spread into built environments.
  • Helping to shape new modeling approaches that better capture fire behavior in the WUI.
• Develop, test, and maintain modeling and data‑processing pipelines in R and/or Python, including:
  • Automation and orchestration of large batches of spread simulations on HPC / cloud resources.
  • Efficient handling of large geospatial datasets (fuels, topography, exposure grids, fire perimeters).
• Evaluate and integrate traditional wildfire spread science into our modeling framework:
  • Work with established fire behavior models (e.g., Rothermel‑based approaches and related methods).
  • Assess model behavior against historical wildfire perimeters, growth patterns, and impact footprints.
• Perform model validation and verification:
  • Compare modeled spread and burned area to observed historical events across different fuel types and regions.
  • Document and communicate findings and recommended improvements back into the modeling workflow.
• Collaborate closely with an international, interdisciplinary team of:
  • Catastrophe model developers, wildfire scientists, meteorologists, engineers, and exposure/vulnerability specialists.
  • Software developers and client‑facing colleagues who bring the models to market.
• Prepare technical documentation, presentations, and summaries of modeling work for both internal and external audiences.

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• M.S. or Ph.D. in wildfire science, fire behavior, environmental science, applied geoscience, atmospheric science, a closely related field (required) or equivalent years of industry experience
• Direct experience withwildfire spread modeling(required), which may include:
  • Operational or research use of tools such as FARSITE, FlamMap, BehavePlus, or similar fire behavior models,and/or
  • Experience developing or working with custom spread models (cellular automata, level‑set methods, or other numerical approaches).
• Demonstrated understanding ofwildland–urban interface (WUI) fire behavior, including:
  • How fires transition from wildland fuels into communities.
  • The role of embers/spotting and structure‑to‑structure spread (preferred).
• Strong programming / scripting skills, preferably in R and/or Python (required).
• Experience working withgeospatial data and tools(e.g., raster/vector data, GDAL, ArcGIS, QGIS, sf/terra in R, or equivalent) (required).
• Experience with numerical or environmental models in an HPC or cloud environment (preferred).
• Solid analytical and statistical skills, including working with large datasets and time series (required).
• Experience with SQL or other database tools (preferred).
• Excellent technical writing and presentation skills (required).
• Experience with catastrophe modeling or risk modeling (preferred).

This is a hands‑on modeling role in a small, focused team, with a clear mandate to both operate our current spread modeling capabilities at scale and to help shape the next generation of wildfire spread modeling within Aon.

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon’s discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance, various types of leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, 15 days of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts,employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Aon is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this position. If you are a search firm, you will not be compensated in any way for your submission of a candidate, even if Aon hires that candidate.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $115,000 to $140,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant’s geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon’s annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

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