CPAESS Scientist III

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research • College Park, MD

2h • Hybrid

About The Position

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 Spanish or 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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.

Benefits

• UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits . In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance, UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development.
• These include: Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities.
• UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one.
• Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions).
• 10 paid holidays.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary.
• EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree