Physical Scientist - Seasonal Forecast System Developer

Lynker Corporation•College Park, MD

15d•$75,000 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Lynker seeks a Physical Scientist to support the Office of Modeling and Development (OMD) of the National Weather Service in research and development related to marine and seasonal forecast improvements. The role focuses on the Seasonal Forecast System (SFS), including its marine components, and on developing OMD AI/ML prediction models for global coupled seasonal and marine forecasting. SFS is the Unified Forecast System’s global-coupled seasonal forecasting application and is intended to replace CFSv2. The work location is the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction (NCWCP) in Riverdale Park, Maryland. The role follows a hybrid schedule: two days per week at the NCWCP office and three days per week working from home. The developer will work independently and collaboratively with OMD scientists and external collaborators to develop and evaluate current and future operational seasonal and marine forecasting systems. The work also involves using UFS infrastructure to design and evaluate global coupled ensemble forecasting systems for long-range forecasting. At least two of the listed technical work areas will be included in the role. Lynker is an employee-owned provider of professional, scientific, and technical services. It offers a team-oriented environment focused on scientific expertise, effective processes, and creative solutions.

Requirements

Master’s or Ph.D. degree, or equivalent, in atmospheric sciences, meteorology, oceanic sciences, mathematics, or a related physical science.
1–2 years of experience in global coupled ensemble forecast-system development, subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction, numerical prediction, and/or AI/ML foundational prediction models.
Must be a U.S. citizen or holder of a Permanent Resident Card.
Advanced knowledge of S2S prediction and experience developing ensemble-based and coupled SFS for research and operational implementation.
Experience developing AI/ML methods for NWP and/or geophysical applications.
Excellent knowledge of modern and object-oriented programming languages, such as FORTRAN and Python.
Knowledge and skills in high-performance computing environments and strong scripting capabilities.
Proficiency with modern software development practices and version-control software such as Git and GitHub.
Ability to communicate technical details and present results accurately and clearly, orally and in writing, to scientists from diverse backgrounds.
Ability to work independently on complex problems in a team and fast-paced environment, with organization and attention to detail.
Ability to support team initiatives, respect team members, and seek team consensus.

Nice To Haves

Deep knowledge of ensemble strategy, reanalysis/reforecasting, and initial-condition uncertainty.
Familiarity with operational NWP and/or an operational forecasting environment, and experience with advanced technical workflows.
Experience with UFS applications and UFS infrastructure, and knowledge of earth system modeling.
Familiarity with agile software development practices.

Responsibilities

Develop and apply innovative methods for the primary work areas while performing duties independently and collaboratively.
Work with OMD scientists and external collaborators to develop and evaluate current and future operational seasonal and marine forecasting systems.
Use UFS infrastructure to design and evaluate global coupled ensemble forecasting systems for long-range forecasting.
Contribute to at least two of the following areas: global coupled Numerical Weather Prediction model development; marine ocean and sea-ice forecast-system development; subseasonal-to-seasonal probabilistic forecasting; AI/ML techniques for seasonal and marine forecasting; retrospective ensemble experiments and re-forecasts; analysis or model uncertainty and stochastic perturbations; analysis and evaluation of S2S probabilistic forecasts, including multi-model ensembles and statistical post-processing.

Benefits

Comprehensive healthcare for the employee at no monthly cost, covering medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision.
Personal Time Off (PTO) policy and paid holidays.
Competitive compensation plan calibrated against industry and location benchmarks.
401(k) retirement plan with company matching.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Flexible spending accounts.
Employee assistance program (EAP).
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life and accident insurance.
Tuition assistance, training, and workforce improvement reimbursement per year.
Spot bonuses for exceptional performance.
Annual Employee Recognition Awards with bonuses.
Employee Referral Program.
Free centralized, self-directed Learning Management System.
Personalized career growth plans for every employee.