Radar Meteorologist

MIT Lincoln Laboratory•Lexington, MA

20d•$116,400 - $182,200

About The Position

The Air Traffic Control & Weather Systems Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory has a long history of developing innovative and impactful technologies that enable safe, efficient, and secure transportation. We work in a wide range of mission areas, including weather sensing and forecasting, air traffic control decision support and aviation cyber security. Our group brings together experts across multiple disciplines – systems analysis, meteorology, mathematics, computer science, aerospace engineering, human factors, flight operations, and others – to address the nation’s transportation problems. We develop advanced prototype systems and work closely with the US government, users, industry and academia to integrate and transfer them into real-world operations. Our technologies have been recognized nationally through numerous R&D100 awards, and we are proud to serve the country through our research. We offer a collegial work environment, value teamwork and diversity, and allow for flexible work arrangements. We are seeking a meteorologist with a background in weather radar analysis and algorithm development who can contribute to a variety of research initiatives and national infrastructure needs. Expertise in radar meteorology is central to this role, with a particular focus on wind-based hazardous weather for aviation such as microbursts and windshear, as well as icing, en-route convection, and turbulence. Additionally, experience analyzing and understanding the broader-scale dynamics of severe convective storms, especially tornadoes, is important for this position. Candidates should have the ability to think broadly about how weather radar systems and networks contribute to operational missions and have the interest to work on the development of both real-time, operational systems, as well as more research-based trade studies and analysis. Key project opportunities involve working on NOAA, FAA, and DoW programs that include application of large-scale data to AI-based weather radar algorithms with supercomputing resources, analysis of performance metrics of algorithms under development, analysis and design of radar specifications, development of novel aviation and non-aviation algorithms for hazardous weather, monitoring of operational algorithms and troubleshooting false alarms/missed detections, and other projects as needed. Our weather radar team often provides both high-level and technical trade studies, reports, presentations, and publications (conferences, journals, etc.) for government sponsors, and we take great pride in serving as independent subject matter experts for the U.S. government.

Requirements

M.S. in Meteorology or related field of study, or B.S. in a related field of study with 5+ years of relevant work experience
Demonstrated proficiency in Python and Linux environments
Strong foundation in weather radar concepts and radar data analysis
Experience with high-performance supercomputing environments
Strong analytical skills and demonstrated experience with very large datasets
Coursework or work experience in severe convective storms and mesoscale meteorology
Demonstrated proficiency in technical writing through journal publications, conference papers, and/or reports
Outstanding oral presentation skills as demonstrated by conference presentations, etc.
U.S. citizenship is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience, and ideally proficiency, in MATLAB
Experience with aviation weather radars (e.g., Terminal Doppler Weather Radar and/or Airport Surveillance Radar Weather Systems Processor)
Experience with neural networks and other AI techniques
Experience with phased array systems for meteorological targets

Responsibilities

Contribute to a variety of research initiatives and national infrastructure needs.
Focus on wind-based hazardous weather for aviation such as microbursts and windshear, as well as icing, en-route convection, and turbulence.
Analyze and understand the broader-scale dynamics of severe convective storms, especially tornadoes.
Think broadly about how weather radar systems and networks contribute to operational missions.
Work on the development of both real-time, operational systems, as well as more research-based trade studies and analysis.
Apply large-scale data to AI-based weather radar algorithms with supercomputing resources.
Analyze performance metrics of algorithms under development.
Analyze and design radar specifications.
Develop novel aviation and non-aviation algorithms for hazardous weather.
Monitor operational algorithms and troubleshoot false alarms/missed detections.
Provide high-level and technical trade studies, reports, presentations, and publications for government sponsors.
Serve as independent subject matter experts for the U.S. government.