Posting Detail Information
Working Title25-115 AWIPS II Software Engineer
Position LocationBoulder, CO
Work LocationPosition qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional PositionYes
Posting Number202501632AP
Position TypeAdmin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification TitleResearch Associate III
Number of Vacancies1
Work Hours/Week40
Proposed Annual Salary RangeRA III: $110,000 - $120,000; RA IV $120,00 - $130,000 Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it's a thriving community that's transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.
Review our detailed benefits information here. (https://hr.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/01/benefits-summary-afap.pdf)
Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator (https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/) .
Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in (https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-community/) !
Desired Start Date01/05/2026
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on11/10/2025
Description of Work Unit
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University ( CSU ) seeks to fill a full-time Software Engineer position designed to conduct collaborative research and development with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) located at the Global Systems Laboratory ( GSL ) in Boulder, CO. The individual in this position will work in the NOAA / OAR / GSL Weather Informatics and Decision Support ( WIDS ) Division's Weather Information Systems Evolution ( WISE ) Branch.
This full-time position in Boulder, CO, requires a National Agency Check with Inquiries ( NACI ), tier 1 federal background check and a NOAA Common Access Card ( CAC ) ID badge for systems access. Therefore, only US citizens and lawful permanent residents with a physical USCIS "Green Card" are eligible. While an onsite presence at GSL in Boulder, CO, is preferred, remote work options will be considered.
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University ( CSU ) is a multi-million-dollar research organization located on CSU's Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. CIRA is a cooperative institute that is also a research department within CSU's College of Engineering, in partnership with the Department of Atmospheric Science. Its vision is to conduct interdisciplinary research in the atmospheric sciences by entraining skills beyond the meteorological disciplines, exploiting advances in engineering and computer science, facilitating transitional activity between pure and applied research, leveraging both national and international resources and partnerships, and assisting NOAA , Colorado State University, the State of Colorado, and the Nation through the application of our research to areas of societal benefit.
NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory ( GSL ) is a federal science and research laboratory under NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. GSL provides the National Weather Service ( NWS ) and the nation with environmental observation, prediction, computer, visualization, and information systems. These systems deliver data, forecasts, and predictions of weather, including severe weather events, within the next few minutes to weeks away. GSL is a leader in the applied research, directed development, and technology transfer of environmental data, models, products, and services that enhance environmental understanding with the outcome of supporting commerce, protecting life and property, and promoting a scientifically literate public.
Within GSL , the Weather Informatics and Decision Support Division ( WIDS ) / Weather Information Systems Evolution Branch ( WISE ) is on the forefront in developing new systems for NWS forecasters (and other federal and international agencies) who require display of and interaction with real-time weather data for their forecast and warning operations, as well as to support Impact-Based Decision Support Services ( IDSS ). For example, a key function is the generation of warnings or hazard information for high-impact weather events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods.
WISE has been tasked with the creation of a variety of science-based applications to enable forecasters to work more quickly and efficiently for both routine tasks and in critical weather situations. The host platform for these applications is the 2nd generation of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System ( AWIPS II). It uses service-oriented architecture and is written in Java and Python using the Eclipse framework.
Position Summary
The individual in this position will be part of a team responsible for the design and development of AWIPS II applications in Java and Python. Applications will involve graphical tools that assist forecasters in generating digital forecasts as well as transforming this information into a variety of text, graphics, and imagery. The individual in this position will work in collaboration with other scientists and software developers to design, develop, test and refine applications for operational weather entities. Development will initially occur within the Hazard Services framework in AWIPS II but may also include other web-based platforms. The near focus will be on applications and extensions to services that support forecasting and warning services, as well as IDSS , for diverse phenomena such as tropical storms and associated storm surge, thunderstorms, winter storms, flooding, as well as new ground-breaking paradigms involving the incorporation of continuous and probabilistic information. This position will report to the Forecast Operations Specialist/Deputy Associate Director.
This position will be classified as Research Associate III or IV according to the credentials of the finalist selected for hire as follows:
For position title Research Associate III : Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology) PLUS 5 or more years of relevant work experience -OR- Master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology) PLUS 2 or more years of relevant work experience -OR- Ph.D. in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology).
For position title Research Associate IV: Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology) PLUS 10 or more years of relevant work experience -OR- Master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology) PLUS 5 or more years of relevant work experience -OR- Ph.D. in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field, (ie, meteorology), plus 2 years of relevant work experience.
Required Job Qualifications
In your cover letter, please specifically address EACH required qualification as it relates to your experience. A cover letter that fails to address the required qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.
For position title Research Associate III
A Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field, (ie, meteorology), PLUS 5 years of relevant work experience; OR
A MS degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field, (ie, meteorology), PLUS 2 years of related technical experience; OR
A Ph.D in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field, (ie, meteorology)
For position title Research Associate IV
A Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology) PLUS 10 years of relevant work experience; OR
A MS degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field (ie, meteorology), PLUS 5 years of related technical experience; OR
A Ph.D in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field, (ie, meteorology), PLUS 2 years of related technical experience.
For both position titles
At least 5 years experience programming in Java and/or Python;
US citizen or lawful permanent residents with a physical USCIS "Green Card".
Ability to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries ( NACI , federal background check) because the job is located inside a federal building.
Preferred Job Qualifications
In your cover letter, please specifically address the applicable desired qualifications for this position. A cover letter that fails to address the desired qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.
Experience in AWS with the following services ( IAM , SQS , SNS , EC2, EKS , EBS , EFS , Lustre, S3, Lambda, RDS , AWS cli, and boto3/java AWS SDK ).
Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) such as Terraform or AWS Cloud Formation.
Experience with Kubernetes or Elastic Kubernetes Service ( EKS ).
Experience with containerized systems such as Docker.
Experience with Linux operating systems such as Red Hat, CentOS, Centos/Redhat OS.
Experience setting up your development environment using an Integrated Development Environment ( IDE ) such as Eclipse or Visual Studio.
Experience in designing and developing interactive applications;
Experience with developing "frameworks" allowing users to modify or extend the software features;
Experience using a customer-driven rapid feedback or "agile" approach to software development;
Experience managing cloud-based architectures;
Familiarity with National Weather Service forecasting systems ( AWIPS -II, Graphical Forecaster Editor, WarnGen)
Coursework or experience in a science-based field such as meteorology or physics.
Essential Duties
Job Duty CategorySoftware Engineering
Duty/Responsibility
Collaborating with a talented group of meteorologists and software engineers to produce software.
Participating in the design and development of AWIPS II applications using Python, Java, and Eclipse
Percentage Of Time90
Job Duty CategoryDocumentation and Reporting
Duty/Responsibility
Prepare software and system documentation in collaboration with team members.
Prepare status reports as required by the project sponsor and CIRA .
Prepare and deliver technical talks and presentations as requested.
Percentage Of Time10
Application Details
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applications must be submitted via online portal.We will not accept materials sent via email or other mode. NOTE : In your cover letter, please specifically address the required and preferred qualifications of this position. A cover letter that fails to address the qualifications of this position may not be further considered after review by the search committee. Likewise, an online application with a generic cover letter or missing a cover letter, and/or an application that does not include current/correct reference contact information may not be further considered after review by the search committee. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.
CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.
Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Conditions of EmploymentPre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search ContactJennifer Raab, Jennifer.Raab@colostate.edu
EEO
Colorado State University ( CSU ) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any @type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The @type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
References Requested
References Requested
Minimum Requested3
Maximum Requested3
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
