CIRES/ NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, Mechanical Engineer
Requisition Number: 72017
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 22-May-2026
Date Posted:
Job Summary
The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU Boulder) encourages applications for an Associate Scientist in engineering within NOAA's Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL) in Boulder, Colorado. The successful candidate will apply knowledge of Electronics or Mechanical Engineering principles to perform routine tasks to improve technology, equipment, instrumentation, or systems. These systems are used to improve observations and understand predictions of the coupled atmosphere-land processes influencing weather and water extremes. Duties will also include planning, researching, testing and developing new or modified equipment, instrumentation, and modeling techniques. This position will also assist with the fabrication of proto@types and systems of direct covariance and bulk turbulent measurements systems, such as radiative flux observing systems, and profiling radars.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
CIRES (https://cires.colorado.edu/) is an internationally recognized leader in innovative environmental science and research and is located at the University of Colorado Boulder. At CIRES, more than 900 environmental science professionals work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people's relationship with the planet. CIRES has partnered with NOAA since 1967, and our areas of expertise include weather and climate, changes at Earth's poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earth sciences, and more. Our vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal understanding of the Earth system.
The NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL) (https://psl.noaa.gov/about/) conducts research to advance the prediction of water availability and extremes by developing new knowledge and capabilities to explain and predict observed hydrologic extremes and their impacts to advance NOAA's mission capabilities, and by identifying new sources of predictive skill to improve predictions of weather and climate processes influencing water availability and extremes through observations, understanding and modeling of the coupled Earth system.
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
Instrumentation Design & Documentation (20%): Assist senior staff in designing, developing, fabricating, and testing instrumentation for air-sea interaction and atmospheric boundary layer research (including flux measurement systems and profiling radar). Document all development stages, generating blueprints, schematics, and technical manuals.
Hardware & Software Engineering Support (20%): Develop, modify, and maintain research hardware and associated software for meteorological measurements. Create rigorous test plans, establish reliability standards, and facilitate the rollout of new equipment.
Testing & Troubleshooting (20%): Conduct comprehensive laboratory and field testing, performance evaluation, and technical troubleshooting for scientific weather measurement systems.
Research Cruise Operations (15%): Participate actively in shipboard operations and research cruises. Coordinate seamlessly with scientific and engineering teams to install, calibrate, monitor, and recover field instruments.
Scientific Collaboration (15%): Partner with internal and external scientific groups on Data Instrumentation and Field Campaigns Division projects and related research initiatives, providing expert guidance on instrumentation requirements, data acquisition systems, and field operations.
Sea-Going Platform Support (10%): Support the deployment, integration, daily operation, and routine maintenance of scientific instrumentation specifically aboard research vessels and other maritime platforms.
What You Should Know
Given project deliverables, candidates must be able to start work on July 1, 2026.
This is a 1-year term position with the possibility of extension based on the availability of funds.
Visa sponsorship is not offered for this position. Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the U.S on a full-time basis.
This position will be rostered in CIRES at the University of Colorado Boulder but will be physically situated in the NOAA laboratory facility at the David Skaggs Research Center, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305. If you are selected for this position, you will be required to pass a federal laboratory background clearance for site access.
Work is performed in an office or laboratory setting but will often also involve travel to remote field work locations domestically and internationally, as well as activities onboard seagoing research vessels, for the deployment of instruments with travel required approximately 1 week per month (or 25% of the time).
Finalists must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate government vehicles and commercial rental vehicles (including cars, pickup trucks, and larger rental trucks, such as U-Haul and Ryder).
Physical requirements include the ability to lift 50 lbs. and will include climbing a 10-meter tower.
What We Can Offer
CIRES offers a generous compensation package.
The annual hiring salary range for this position is $60,724 - $75,905.
Salary is commensurate with education and experience and determined based on our CIRES internal career-track classification.
This position can accommodate a hybrid work modality.
CIRES and the University of Colorado Boulder offer a robust training curriculum, opportunities for professional development, and a Mentorship Program.
Boulder (https://bouldercolorado.gov/) is a vibrant community with access to mountain parks, dog parks, miles of trails, rivers, lakes, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, theaters, museums, and sports venues.
As an employee at CU Boulder, you will have free access to the regional public transit system, (https://www.rtd-denver.com/) an outstanding network of buses and light rail systems that service Boulder and connect to Denver, the Denver airport, and surrounding communities.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder (https://www.colorado.edu/) , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package (https://www.colorado.edu/jobs/benefits) includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage (https://advantage.cu.edu/campus/cu-boulder) program.
Be Statements
Be courageous. Be impactful. Be Boulder.
What We Require
Bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering.
Post-degree experience with instrumentation for atmospheric measurements, including deployment, integration, operation, installation, and recovery of scientific instrumentation on shipboard, remote observing platforms, and remote field sites.
Post-degree experience with data logging and sensor integration.
What You Will Need
Knowledge of atmospheric measurement systems and data acquisition architectures, including system testing, validation, and operational support during field deployments.
Familiarity with turbulent flux measurements and instrumentation, including air-sea flux or atmospheric boundary layer observations.
Ability and willingness to participate in extended ship-based field campaigns, including working at sea for multiple weeks and supporting instrument installation, operation, and maintenance.
Ability to perform independent analysis of technical requirements for systems being designed and engineered.
Demonstrated ability to apply established engineering methods and techniques to the research, testing, and deployment of complex scientific instrumentation, control software, and data algorithms.
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
Resume or CV.
Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
If you are identified as a finalist, the search committee will request a letter of recommendation at a later time.
If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version as an optional attachment.
Please apply by May 22, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs (http://colorado.edu/jobs) .
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/CIRES-NOAA-Physical-Sciences-Laboratory-Mechanical-Engineer/72017 (https://apptrkr.com/7175256)
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The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.
