Job Description
Description of Work Unit:
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University (CSU), located on the CSU Foothills Campus, 5 miles Northwest of the CSU main campus, is a multi-million dollar research organization located on CSU's Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. CIRA is a cooperative institute (CI) 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 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), CSU, the State of Colorado, and the Nation through the application of our research to areas of societal benefit. Expanding on this Vision, our Mission is to serve as a nexus for multi-disciplinary cooperation among CI and NOAA research scientists, University faculty, staff and students in the @context of NOAA-specified research theme areas in satellite applications for weather/climate forecasting. Important bridging elements of the CI include the communication of research findings to the international scientific community, transition of applications and capabilities to NOAA operational users, education and training programs for operational user proficiency, outreach programs to K-12 education and the general public for environmental literacy, and understanding and quantifying the societal impacts of NOAA research.
Position Summary:
The individual in this position will report to the project Principal Investigator, serve as a member of the CIRA Team in Fort Collins and work on NASA and NOAA projects that seek to improve estimates of fuel moisture that are critical for assessing wildfire potential, improve modeling of fire spread to reproduce the observed sensitivity of fire spread to wind speed and fuel moisture, and improve the modeling of smoke production and transport. This will involve synthesizing observations from satellites and in situ sensors using data-driven AI-based and physically-based mathematical models. The research will involve developing new models, comparing results with existing models, and validating results against observations. Specifically, the individual in this position and will report to the project Principal Investigator.
Full consideration date: Monday, June 1st, 2026 at 11:59pm (MT)
Conditions of Employment:
Must be a citizen of the United States or Lawful Permanent Resident with a physical USCIS "Green Card" because this position is funded by a US Department of Defense contract.
Onsite presence is required for this position because it requires significant collaboration with on-site teams.
Supervision:
The individual in this position will not supervise other employees.
Essential Job Duties:
Develop code to analyze and evaluate satellite and in situ datasets.
Use, develop, test, and evaluate AI/ML models.
Prepare datasets for training AI/ML models.
Collaborate with other team members on similar research projects.
Identify new opportunities for improving fuel and fire spread modeling.
Contribute to other satellite research that serves the CIRA/RAMMB mission.
Contribute to proposals that may lead to an independent research program.
Prepare manuscripts for submission to peer review journals.
Document software development.
Provide content for project reports.
Travel to scientific and end user conferences to present research results.
Required Qualifications:
NOTE: In the body of your resume, please specifically address all required qualifications when describing your work experience. A resume that fails to address the qualifications of this position will not be considered by the search committee.
Ph.D. in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, applied mathematics or related field. Ph.D. program must be completed by start of the position.
Good oral and written communication skills evidenced by publications and/or presentations.
Experience working with wildfire fuels datasets.
Experience with fire spread modeling.
Experience working with remote sensing data.
Experience developing and using AI/ML models.
Experience in scientific programming in Python.
Experience working on Linux operating systems.
Salary Range
$67,900 - $73,500
Required Application Documents
To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. 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.
Cover Letter, Resume/CV
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. (http://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. (http://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!
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.
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.
Inspired by its land-grant heritage, Colorado State University is committed to excellence and engagement, setting the standard for public research universities in teaching, research, service and extension for the benefit of the citizens of Colorado, the United States, and the world.
Prospective Employees, click here to learn more about CSU's perks and purpose. (https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/)
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