27-102 Fire Weather and Atmospheric Composition Model Developer

Job Description

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) with Colorado State University (CSU) seeks to fill a full time, professional research associate position to conduct collaborative research with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) in Boulder, CO. The office for this position is located in Boulder, CO, at a federal facility, and requires the ability to pass a tier one federal background check for building and high-performance computing (HPC) access. An onsite presence at the laboratory in Boulder, CO is required with potential part-time telework available.

NOAA's 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 and air quality, including severe weather events. 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.

NOAA/GSL/Earth Prediction Advancement Division (EPAD) Fire Weather and Atmospheric Composition Branch (FWACB) has been leading the development of regional and global aerosol and air quality models in collaboration with other laboratories and universities over many years. One of these models is the meteorology-chemistry model Weather Research and Forecast coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem), which has been widely used in a wide range of atmospheric composition modeling applications around the world. The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh coupled with Smoke (HRRR-Smoke), which is based on the WRF-Chem framework, is currently NOAA's flagship operational model for smoke prediction. GSL led the development of NOAA's next-generation coupled weather-aerosol model Rapid Refresh Forecast System with Smoke and Dust (RRFS-SD). The experimental forecast products from this model are displayed on a public website: [https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/RRFS-SD/]. The coupled meteorology-chemistry models developed at GSL allow simulating complex gas/aerosol chemistry and aerosol-meteorology interactions on regional and global scales. Currently GSL/EPAD in collaboration with other groups is leading the development and testing of new aerosol and fire weather forecasting models coupled to the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS). This new model (cheMPAS-Fire) is being tested in real time at 3.75km resolution over the contiguous US [https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/cheMPAS-Fire/]. Going forward, we intend to transition impactful aspects of this work to the NWS. This will require the integration of these capabilities in the MPAS-based Unified Forecast System (UFS) [ufs.epic.noaa.gov] and its associated infrastructure, which includes the Common Community Physics Package (CCPP), the Configurable Atmospheric Chemistry (CATChem) package, and the Community Emissions Computing Engine (CECE). The model development will be conducted in collaboration with NCAR's Multi-Scale Infrastructure for Chemistry Modeling (MUSICA) and other teams.

Position Summary

CIRA seeks candidates with a strong background in atmospheric and/or computational sciences, alongside demonstrated experience developing numerical models and workflows on HPC systems. The ideal candidate will possess robust scientific software engineering skills and the ability to test and deploy atmospheric models across large-scale HPC architectures utilizing CPUs and GPUs. Key responsibilities include maintaining the code repositories for FWACB,
transitioning scientific and technical advancements developed by the FWACB into real-time applications (e.g. fire weather forecasting) and assist with operational transition, and ensuring that new model parameterizations adhere to software standards like those of the UFS and portability across different HPC platforms.

Full Consideration Date: please apply by Thursday, October 15th, 2026, 11:59pm (MT).

Essential Job Duties

• Maintain GitHub repositories and workflows for GSL's fire weather and atmospheric composition models, including adding regression tests for the models and workflow updates and incorporating changes into NOAA's authoritative repositories.
• Evolve the model code (mostly based on Fortran) to leverage modern software capabilities and scientific libraries (e.g., CATChem, MUSICA, and CCPP).
• Provide technical expertise to couple the Community Fire Behavior Model with the UFS and the MPAS dynamical core using an ESMF/NUOPC interface.
• Enhance interoperability of GSL-led fire weather and atmospheric composition modules to maintain a single code base, which is usable across multiple host models (including standalone MPAS and coupled MPAS-UFS).
• Advance software capabilities for GSL's real-time atmospheric composition evaluation system.
• Leverage state-of-the-art AI tools and modern methodologies to accelerate software development and quality, and optimize the workflows.
• Maintain the software documentation and user guides in collaboration with the FWACB members.
• Give technical presentations and write project reports as needed.

Conditions of Employment

• This position requires onsite presence three (3) days/week with the option to telework two (2) days/week (contingent upon satisfactory performance), because it requires significant collaboration with on-site teams.
• 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.
• The expected start date for this position is January 4, 2027, and open to negotiation.

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 specifically address the qualifications of this position may not be further considered after review by the search committee.

• M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Physical Sciences, Atmospheric Science, or related field, plus 2 years of related work experience or PhD degree in Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Physical Sciences, Atmospheric Science, or related field
• At least 4 years of experience in programming in C/C++ or Fortran
• Experience working in HPC Linux environments
• Experience with GitHub for version control, continuous integration/testing and collaborative codebase management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to work independently on well-defined tasks and demonstrated ability to work in a team environment

Preferred Qualifications

NOTE: In the body of your resume, please specifically address all applicable preferred qualifications when describing your work experience. A resume that fails to specifically address the qualifications of this position may not be further considered after review by the search committee.

• Experience with development of atmospheric prediction parameterizations/models using modern software architecture
• Experience with software interfaces for Earth system models, such as the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF) and/or the CCPP
• Practical experience using AI-assisted software development tools to optimize development workflows, refactoring, and code analysis
• Experience profiling and accelerating code on modern GPU/CPU architectures (e.g., OpenACC, OpenMP target offloading, Kokkos, or CUDA)

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted via online portal. We will not accept materials sent via email or other mode. NOTE: In the body of your resume, please specifically address all required qualifications and applicable preferred qualifications when describing your work experience. A resume 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 may not be further considered after review by the search committee. References will be requested for finalists and will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.

Salary Range
$100,000-$115,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications

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.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!