Position Overview
Pivot Path is seeking a highly skilled Senior C++ Programmer to support the ongoing development, enhancement, and maintenance of the Comprehensive Passage (COMPASS) model. COMPASS is a mission-critical, object-oriented C++ application used to predict the effects of dam and reservoir operations on juvenile salmon and steelhead survival and passage through the Columbia River hydropower system. The successful candidate will work closely with NOAA scientists and technical staff to implement new ecological features, improve model performance, and ensure the system meets evolving management and regulatory needs.
This position is contingent upon contract award, funding, customer approval, and satisfaction of all security requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the continued development of the COMPASS model's graphical user interface (GUI), expanding user-friendly features and parameter editing capabilities.
• Complete and enhance the adult passage module, modeling upstream migration, dam passage, and ecological processes such as tailrace delay, reservoir survival, fallback, and harvest.
• Implement new model features and modifications requested by NOAA's West Coast Region office, supporting regulatory and management decisions.
• Expand the model to include tributary migration, early migration behaviors, and additional ecological components as identified by project scientists.
• Perform routine maintenance, refactoring, and optimization to ensure model efficiency, reliability, and ease of use.
• Collaborate with NOAA personnel for troubleshooting, debugging, calibration, and validation of model parameters using field and telemetry data.
• Maintain and document code in a Git repository, following established processes for the Qt 6/C++17 development environment.
• Provide regular progress reports and update user documentation.
• Ensure all code and documentation developed remains the property of the U.S. Government.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a closely related technical field.
• At least 10 years of applied programming experience, with demonstrated proficiency in C++ (C++17 or later).
• Experience with large, object-oriented codebases and scientific/engineering modeling applications.
• Proficiency with the Qt development environment and use of Boost libraries.
• Experience with Git version control.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and debugging skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to work independently and collaboratively with scientific and technical stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Coursework or demonstrated experience in ecology, fisheries, oceanography, natural resources, or related fields.
• Experience developing or maintaining ecological, biological, or environmental models that inform scientific or management decisions.
• Familiarity with model calibration using ecological/field data (e.g., radio-telemetry, PIT tag data).
• Experience developing cross-platform C++ GUI applications (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX).
• Prior experience supporting federal, state, or academic research programs.
Work Location/Remote Work:
The primary place of performance is the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA. Remote work maybe permitted, subject to coordination and regular communication with NOAA project staff.
