Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type:

Full time, Regular

Hiring Salary Range:

$83,299 - $104,127 (Level II)

OR

$111,246 - $139,056 (Level III)

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role.*

Job Description Summary
The Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling (ACOM) laboratory at NCAR is dedicated to advancing our understanding of air quality and climate through comprehensive, community-driven research. ACOM's multifaceted approach encompasses the development of cutting-edge instruments, models, and facilities. ACOM builds, critically evaluates, and applies process, regional-, and global-scale models that address atmospheric chemistry research questions. In collaboration with NSF NCAR’s Earth Observing Laboratory, ACOM scientists make available to the community a suite of airborne and ground-based requestable instruments and participate in numerous field campaigns each year.

ACOM in search of a candidate to fill either a Software Engineer/Programmer Level II or III role.

The ideal candidate must be an expert in a scientific Object-Oriented programming language and a scripting language, possessing expertise in LINUX and software testing at the unit and integration levels. The candidate must have clear written and oral communication skills and experience working collaboratively with a team of atmospheric scientists to develop a sophisticated computer program that processes satellite data to produce a higher-level data product. A thorough grasp of metadata concepts, working competency with cybersecurity protocols, and knowledge of cloud computing are required. Candidate should have facility with modern software libraries, compilation skills, and makefiles, along with experience in the graphical display of data. Experience with GitHub or a comparable version control system, databases and SQL, and a working understanding of atmospheric radiative transfer and atmospheric physics is desirable.

Job Description

Job Location: Boulder, Colorado

Job Type: Hybrid, 3 days/week minimum requirement in Boulder office

Position Type & Term: Full-Time, Regular

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59:59 pm MDT on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

Required application materials:(preferably uploaded as a PDF):

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter - Please address how your skills and experience meet the needs of this position (for more information, please refer to the Key Responsibilities and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities sections of this job posting).
• Questionnaire - embedded in the application

Visa Sponsorship: Not available for this position.

Background Checks: Conducted for candidates selected for hire.
Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

Please note that job descriptions for both of the levels advertised in this posting (II and III) are included below for your reference

LEVEL II
RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborates closely with a team of atmospheric scientists to develop a sophisticated
  computer program that accepts satellite and necessary ancillary data, produces a higher-
  level data product, and functions as an essential step in the value chain.
• Conducts product testing to confirm integrity and validity.
• Engages in regular team meetings and provides consistent updates on project progress.
• Articulates technical details clearly and presents findings to diverse audiences.
• Develops code that ensures seamless integration into a larger processing system, adhering
  to all agreed-upon initiation sequences and exit codes.
• Tests programs extensively to ensure reliable function under a wide range of conditions,
  including corrupted or incomplete input data.
• Writes code with predictable failure modes to enable efficient troubleshooting and
  debugging.
• Designs a test plan for the software.
• Obtains ongoing professional development and the acquisition of new skills.
• Exemplifies UCAR/NCAR’s institutional values of scientific excellence and integrity as well
  as mutual respect, providing an example for colleagues to aspire to.
• Maintains all required employee certifications and training.
• While remaining an employee, the certifications and trainings required of all employees
  should be expected.

REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in a computer-related field and progressive relevant experience, 4-8 years OR Equivalent combination of education and experience

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Required:

• Skill in a scientific Object-Oriented programming language and a scripting language
• Expertise in LINUX and software testing at the unit and integration levels
• Experience working collaboratively
• A thorough grasp of metadata concepts
• Complete understanding of cybersecurity protocols and cloud computing
• Demonstrated experience with modern software libraries, compilation skills, and makefiles
• Experience in the graphical display of data
• Clear written and oral communication skills
• Expertise with a scripting language
• Software testing expertise at the unit and integration levels
• Ability to create graphical displays of data
• Working competency with cybersecurity protocols
• Cloud computing
• Occasional travel to team meetings and workshops may be required.

Desired, but not Required:

• Experience with Github or a comparable version control system
• Comfortable working in a development environment using modern software platforms
• Experience of satellite data processing
• Working understanding of atmospheric radiative transfer
• Atmospheric physics and scientific literacy
• Statistics and other mathematical concepts
• Working knowledge of satellite dynamics and terminology
• Experience working in the context of structured project management
• Familiarity with netCDF or a comparable scientific data format
• Knowledge of code optimization techniques and parallel processing.
• Hold a balanced approach to the use of AI in the modern workplace
• Working understanding of atmospheric radiative transfer and atmospheric physics

LEVEL III
RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborates closely with a team of atmospheric scientists to develop a sophisticated
  computer program that accepts satellite and necessary ancillary data, produces a higher-
  level data product, and functions as an essential step in the value chain.
  ● Conducts comprehensive product testing to confirm integrity and validity.
  ● Engages in regular team meetings and provides consistent updates on project progress.
  ● Articulates technical details clearly and presents findings to diverse audiences.
  ● Develops code that ensures seamless integration into a larger processing system, adhering
  to all agreed-upon initiation sequences and exit codes.
  ● Tests programs extensively to ensure reliable function under a wide range of conditions,
  including corrupted or incomplete input data.
  ● Writes code with predictable failure modes to enable efficient troubleshooting and
  debugging.
  ● Develops a comprehensive software test plan, including the design and creation of
  automated testing tools that integrate with the development platform.
  ● Designs and creates automated testing tools for the software and how it can integrate
  into the development platform.
  ● Creates tools that read the log files and pinpoint failure conditions.
  ● Generates performance diagnostics for each component of the system and identifies
  opportunities to optimize the codebase.
  ● Obtains ongoing professional development and the acquisition of new skills.
  ● Exemplifies UCAR/NCAR’s institutional values of scientific excellence and integrity as well
  as mutual respect, providing an example for colleagues to aspire to.
  ● Maintains all required employee certifications and training.

REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in a computer-related field and progressive relevant experience, 8-12 years or Equivalent combination of education and experience

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Required:

• Skill in a scientific Object-Oriented programming language and a scripting language
• Expertise in LINUX and software testing at the unit and integration levels.
• Experience working collaboratively
• In-depth understanding of metadata concepts
• Extensive technical expertise and competency with cybersecurity protocols and cloud computing
• Experience with modern software libraries, compilation skills, and makefiles, along with experience in the graphical display of data.
• Clear written and oral communication skills
• Expertise with a scripting language
• Software testing expertise at the unit and integration levels
• Ability to create graphical displays of data
• Thorough grasp of metadata concepts
• Working competency with cybersecurity protocols
• Cloud computing
• Occasional travel to team meetings and workshops may be required.
  

Desired, but not Required:

• Experience with Github or a comparable version control system
• Comfortable working in a development environment using modern software platforms
• Experience of satellite data processing
• Working understanding of atmospheric radiative transfer
• Atmospheric physics and scientific literacy
• Statistics and other mathematical concepts
• Working knowledge of satellite dynamics and terminology
• Experience working in the context of structured project management