Satellite Remote Sensing Specialist for Weather and Climate Research Applications
Job Description
About the Role
Title: Working Title24-125: Satellite Remote Sensing Specialist for Weather and Climate Research Applications
Position LocationFort Collins, CO
Work LocationPosition qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional PositionYes
Posting Number 202402021AP
Position Type: Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title: Postdoctoral Fellows
Work Hours/Week40
Proposed Annual Salary Range$67,000 – $70,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Employee Benefits
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Desired Start Date03/10/2025
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on03/23/2025
Description of Work Unit
The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University (CSU) is a multi-million dollar research organization located on CSUâs Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. CIRA is a cooperative institute (CI) that is also a research department within CSUâs 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 Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) on the Foothills Campus at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, CO, seeks to hire a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on the development of machine learning methods for several environmental remote sensing applications. This Postdoctoral Fellowship is a 12-month appointment with a flexible start date between 10 March 2025 and 10 June 2025, and option to renew for an additional year contingent upon satisfactory performance and available funding.
The individual in this Fellowship will support multiple projects funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as related to operational geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite programs (GOES, JPSS, and GeoXO) and will be involved in CIRAâs global 3D satellite atmospheric cloud research. Target projects include estimating quantitative global cloud properties with various satellite sensors and developing physical and statistical methods to quantify cloud characteristics. They will also explore applications for weather and climate research to offer critical new insights to existing environmental satellite data records together with in-situ and model data, utilizing physics/statistics-based approaches and AI/machine learning methods if applicable.
The individual in this Fellowship will report to the CIRA Cloud Team Lead and will be co-mentored by the leads of the aforementioned projects. The objective of this position is to provide an opportunity for a motivated researcher to explore innovative approaches in several high-impact, cutting-edge environmental satellite data applications while working in a highly stimulating and interdisciplinary team environment. Onsite presence is required for this position because it requires significant collaboration with on-site teams, but flexible work arrangements including hybrid office/telework may be negotiated at a later time.
Required Job Qualifications
In your cover letter, please address EACH required qualification. A cover letter that fails to address the required qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.
Ph.D. in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, or a closely related STEM field. Applicants must successfully complete their Ph.D. defense before the starting date.
Experience working in satellite remote sensing related to atmospheric clouds;
Experience reading, writing, and/or manipulating scientific datasets for meteorological applications;
Experience working in a team environment and communicating scientific results.
Preferred Job Qualifications
In your cover letter, please specifically address the applicable preferred qualifications for this position. A cover letter that fails to address the preferred qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.
Experience working with in-situ measurements for weather and climate research;
Strong written communication skills evidenced by cover letter;
Experience in computer programming for meteorological data analysis, preferably Python;
Experience using statistical, mathematical, or machine learning methods with multiple data sources;
Familiarity with development of atmospheric cloud retrieval products;
Knowledge of atmospheric radiative transfer models;
Experience writing for scientific publications.
Essential Duties
Job Duty CategoryApplied Research
Duty/Responsibility
Conduct research and develop analysis techniques geared towards various environmental satellite remote sensing applications;
Develop methods for retrieving global cloud field parameters based on geostationary/polar-orbiting satellite data
Conduct validation using in-situ measurements and through intercomparisons with multiple satellites.
Percentage Of Time45
Job Duty CategoryIndependent Research
Duty/Responsibility
Contribute to and lead scientific studies that serve the CIRA mission;
Develop scientific ideas and skills that may contribute to future proposals and foster more opportunities for independent research.
Percentage Of Time20
Job Duty CategoryCollaborative Research
Duty/Responsibility
Travel to scientific conferences to present results;
Collaborate with operational partners and product end users;
Coordinate and collaborate with other team members working on related applications in weather and climate research.
Percentage Of Time20
Job Duty CategoryDocumentation & Reporting
Duty/Responsibility
Share research results with colleagues and the broader scientific community through progress reports, meetings, scientific conferences, and contributions to journal publications.
Percentage Of Time15
Application Details
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applications must be submitted via online portal. We will not accept materials sent via email or other mode. NOTE: In your cover letter, please specifically address the required and preferred qualifications of this position. A cover letter 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, and/or an application that does not include current/correct reference contact information may not be further considered after review by the search committee. Please list only professional references who have worked or collaborated with you within the last 3 years.
CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.
References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates. 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.
Conditions of EmploymentPre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search ContactLinn.Barrett@colostate.edu, Jennifer.Raab@colostate.edu
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.
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.
