Job Details

CIRES / NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, Research Scientist Developing Statistical Methods to Improve Weather and Hydrologic Predictions

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Position Number: 6806206
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Science - Other Science

CIRES / NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, Research Scientist Developing Statistical Methods to Improve Weather and Hydrologic Predictions

Requisition Number: 69144
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 23-Dec-2025
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) is seeking an upper-level Research Associate within the Physical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. The candidate will work alongside federal and university employees to conduct research, leading the CIRES portion of a collaborative team toward enhancing NOAA's hydrologic predictions at weather to seasonal timescales and in particular develop creative ways to improve ensemble streamflow predictions. The project's outputs will serve a diverse community of users including fellow researchers in hydrometeorological forecasting communities, operational streamflow forecasting entities, and water resource decision-makers. The hired individual will be expected to perform novel research, transition research projects to operations, serve as Principal Investigator (PI) on funded projects, supervise employees, and collaborate with external partners.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

At CIRES, more than 900 environmental science professionals work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people's relationship with the planet. CIRES has partnered with NOAA since 1967, and our areas of expertise include weather and climate, changes at Earth's poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earth sciences, and more. Our vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal understanding of the Earth system.

The NOAA-Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL) mission is to conduct scientific research to observe, understand, model, predict and forecast weather, water and climate extremes and their impacts. Our vision is an informed society that uses science-based environmental intelligence to effectively anticipate and respond to threats and opportunities related to weather, water, and climate extremes. Our research goals are as follows:

Rigorously characterize and predict weather, water, and climate extremes and their uncertainties to support NOAA's mission.
Develop new process-understanding, observing, and modeling capabilities to predict conditions associated with too much or too little water for early warning, preparedness, resource management, and adaptation.
Improve monitoring and prediction of weather, climate, and water conditions impacting marine resources.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Act as CIRES lead to a team of scientists developing and applying statistical/machine learning post-processing or downscaling techniques to prepare ensemble numerical weather predictions for use in a hydrologic prediction system and thus improve skill, reliability, and interpretability of hydrometeorological ensemble forecasts for targeted applications. (e.g., water availability, floods, droughts, etc.) (25%)
Provide scientific and technical leadership for experimental designs to understand and characterize hydrologic forecast performance through improvements in meteorological forcings. (20%)
Demonstrate impact post-processed meteorological forecasts have on hydrologic forecasts. (15%)
Establish (through own work and mentorship of junior scientists) data-processing workflows to obtain/generate, manipulate, and visualize ensemble model output. (10%)
Prepare and present results to scientific audiences and to stakeholders via journal publications, conference presentations, and/or user-group meetings. (10%)
Prepare and collaborate on proposals for self and project team, contribute through scientific publications, collaborate with colleagues, and attend various workshops and conferences. (5%)
Supervise other CIRES employees while leading project teams, including task coordination through planning and scheduling. (10%)
Performs other relevant duties as necessary. (Not to exceed 5%)

What You Should Know

This position will be rostered in CIRES at the University of Colorado Boulder but will be physically situated in the NOAA laboratory facility at the David Skaggs Research Center, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305.
If you are selected for this position, you will be required to pass a federal laboratory background clearance for site access.
Given project deliverables, candidates must be able to start work by March 1, 2026.
Visa sponsorship is not offered for this position. Candidates working in the United States through a visa or a work permit or needing sponsorship now or in the future are not eligible for hire in this role.

What We Can Offer

CIRES can offer a generous compensation package.
The annual hiring salary range for this position is $89,500 to $118,900. Salary is commensurate with education and experience and determined based on our CIRES internal career track classification.
This position can accommodate a hybrid work modality.
This position does not offer relocation.
An opportunity to work on the next-generation hydrologic forecast models and produce information on water risks and opportunities to support water resource decisions and management.
CIRES and the University of Colorado boulder offer a robust training curriculum, opportunities for professional development and a Mentorship Program.
Boulder is a vibrant community with access to mountain parks, dog parks, miles of trails, rivers, lakes, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, theaters, museums, and sports venues.
As an employee at CU Boulder, you will have free access to the regional public transit system, an outstanding network of buses, and light rail systems that service Boulder and connect to Denver, the Denver airport, and surrounding communities.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be game-changing. Be proactive. Be Boulder.

What We Require

A PhD in Civil Engineering, Hydrology, or Water Resources.
10 years post-PhD research experience.
Experience working with Federal and/or non-Federal water forecasting and water management agencies (e.g., NOAA, USBR).
Hands-on experience with ensemble hydrometeorological forecasting.
Experience using Linux and developing structured code in Python, R, and/or shell scripting.
Supervisory or management experience and/or project management experience.

What You Will Need

Expertise in hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, statistics, or data science.
Proven track record of project completion including publications, products, reports, etc.
Direct knowledge or familiarity with NOAA's Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast Service (HEFS) and the Baseline Validation hindcasts.
Ability to work and communicate effectively within a team environment and to facilitate communications across multiple teams and multiple organizational units.

Special Instructions

To apply please submit the following materials with your application:

Resume or CV.
Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
Although not required at the time of application, please be ready to submit contact information for professional references (name, title, professional relationship, email) who may be contacted on your behalf. If you are selected as a finalist for this role, the search committee will request a letter of recommendation at a later time.

For consideration, please apply by December 23, 2025.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/CIRES-NOAA-Physical-Sciences-Laboratory-Research-Scientist-Developing-Statistical-Methods-to-Improve-Weather-and-Hydrologic-Predictions/69144