The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado at Boulder has an immediate opening for an Associate Scientist supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). This position is for a Space Plasma and Energetic Particles Instrument Data Analyst in NCEI’s Solar and Terrestrial Physics (STP) Group. The STP group works to ensure that current and future space weather sensors on NOAA satellites provide effective operational products for use by the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). STP’s overall responsibilities also include providing spacecraft engineers and the scientific community access to NOAA’s space environment data.
The Space Plasma and Energetic Particles Instrument Data Analyst will work with the instrument science team to develop, implement and test ground processing algorithms for NWS. They will also perform analysis contributing to on-orbit calibration and validation of NOAA's space-based particle sensors, including analysis of data from NOAA’s GOES-R series and SWFO-L1 satellites. The GOES-R series particle detectors monitor plasma and energetic particles in the Earth’s magnetosphere, including the Radiation Belts and Solar Energetic Particle events. SWFO-L1 includes a complement of space weather sensors that monitor the sun. The SWFO-L1 satellite is scheduled for launch in March 2025.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
What Your Key Responsibilities Would Be
- Perform analysis contributing to on-orbit calibration and validation of NOAA's space-based particle sensors (40%)
- Assist with the development, implementation and testing of particle detector ground processing algorithms used by NWS-SWPC (30%)
- Work with the instrument science team to diagnose and correct instrument and ground processing anomalies in space-based particle detector data (15%)
- Document modifications to existing algorithms and descriptions of new algorithms (10%)
- Report analysis results to the instrument science and development teams at weekly meetings (5%)
- More senior associate scientists may be asked to take leadership duties, overseeing projects or supervising other employees
What We Require
Bachelor's degree in science or engineering plus 2 years work in a related field,
Or
a Master’s degree in science or engineering
- Due to the requirement to access export-controlled data and information, only U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green cards), or other protected individuals (i.e., persons designated as an asylee, refugee, or a temporary resident under amnesty provisions) may apply to this position.