Data Engineer I

Job Description Summary:

NSF NCAR's Climate and Global Dynamics (CGD) Laboratory is excited to announce the job opening for a Data Engineer I in the Climate Change Research (CCR) Section. This position will provide support for model-produced data as well as data needed by the models via data management, analysis, access, distribution, and visualization activities. This position will work independently and on collaborative teams with other Data and Software Engineers and scientists to maintain operations of research data management services.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

Yes

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

Yes

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Regular

Compensation Range:

Hiring Range $68,965 - $86,207

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

Application Notes

Application Deadline:

• This position will be posted until the end of Monday, March 25, 2024.

Application materials: (preferably in PDF Format)

• (Please Attach) Resume

• (Please Attach) 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).

Background Checks: Conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

What You Will Do

Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

• Under supervision of more senior staff, shares responsibility for monitoring, troubleshooting and management of data used by and generated by CGD scientists for use in scientific investigations. The majority of this data will be associated with the Community Earth System Model (CESM), and will also include model output from other ESMs including the DOE's E3SM model. Helps design and troubleshoot new codes, workflows, and documentation for programs that ingest, reduce, analyze, manipulate, and archive the data generated by the models used in CGD. Helps manage, archive, and catalog these datasets and the new datasets created by these processes. Produces metrics and analyses of CGD and CESM data storage costs, accesses, and other relevant measures. Monitors, troubleshoots, and makes minor configuration adjustments to data ingest systems that download, receive, and archive data.

• Participates in formal and informal meetings, discussions, etc., with personnel outside CGD and/or NCAR to address issues associated with efficient, effective, and innovative distribution, access, and use of model data. Under the design supervision of more senior staff, develops, tests, and implements new data management workflows with standard software tools to address issues associated with efficient, effective, and innovative distribution, access, and use of model data, including workflows involving data processing and storage.

• Helps design, build, document, and maintain workflows that transform data from native structures and formats into formats and structures appropriate for long-term curation support, and to support anticipated user workflows. Documents model data by: 1) preserving data processing procedures, and quality and archival status indicators, and 2) works with CGD scientists to manage metadata and run file-level metadata harvesting systems.

• Attends formal and informal meetings, discussions, etc., with scientists and programmers within CGD and CESM to address data management issues that are directly associated with scientific research, such as project results, appropriate data visualization, and efficient distributed data services. Supports and maintains basic software designed to read and extract information from a variety of standard scientific data formats.

• Under the guidance of senior staff, acts as a point-of-contact and consultant to users of CGD and ESM data (CESM and E3SM) for both NCAR personnel and external community. Responds to user inquiries that request advice or assistance for dataset collections in an assigned responsibility portfolio. Performs outreach activities to raise awareness about the repository assets and services for users.

• Assists in designing data management policies, activities and procedures, within the CESM-based climate change community. Learns about community-supported data access services by participating in engineering teams working to implement these services across numerous data collections. Maintains and uses existing software tools to perform automated data integrity and permissions checks. Supports and maintains existing software and databases for data processing, QA/QC, and visualization. Participates in strategic planning to learn effective approaches for building repository content and systems. Uses tools and maintains scripts to verify and validate dataset collection integrity by checking data products for complete and accurate metadata, and gap-free archive collections.

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education and Experience (Required):

• Bachelor's degree in a field that requires experience with Earth science data storage and computer data processing

• OR an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience (e.g. Associate's degree and four years of experience).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (Required/Desired)

• Basic knowledge of data management concepts, including provenance, curation, and standards.

• Demonstrated skill with operating systems for HPC and/or Cloud-based platforms.

• Demonstrated skill in computer programming, and the ability to learn new languages as needed.

• Demonstrated experience relating to Earth science data collection, processing, stewardship, and/or quality control.

• Working knowledge of the UNIX, Windows, and Apple operating systems and variants.

• Working knowledge of various data formats, including netCDF-4 and HDF-5.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Ability to contribute to software for data management and access applications within a team environment.

• Ability to effectively organize and convey basic technical information related to software development and data management.

• Familiarity with scientific data structures, formats, conventions, and metadata schemas.

• Working skills to support evolving technical challenges and user needs, and foster new ideas and strategic directions.

Benefits Overview

UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance, UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:

• Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities

• UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one

• Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions)

• 10 paid holidays

• 10 days of sick leave each year

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave

• Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary

• EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Our organization is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome and supported. To learn more about these efforts, visit the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan and our Diversity & Inclusion: A Welcoming Workplace site.

Research shows that women and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they do not meet almost 100% of the desired skills and experience. Please note this is not necessary! If you meet the minimum requirements and have a passion for the work, you are encouraged to apply. We can provide on-the-job training for the rest!

Some Final Considerations

At UCAR|NCAR|UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun's core.

Flexible Work

At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid, fully-remote and/or flexible work schedules.

Equal Opportunity Employer

UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.

Export Control

All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.

Visa Wait Times

Please consider the length of visa procurement when applying for this posting, understanding that you will not be able to begin employment until you are able to get a visa and enter the U.S.