What are the responsibilities and job description for the CGD Software Engineering Student Assistant II position at UCAR - The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research?
Job Description Summary:
The CGD Laboratory at NSF NCAR is excited to open a Student Assistant II position. The successful candidate will work on profiling the performance of the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6) across resolutions, identifying bottlenecks when scaling, and modifying code as needed to gain further detail, all to inform future work on coupled atmosphere/ocean capabilities at km-scale resolutions. This is a part-time position that will require approximately 10 hours per week.
More information about CGD can be found online at https://www.cgd.ucar.edu/.
Position Details:
Visa Sponsored Job:
No
Relocation Assistance Eligible:
No
Job Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Position Type & Term:
Part time, Casual
Compensation Min - Mid Range:
Hiring Hourly Rate: $23.81/hour
Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59:59 pm MDT on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Position type: HYBRID - This position is Hybrid and requires 3 days a week in the office (Boulder, CO)
Required application materials:
What You Will Do
Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education and Experience:
Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.
Some Final Considerations
At NSF NCAR| UCAR | 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 (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.
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 and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.
Work Location
UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
AI Software
ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing the way society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.
The CGD Laboratory at NSF NCAR is excited to open a Student Assistant II position. The successful candidate will work on profiling the performance of the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6) across resolutions, identifying bottlenecks when scaling, and modifying code as needed to gain further detail, all to inform future work on coupled atmosphere/ocean capabilities at km-scale resolutions. This is a part-time position that will require approximately 10 hours per week.
More information about CGD can be found online at https://www.cgd.ucar.edu/.
Position Details:
Visa Sponsored Job:
No
Relocation Assistance Eligible:
No
Job Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Position Type & Term:
Part time, Casual
Compensation Min - Mid Range:
Hiring Hourly Rate: $23.81/hour
- Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role.*
Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59:59 pm MDT on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Position type: HYBRID - This position is Hybrid and requires 3 days a week in the office (Boulder, CO)
Required application materials:
- Resume
- 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)
What You Will Do
Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.
- Engages in model performance profiling (weak/strong scaling, timing, memory tracking, etc.), as well as code development to better identify potential areas needing additional development.
- Provides analysis of specific characteristics such as MPI message passing and I/O scaling, and potentially architecture-specific comparisons, as needed, driven by key findings.
- Communicates results in a broader context to senior scientists and engineers at NCAR & NOAA as needed, with an emphasis on presenting complex data in spreadsheets and graphs.
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education and Experience:
- Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program with a major in the earth sciences, computing, engineering, or related field, and have completed their sophomore year or higher.
- Ability and willingness to learn and use scientific computing tools and programs
- Basic problem-solving skills.
- Ability to analyze data and draw conclusions.
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Skill in the use of software for communication purposes (e.g., Google Sheets, Slides and Docs).
- Familiarity with the Linux command-line and basic HPC usage
- Ability to interact with scientists and software engineers in a manner that supports collaboration and inquiry.
- Willingness to seek help when needed
- Ability and willingness to work within the guidelines and policies of NSF NCAR and assigned laboratories or programs.
- Willingness to contribute to the NCAR community and mission.
- Potential to excel in a scientific career.
- Ability or willingness to learn using GitHub to manage collaborative software development.
- Basic knowledge, through coursework, of earth sciences, ecosystem science, or computer science.
- Basic knowledge or interest in High-Performance Computing (HPC)
Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.
Some Final Considerations
At NSF NCAR| UCAR | 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 (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.
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 and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.
Work Location
UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
AI Software
ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing the way society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.
Salary : $24