Research Assistant in Arctic Modeling at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, Falmouth, MA, USA (or remote)
Summary/Objective:
The Woodwell Climate Research Center is seeking a skilled Research Assistant (Scientific Software Engineer) to join the Arctic Modeling Team within the Permafrost Pathways project. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to improving greenhouse gas emission predictions from thawing permafrost using a terrestrial ecosystem model. The successful candidate will apply computer programming and modeling skills to further develop and refine an ecosystem model across the permafrost zone, ultimately to assess the impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate change.
Responsibilities:
- Assist scientific personnel in technical tasks, including proficient coding in Python and C++.
- Provide support for model calibration, model development, and data assimilation tasks to improve the efficiency of the modeling team.
- Administer and support High-Performance Computing tasks on the Google Cloud Platform to ensure smooth execution of computational tasks and optimum utilization of resources.
- Collaborate closely with Dr. Jafarov and the rest of the Arctic Modeling Team, contributing to team goals and project development.
- Report progress on weekly team meetings.
Desired Qualifications and Experience:
- B.S. in Computer Science, Physics, or Mathematics or a related field preferred. Work-related experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
- A strong background in software engineering and coding.
- Demonstrated experience with Python and C++.
- A good understanding of physics, particularly as it applies to climate and ecosystem modeling.
- Familiarity with High-Performance Computing tasks and cloud platforms, specifically Google Cloud (preferable but not required).
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills.
- A problem-solving mindset and the ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently.
Application review will be ongoing.
Desired Start Date: October 2023 or as soon as possible.
Fixed-term: two years from start date, extension possible
Classification and Compensation: This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position, the annual salary range is $60,000 – $65,000 dependent on qualifications/experience. Woodwell offers a generous benefits package and work life balance.
Location: Falmouth, MA, USA or remote.
Application Instructions:
To apply, please send your cover letter addressing your experience and qualifications in relation to the responsibilities of this position, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references as a single PDF to our career’s portal. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please type RA-AM on all correspondence.
