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Posting Detail Information

Working Title25-116: Tropical Cyclone Applied Mathematician

Position LocationFort Collins, CO

Work LocationPosition qualifies for hybrid/in-office work

Research Professional PositionYes

Posting Number202501506AP

Position TypeAdmin Professional/ Research Professional

Classification TitleResch Sci/Scholar I

Number of Vacancies

Work Hours/Week40

Proposed Annual Salary Range$70,000 - $80,000 commensurate with experience & qualifications.

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

+ Review our detailed benefits information here. (https://hr.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/01/benefits-summary-afap.pdf)

+ Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.

+ For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator (https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/) .

+ Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in (https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-community/) !

Desired Start Date01/05/2026

Position End Date (if temporary)

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on10/21/2025

Description of Work Unit

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University ( CSU ) is a multi-million dollar research organization located on CSU’s Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado. CIRA is a cooperative institute (CI) that is also a research department within CSU’s College of Engineering, in partnership with the Department of Atmospheric Science. Its vision is to conduct interdisciplinary research in the atmospheric sciences by entraining skills beyond the meteorological disciplines, exploiting advances in engineering and computer science, facilitating transitional activity between pure and applied research, leveraging both national and international resources and partnerships, and assisting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ), CSU , the State of Colorado, and the Nation through the application of our research to areas of societal benefit. Expanding on this Vision, our Mission is to serve as a nexus for multi-disciplinary cooperation among CI and NOAA research scientists, University faculty, staff and students in the context of NOAA -specified research theme areas in satellite applications for weather/climate forecasting. Important bridging elements of the CI include the communication of research findings to the international scientific community, transition of applications and capabilities to NOAA operational users, education and training programs for operational user proficiency, outreach programs to K-12 education and the general public for environmental literacy, and understanding and quantifying the societal impacts of NOAA research.

Position Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University ( CSU ), located on the CSU Foothills Campus 5 miles northwest of the CSU main campus, seeks to hire a Research Scientist to develop mathematical tools for remote sensing applications and assist in the development and improvement of forecast and hazards-based decision support products. This position will allow flexible work arrangements including hybrid office/telework, although a consistent and substantial on-site presence is preferred.

The objective of this position is to provide an opportunity for a motivated researcher to push the envelope of capabilities in high-impact, operationally relevant mathematical algorithms and applications tied to Tropical Cyclone (TC) research, and to explore innovative numerical approaches while working in a highly stimulating and interdisciplinary team environment. The individual in this position will interface closely with CIRA’s Tropical Cyclone, Artificial Intelligence, and Meteorological Satellite Applications core expertise groups, and CIRA’s on-site Federal team from NOAA / NESDIS / STAR . Specifically, the individual in this position will report to the Tropical Cyclone Group Lead and explore mathematical approaches utilizing satellite-based remote sensing in conjunction with aircraft and surface observations to extract information about the environment, with emphasis on the structural properties of tropical cyclones (TCs) and a particular emphasis on improving the analysis and short-term prediction of TC track, intensity, and structure.

This position seeks to expand CIRA’s overall capabilities using novel image processing, satellite retrieval, and machine learning techniques to extract key information from satellite imagery, thus supporting a broad range of CIRA projects including efforts funded by the Office of Naval Research ( ONR ) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ). As such, the individual in this position will design algorithms for these tasks to be applied either by themselves or collaboratively with other CIRA research staff and NOAA /Navy partners. The individual in this position is expected to establish strong partnerships with both CIRA research staff and sponsors which can lead to sponsored research opportunities.

Required Job Qualifications

In your cover letter, please specifically address EACH required qualification as it relates to your experience. An application without a cover letter that addresses each of the required qualifications for this position will not be considered further after review by the search committee.

+ Ph.D. in mathematics, meteorology, earth sciences, or a related field plus 1-2 years of experience creating and evaluating mathematical models, datasets, and products for tropical cyclone forecast applications for operational partners and end users;

+ a demonstrated (preferably via published in peer-reviewed literature) deep understanding of methods for image processing tasks, including TC structural analysis;

+ experience applying multi-sensor datasets and processing methods to the analysis of meteorological or environmental imagery;

+ understanding of the mathematical foundation for machine learning;

+ programming experience in Python, IDL , or similar diagnostic-enabled processing software;

+ experience reading, writing, and manipulating scientific datasets;

+ experience working with a variety of remote sensing data, with emphasis on satellite datasets;

+ ability to communicate well, orally and written, and particularly across disciplinary boundaries.

Preferred Job Qualifications

In your cover letter, please specifically address the applicable preferred qualifications for this position. A cover letter that fails to address the preferred qualifications for this position will not be considered further after review by the search committee.

+ experience working with GOES ( ABI ), Himawari ( AHI ), or JPSS ( VIIRS ) satellite data;

+ experience extracting information about cloud properties and/or tropical cyclones from satellite data using geospatial tools;

+ experience working on projects sponsored by NSF , ONR , NOAA or NASA ;

+ experience with the OpenCV library for image processing;

+ experience with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools and processing;

+ experience working with FORTRAN ;

+ experience working as part of an interdisciplinary team.

Essential Duties

Job Duty CategoryBasic to Applied Research

Duty/Responsibility

+ Conduct research and develop novel mathematical methods geared towards better characterizing TC structure, track, and intensity;

+ Utilize mathematical and statistical techniques, including novel image processing, satellite retrieval, and artificial intelligence approaches to exploit information from datasets;

+ Development and improvement of forecast and hazards-based decision support products;

+ Coordinate and collaborate with other team members towards targeting and use of these methods in support of various applications in weather and environmental research.

Percentage Of Time20

Job Duty CategoryIndependent Research

Duty/Responsibility

+ Contribute to and lead research studies that serve and advance the CIRA mission;

+ Help develop future proposals that may lead to an independent research program.

Percentage Of Time50

Job Duty CategoryCollaborative Research

Duty/Responsibility

+ Collaborate with CIRA scientists working on relevant/complementary research projects;

+ Collaborate with operational partners and product end users as needed;

+ Build collaborations across universities, agencies, and internationally to meet research goals;

+ Collaborate with faculty and mentor students in the Atmospheric Science Department.

Percentage Of Time20

Job Duty CategoryDocumentation & Reporting

Duty/Responsibility

+ Publish work by writing and submitting papers to peer-reviewed scientific journals;

+ Present results at conferences and sponsor-hosted reviews.

Percentage Of Time10

Application Details

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applications must be submitted via online portal.We will not accept materials sent via email or other mode. NOTE : In your cover letter, please specifically address the required and preferred qualifications of this position. A cover letter that fails to address the qualifications of this position may not be further considered after review by the search committee. Likewise, an online application with a generic cover letter or missing a cover letter, and/or an application that does not include current/correct reference contact information may not be further considered after review by the search committee. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.

CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you need assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.

Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Conditions of EmploymentPre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)

Search ContactLinn Barrett, [email protected]

EEO

Colorado State University ( CSU ) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

References Requested

References Requested

Minimum Requested3

Maximum Requested3

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

+ Cover Letter

+ Resume or CV

Optional Documents