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Posting Detail Information

Working Title25-114: Satellite Remote Sensing Specialist for Weather Research Applications

Position LocationFort Collins, CO

Work LocationPosition qualifies for hybrid/in-office work

Research Professional PositionYes

Posting Number202501508AP

Position TypeAdmin Professional/ Research Professional

Classification TitlePostdoctoral Fellows

Number of Vacancies

Work Hours/Week40

Proposed Annual Salary Range$67,000 - $70,000 commensurate with experience and 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) on12/01/2025

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 ) on the Foothills Campus at Colorado State University ( CSU ) in Fort Collins, CO, seeks to hire a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on the development of physics-based approaches and machine learning methods for several environmental remote sensing applications. This Postdoctoral Fellowship is a 12-month appointment with a flexible start date between 1 January 2026 and 1 March 2026, and option to renew for an additional year contingent upon satisfactory performance and available funding.

The individual in this Fellowship will support multiple projects funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) as related to operational geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite programs ( GOES , JPSS , and GeoXO) and will be involved in CIRA’s global 3D satellite atmospheric cloud research sponsored by the Office of Naval Research ( ONR ). Target projects include estimating quantitative global cloud properties with various satellite sensors and developing physical and statistical methods to quantify cloud characteristics. They will also explore applications for multi-scale weather research to offer critical new insights to existing environmental satellite data records together with in-situ and model data, utilizing physics/statistics-based approaches and AI/machine learning methods if applicable.

The individual in this Fellowship will report to the CIRA Cloud Team Lead and will be co-mentored by the leads of the aforementioned projects. The objective of this position is to provide an opportunity for a motivated researcher to explore innovative approaches in several high-impact, cutting-edge environmental satellite data applications while working in a highly stimulating and interdisciplinary team environment. Onsite presence is preferred for this position because it requires significant collaboration with on-site teams, but flexible work arrangements including hybrid office/telework may be considered or negotiated.

Required Job Qualifications

In your cover letter, please address EACH required qualification. A cover letter that fails to address the required qualifications for this position may not be considered further after review by the search committee.

+ Ph.D. in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, or a closely related STEM field. Applicants must successfully complete their Ph.D. defense before the starting date.

+ experience working in satellite remote sensing related to atmospheric clouds;

+ experience reading, writing, and/or manipulating scientific datasets for meteorological applications;

+ experience working in a team environment and communicating scientific results.

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 may not be considered further after review by the search committee.

+ experience working with in-situ measurements for weather and climate research;

+ experience in computer programming for meteorological data analysis, preferably Python;

+ experience using statistical, mathematical, or machine learning methods with multiple data sources;

+ familiarity with development of atmospheric cloud retrieval products;

+ knowledge of atmospheric radiative transfer models;

+ experience writing for scientific publications.

Essential Duties

Job Duty CategoryApplied Research

Duty/Responsibility

+ conduct research and develop analysis techniques geared towards various environmental satellite remote sensing applications;

+ develop methods for estimating global cloud field parameters based on geostationary/polar-orbiting satellite data

+ explore potential use of satellite cloud and aerosol data for aviation weather applications (visibility)

+ conduct validation using in-situ measurements and through intercomparisons with multiple satellites.

Percentage Of Time45

Job Duty CategoryIndependent Research

Duty/Responsibility

+ contribute to and lead scientific studies that serve the CIRA mission;

+ develop scientific ideas and skills that may contribute to future proposals and foster more opportunities for independent research.

Percentage Of Time20

Job Duty CategoryCollaborative Research

Duty/Responsibility

+ travel to scientific conferences to present results;

+ collaborate with operational partners and product end users;

+ coordinate and collaborate with other team members working on related applications in multiple-scale weather research.

Percentage Of Time20

Job Duty CategoryDocumentation & Reporting

Duty/Responsibility

+ share research results with colleagues and the broader scientific community through progress reports, meetings, scientific conferences, and contributions to journal publications.

Percentage Of Time15

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. Please list only professional references who have worked or collaborated with you within the last 3 years. 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 (*).

+ * This position requires a Ph.D. in meteorology, atmospheric sciences, or a closely related STEM field, and the PhD program must be successfully completed before the starting date. Do you currently have a Ph.D. or will you have completed your Ph.D. program by January 5, 2026, the preferred start date of this position?

+ yes

+ no

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

+ Cover Letter

+ Resume or CV

Optional Documents