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Job Description Summary: The Summer Internships in Parallel Computational Science (SIParCS) program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) offers graduate students and undergraduates who have completed their sophomore year significant hands-on R&D opportunities in high performance computing (HPC) and related fields that use HPC for scientific discovery and modeling. This program embeds students as summer interns in the Computational and Information Systems Laboratory (CISL), an organization within NCAR charged with provisioning supercomputing and data systems to the geosciences research community, as well as conducting research and development in computational science, data analysis, scientific visualization and numerical modeling. These twin roles of service and research in CISL support NCAR's broad scientific mission of discovery in the atmospheric and related sciences.

The 2026 summer internships are 11 weeks in duration. Applicants must be available to work 40 hours per week from May 18, 2026 through July 31, 2026 for participation in the program. NCAR has 3 unpaid holidays for interns during the summer internship (Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day).

Program requirements, beyond working on projects, include attending appropriate technical seminars, attending skills-enhancing workshops, preparing a poster, and giving an oral presentation of results at the end of the summer.

For Summer 2026, we are planning for an in-person internship program where interns come on-site to our Boulder, Colorado campuses and meetings may be held virtually over Zoom or Google Meet.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Term - Casual (Fixed Term)

Compensation Min - Mid Range:

Hourly Rate: $23.41

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

Application Notes

Application Deadline:

+ This position will be posted until 11:59 pm MT on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Required application materials: (preferably in PDF Format)

Application Instructions:

Before you begin the online application process, please prepare your application materials in one (1) PDF document. Name the PDF “LastName_FirstName_siparcs” Example: Hopper_Grace_siparcs.pdf Application materials must be in the order numbered below. Please apply to no more than two (2) SIParCS projects.

Application Materials Must Include:

Attach one (1) PDF document with the three required components to your online application. Name the PDF “LastName_FirstName_siparcs” Example: Hopper_Grace_siparcs.pdf Required materials, in order are:

#1. Write a personal statement that is no longer than two (2) pages that clearly addresses each of the following 7 questions. (Use 1-inch margins, a font no smaller than 11 points). The personal statement questions carry considerable weight for the application, please be thoughtful with your responses and answer all 7 questions. Please visit https://www.cisl.ucar.edu/outreach/internships/how\_to\_apply for detailed instructions.

NSF NCAR and SIParCS embrace a collaborative, supportive, and positive work environment. SIParCS is dedicated to developing the technical and professional skills of the future high performance computing and scientific communities and sharing our science with a broader audience.

+ 1. Describe a situation when you helped build or sustain a collaborative, positive, supportive community. What strategies or lessons did you use to collaborate, lead, or solve problems? The situation does not have to be related to science, research, or education. If you haven’t had this experience, explain what you believe makes a positive and supportive community and how you would contribute to one in the future, including any strategies you'd use to collaborate, lead, and problem-solve.

+ 2. How could your approach to community and leadership enhance the experience for your fellow interns and strengthen the SIParCS program as a whole?

+ 3. How does participating in SIParCS complement your current interests and future career goals?

Mentorship: SIParCS interns work with their mentors on a specified project and are responsible for communicating with their mentoring team, organizing meetings, asking for help, etc.

+ 4. Describe an experience where you took initiative, guided and supported peers, and/or collaborated to achieve goals. Please include how you will apply these skills to work with your mentoring team.

+ 5. What do you hope to gain from receiving mentorship as part of the SIParCS program?

Students may apply to up to two (2) SIParCS projects.

+ 6a. Identify the project and why you are interested in this chosen project.

+ 6b. If you’re applying to a second project, identify the project and why you are interested in this chosen project. Clearly address your distinct interest for each project.

+ 7. Share your non-technical interests, collaborations, and skills that are not covered in your resume, CV, or transcript.

#2 CV or resume

#3 Copy of most recent unofficial undergraduate transcript.

Instructions for the Online Application Process:

(1) To begin the application process, at the bottom of this page click “New Resume/CV.” The next page presents options for you to submit your materials. Select “Upload a resume/CV document” then select “Continue.”

(2) You will then be prompted to submit your résumé or CV. At this point, upload your complete application as one (1) PDF document. Click “Choose File” to find your file on your computer. Click on the document, select “Open,” and then select “Continue.”

(3) Continue the application process as prompted. Step 4 of the online application process will ask you if you want to upload additional documentation-ignore this step. Complete the rest of the online application information.

References:

For the 2026 application cycle, SIParCS no longer requires a letter of reference or reference contact information as part of the application.

Questions:

If you have questions or limitations to using the online application system, please contact Alexa Brown at [email protected] or [email protected].

More information on the SIParCS program may be found at http://www2.cisl.ucar.edu/siparcs. If you have questions regarding the SIParCS program, please contact [email protected] .

Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more. (https://www.ucar.edu/opportunities/careers/faqs)

What You Will Do

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

As a SIParCS intern, you will:

+ Conduct original research under the guidance of your science mentor;

+ Give a presentation based on your research;

+ Participate professionally in all SIParCS activities. ​

Project Descriptions by Title (Detailed project descriptions can be found here: http://www2.cisl.ucar.edu/siparcs )

Project 1: Natural Language Discovery of NSF NCAR Scientific Data

Project 2: AI Weather and Atmospheric Chemistry Prediction with Physical Constraints

Project 3: FastOSSE: A new tool for optimizing ocean observing networks

Project 4: Data Pathfinders: A GDEX UX/UI Intern Quest

Project 5: Learning to Fight Wildfires: Reinforcement Learning for Fire Suppression in a Forest Fire Model

Project 6: AI Nowcasting Models for Predicting the Evolution of Convective Storms

Project 7: CIRRUS - Developing Workflows for Validating Cloud Native Deployments

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

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

+ Must currently be enrolled in a United States university.

+ Must be authorized to work in the U.S. to be eligible for the SIParCS program.

+ For F visa students accepted to the SIParCS program, CPT work authorization issued through a U.S. Designated School Official (DSO) or OPT issued through both a DSO and the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be required.

+ Must be an undergraduate who has completed their freshman year.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

+ Ability to work with a broad group of peers.

+ Skill in the use of software for communication purposes (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email).

+ Ability and willingness to learn and use scientific computing tools and programs.

+ Good oral and written communication skills.

+ Basic problem solving skills.

+ Ability to analyze data and draw conclusions.

+ Basic knowledge, through coursework, of mathematics, computer science or engineering.

+ Ability to work full-time (40 hours per week) during the summer program.

+ Ability to interact with mentors and peers in a manner that supports collaboration and inquiry.

+ Ability and willingness to work within guidelines and policies of organization and assigned work groups

Commitment to Job Application Fairness

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.