This position will direct research in airborne aerosol observations supporting the NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) Research Aviation Facility (RAF). It provides high-level technical expertise specializing in airborne instrumentation and application to advance our understanding of atmospheric processes on different scales.

This position helps support the RAF’s user community through development, deployment, and data provision. The position will also conduct independent research and advance RAF’s instrumentation suite, explicitly focusing on airborne aerosol observations.

This position will travel to the field in support of airborne EOL field deployments, potentially serve as an in-flight mission coordinator, contribute to the improvement of instrumentation, provide data to meet broad community scientific objectives and interact with scientists throughout EOL, NCAR, and the wider community.

Job Location:  Broomfield, CO

Job Type:  Hybrid (minimum of 3 days a week is required to be on-site)

Position Type & Term:  Full-time, Regular

Work Authorization:   Visa sponsorship IS available for this position

This individual will be required to participate in field deployments at facilities operated by the U.S. government. 

Application Deadline: November 21, 2024

Required application materials (Any application missing any of the required materials will not be considered):

• Resume/CV (REQUIRED)

• Cover Letter – (REQUIRED)Please explain your motivation for applying and your interest in this position. Briefly introduce your qualifications, skills, and experience that are relevant to this position.

• Questionnaire—(REQUIRED) During the application, you will be asked a set of questions. Please take the time to answer the questions, as they are part of the required material. An incomplete questionnaire will be considered an incomplete application.

What You Will Do

• This position leads an instrument team and participates in airborne field experiments, including, but not limited to, serving as lead scientist for RAF’s Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), the Condensation Nuclei Counter (CN), and an array of aerosol sampling inlets such as the counterflow virtual impactor (CVI) and the solid diffuser inlet (SDI).

• Evaluate airborne instrumentation, improve measurement techniques, and develop new aerosol observing capabilities for the NSF/NCAR research aircraft.

• This position provides in-infield support for airborne deployments, which includes flying on the NSF/NCAR aircraft when necessary.

• Conduct basic research on atmospheric processes by identifying gaps in our knowledge, leverage expertise to interpret measurements from a broad suite of airborne instruments, and collaborate with colleagues across NCAR and the broader user community.

• Present scientific results at seminars, workshops, conferences, and other national and international meetings as appropriate; publish scientific results in peer-reviewed journals; and serve as a consultant to internal staff and external organizations.

Additional Requirements:

• Some or all the work in this position description must be performed on-site at UCAR campuses and/or remote field sites that are domestic and/or international.

• Willingness to travel to remote field locations for periods of 3-4 weeks at intervals of 1-2 times per year; willingness and ability to fly on NSF/NCAR research aircraft

• This individual will be required to participate in field deployments at facilities operated by the U.S. government.

Education & Experience REQUIRED:

• Ph.D. in a relevant discipline (atmospheric science, engineering, chemistry, physics) and at least three years of experience in the scientific field of specialization or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Education & Experience Desired but Not Required:

• Experience in deploying field instruments as part of collaborative airborne field campaigns.

• Knowledge in the field of meteorology or aviation weather.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities REQUIRED:

• Expert knowledge of instrumentation for aerosol observation (e.g., abundance, composition, and optical properties).

• Advanced skill in planning and managing research in observational atmospheric sciences.

• Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.

• Record of publications in peer-reviewed journals and oral presentations at major scientific conferences.