CESM Software Engineer II

Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance are available for this position.

About The Role

This position will focus on modernizing the software in CESM, a world-leading Earth system model, towards new architectures, infrastructure and computational approaches. The work will require some knowledge of algorithms, data structures, software development and hardware platforms, as well as attention to detail, and will emphasize problem solving and rapid development for the scientific community we serve. The position will interact with our Community Software Facility, as well as a variety of software engineers and scientific leadership on targeted, strategic priorities. This Software Engineer position is part of the computer engineering group within NSF NCAR's CGD Laboratory. CGD is home to approximately 130 staff members, along with visiting researchers from around the world. Together, they advance the understanding of Earth system variability and change while addressing the risks of environmental change through collaborative, innovative, and inclusive research.

Responsibilities

• Software Engineering & Optimization: Participates in the enhancement of the CESM modeling ecosystem, targeting performance improvements, memory reductions, hardware portability (GPUs) and other key strategic needs. Collaborates with team members & project stakeholders on proposed changes & processes for integration into the model.
• Code & Capability Analysis: Review and analyze existing modeling software capabilities to assess its structure, quality, and maintainability. Document findings, proposed changes, and technical decisions to support knowledge sharing across a wide team of scientists and engineers.
• Exploratory Development: Explore & evaluate benchmarks in newer languages and paradigms. Stay current with emerging tools, languages & techniques relevant to software modernization.

Requirements

• Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in computer-related field and progressive relevant experience, which is typically gained by four to eight years of experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities:
  • Proven ability to identify performance bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and other technical limitations through profiling, testing, and code analysis.
  • Ability to recommend and implement modernization strategies, including refactoring legacy code, updating outdated libraries or frameworks, and applying current development standards and best practices.
  • Demonstrated skill applying the software development process, including participation in software requirements analysis and systems design.
  • Ability to work both independently and within a team on interesting & challenging software projects.
  • Attention to detail and strong communication skills to accurately assess and convey complexities.
  • Experience with at least one compiled language (Fortran, C, C++, etc).
• Desired:
  • Familiarity with parallel programming (MPI, OpenMP, OpenACC, JAX, etc).
  • Some knowledge of numerical methods, data structures and algorithms.

Pay

Hiring range: $83,299.00 USD - $104,127.00 USD. Final salary is based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, vision, and short & long-term disability insurance.
• Retirement Plan: Generous retirement plan with UCAR contributing 10% of base salary.
• Time Off Plans:
  • Minimum 20 days of annual PTO.
  • 10 paid holidays.
  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
  • FAMLI Leave.
• Additional Benefits:
  • Tuition Assistance Program.
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer.