26-111: Senior Research Meteorologist & Decision Support Lead - Part Time

Job Description

Description of the Work Unit:

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, 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:

This position is part-time at 32 hours/week (80% FTE).  The individual in this position will report to the CIRA Director and provide leadership in Decision Support Research and Development at CIRA, guiding strategic initiatives that translate scientific research into applications and information driven by users' weather information needs. Areas of emphasis will include fire weather, severe weather, extreme precipitation, aviation weather hazards, and dust storms. This will include application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools to the decision-making process within weather forecast offices and among associated users of related products and services. In pursuit of these objectives, this individual will work extensively with forecast entities including the National Weather Service, Office of Naval Research, Emergency Managers, and state officials — while fostering partnerships across research, operational, and policy communities.

Full Consideration Date: Thursday, July 9th, 2026, 11:59pm (MT)

Conditions of Employment:

• Ability to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) federal background check and receive a NOAA Common Access Card (CAC) ID badge.
• Must be a citizen of the United States or a Lawful Permanent Resident with a physical USCIS “Green Card” because this position is partially funded by a US Department of Defense contract.
• Onsite presence is required for this position because it requests significant collaboration with on-site teams.

Supervision:

• The individual in this position will supervise 2-6 Admin Pro employees.

Essential Job Duties:

• Lead and coordinate weather-related Decision Support activities across select programs and projects, ensuring alignment with organizational strategic goals and stakeholder needs.
• Lead and coordinate user engagements, including product evaluations, testbed, and proving ground activities for select applications, projects, and programs; support Satellite Proving Ground efforts to explore and demonstrate the value of satellite-based hazardous weather products to the operational forecasting community, with emphasis on decision support applications.
• Lead efforts to collaborate with partners to identify Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) product enhancements including testing and validation of those technologies.
• Orchestrate the coordination and collaboration of satellite training activities related to decision support, developed by proving ground members, cooperative institutes, and other partners.
• Provide Program and Project Management for complex and highly technical research programs, including coordinating cross-functional teams of researchers, developers, and administrative personnel.
• Prepare and present program status reports to leadership, sponsors, and stakeholders; represent CIRA at conferences, workshops, meetings, and collaborative forums.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships among federal agencies, universities, research institutions, and operational agencies.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for collaborative projects and funding.

Minimum Qualifications:

NOTE: In the body of your resume, please specifically address all required qualifications when describing your work experience.  A resume that fails to address the qualifications of this position will not be considered by the search committee.

• Bachelor’s degree in meteorology plus at least 15 years of experience working in an operational weather forecasting environment, including direct engagement with NOAA management OR Master’s degree in meteorology with at least 10 years of experience working in an operational weather forecasting environment, including direct engagement with NOAA management OR PhD in meteorology with at least 5 years of experience working in an operational weather forecasting environment, including direct engagement with NOAA management.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading meteorological forecast and Decision Support programs, including experience with meteorological satellite programs.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience managing, supervising, mentoring, and guiding complex research, including oversight and management of annual budgets of at least $5M.
• Proven experience with technology transfer (R2O) activities with federal agencies related to weather forecasting and decision support.
• Experience leading testbeds and proving grounds and associated activities within federal agencies.

Preferred Qualifications:

NOTE: In the body of your resume, please specifically address all applicable preferred qualifications when describing your work experience.  A resume that fails to address the qualifications of this position will not be considered by the search committee.

• Experience developing, negotiating, or administering interagency or inter-organizational agreements or memoranda of understandings.
• Demonstrated experience writing successful federal funding proposals and serving as Principal Investigator.
• Experience leading training activities related to weather forecasting and decision support.
• Experience working with Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and weather prediction models based on AI/ML.

Application Instructions:

Applications must be submitted via online portal. We will not accept materials sent via email or other mode. NOTE: In the body of your resume, please specifically address all required qualifications and applicable preferred qualifications when describing your work experience.  A resume that fails to address the qualifications of this position will not be considered by the search committee. Likewise, an online application with a generic cover letter or missing a cover letter will not be considered by the search committee.  References will be requested for finalists and will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.

Salary Range

Salary Range: $145,000 - $152,000

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. 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.

Cover Letter, Resume/CV

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.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

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.

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.