CISL Scientific Data Curation Consultant
CISL Scientific Data Curation Consultant
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Job Description
Job Description Summary:
UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Computational & Information Systems Labs (CISL) Data Engineer II Scientific Data Curation Consultant. This position will work both independently and on collaborative teams with data and software engineers as well as scientists. The CISL Scientific Data Curation Consultant will be responsible for developing and maintaining research data management services and assisting with the implementation of data management tools and applications. These efforts support CISLs Research Data Archive (RDA) which supports atmospheric and Earth systems science research as well as the forthcoming data commons environment.CISLs mission is to support and advance the Earth system sciences by providing worldclass computing environments data services and research in computational science.
Position Details:
Visa Sponsored Job:
YesRelocation Assistance Eligible:
YesJob Location:
Boulder ColoradoPosition Type & Term:
Full time Term 6 months or more (Fixed Term)Compensation Range:
$94406 $118006
*Final salary and rates are based on education experience and skills relevant to the role.*
Application Notes
Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59:59pm Tuesday May 6. Applications will not be accepted past this date/time.
Required application materials (preferably in PDF Format):
Resume
Questionnaire (to be completed when submitting your application) In lieu of a traditional cover letter the hiring team wants to learn more about your skills/experiences regarding very specific questions related to the critical skills needed to be successful in this position. Your responses to these questions will be read and weighed equally to your resume so please ensure youre providing detailed yet informative responses based on your previous work experiences. That being said we encourage you to keep responses to 2 4 paragraphs.
Describe a time when you designed or maintained a data management workflow for scientific or Earth system science data. What tools or technologies did you use how did you ensure data integrity and usability and what was the outcome or impact of your work
The RDA emphasizes metadata creation and longterm data curation. Please share your experience with metadata standards (e.g. CFConventions ISO NetCDF) and how youve applied them in a project or data archive environment.
This position includes responding to user inquiries about complex often largescale atmospheric or geoscience datasets. Describe a time when you helped a user access interpret or troubleshoot scientific data. What type of data or format was involved what tools or platforms did you use and how did you ensure the users needs were met
Relocation Assistance Eligible: Partial relocation available (must live beyond a 50mile radius of a UCAR operating site).
Position Type & Term: FullTime Term 2 years with the possibility of extension
Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.
Work Location Expectations: This position is open to candidates seeking inperson and/or hybrid (combination of 3 days inperson and 2 days of remote) opportunities.
What You Will Do
Here is a summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.
Key Responsibilities
RDA Data Management Support & Curation
Monitor troubleshoot and configure data ingest systems that download receive and archive atmospheric and geosciences data from a variety of sources.
Lead the development implementation and maintenance of scalable data management workflows using both standard software tools and customdeveloped strategies to acquire new data sources and extend existing datasets.
Develop document and maintain workflows that transform data from native formats into structures optimized for longterm curation support including supporting anticipated user workflows.
Work with data providers and internal tools to create standardscompliant discovery metadata and filelevel metadata. Ensure preservation of acquisition processing and archival status information within versioncontrolled systems.
Develop and maintain tools and scripts primarily in Python or other relevant languages to perform automated integrity checks and validate metadata completeness ensuring gapfree archives.
Participate in strategic planning and crossfunctional initiatives to expand repository content improve workflow automation and scale systems for robust longterm support.
Apply FAIR data principles and data governance best practices to ensure datasets are findable accessible interoperable and reusable.
RDA User Access Support & Engagement
Develop backend systems that enable efficient data access integrating scientific read software with metadata databases to support diverse user needs.
Contribute to the integration of communitysupported data access services and APIs into the RDAs portfolio of user access options.
Respond to user inquiries related to assigned dataset collections providing technical assistance and domainspecific guidance.
Participate in outreach activities aimed at raising awareness of repository holdings and services especially among new or underrepresented user communities.
Contribute to the creation of userfacing documentation metadata guides and usage examples that enhance accessibility and usability.
Collaborate with crossorganizational teams contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives and lead small working groups as needed.
Additional Opportunities
While the position has no formal supervisory duties at present the individual may be responsible for supervising students or mentoring lowerlevel data engineers as projects and staffing needs evolve.
Who Wed Love To Join Our Team
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education & Experience
Bachelors degree in a field that requires experience with Earth science data storage and computer data processing;
4 8 yrs of progressive and relevant professional work experience.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities
Proficient in Linux/UNIXbased environments with advanced skills in Python and associated data libraries (e.g. Xarray Pandas Dask) and the ability to learn new programming languages and tools as needed.
Experience with scientific data processing and stewardship including Earth science data collection quality control metadata creation and longterm curation practices.
Familiar with compiled programming languages and software engineering best practices such as version control (Git/GitHub) testing and iterative development.
Working knowledge of data structures and formats metadata standards and scientific conventions used in geoscience or environmental datasets.
Skilled in working with relational and unstructured databases including Extract Transform Load (ETL) workflows and APIdriven data access.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly explain technical processes to diverse stakeholders and document complex workflows.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate in crossfunctional teams contribute to strategic planning and support robust scalable and automated data systems.
Commitment to continuous learning and professional development with the flexibility to adapt to evolving technologies research needs and user expectations.
Experience in user support and community engagement including responding to inquiries conducting outreach and promoting awareness of repository resources.
Willingness to mentor or supervise junior staff or students fostering skill growth and knowledge sharing within the team.
Desired but not required:
Demonstrated experience with software containerization.
Atmospheric or ocean sciences related background and demonstrated experience working with meteorological or related geoscience data including NetCDF BUFR Zarr and GRIB based formats and the application of CFConventions.
Experience working with relational databases.
Demonstrated experience working with High Performance and Cloud Computing environments.
Experience providing user support.
A drive to support and enhance weather and geosciences related research capabilities.
Benefits Overview
UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical dental vision retirement and life insurance UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on worklife balance and professional and personal development. These include:
Tuition Assistance time off allowance to attend classes and other professional development opportunities
UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one
Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than fulltime positions)
10 paid holidays
10 days of sick leave each year
12 weeks of paid parental leave
Shortterm medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary
EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulderarea transit system at no cost
Commitment to Job Application Fairness
Applicants are not required to provide age or agerelated 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 UCARNCARUCP 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 Suns 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 worklife circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully onsite 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 your intersection of identities you are welcome at UCAR.
Export Control
All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.
Visa Wait Times
Please consider the length of visa procurement when applying for this posting understanding that you will not be able to begin employment until you are able to get a visa and enter the U.S.
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 theway 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.
Required Experience:
Contract
Employment Type
Full-Time
