Software Engineer

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

Join our visionary team at Caltech as a Software Engineer for the Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA ), where innovation meets environmental stewardship. This unique opportunity allows you to be at the forefront of developing the first Earth system model (ESM) that learns from a variety of data — from Earth observations from space and the ground to high-resolution simulations and experimental data. As part of a vibrant, interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, you'll contribute to a project with global impact, pushing the boundaries of climate science.

Essential Job Duties

• Drive Innovation: Engage in an ambitious scientific endeavor that promises to achieve a step change in the accuracy and usability of climate predictions.
• Solve Complex Problems: Use your analytical toolkit to develop mathematical models and software that bridges computational science, applied mathematics, and Earth system science.
• Lead Technological Advancement: Employ your computational science expertise and domain-specific expertise to create cutting-edge, high-performance software suitable for the next-generation of supercomputing hardware with heterogeneous manycore architectures.
• Collaborate on Groundbreaking Solutions: Work alongside top scientists and GPU programming experts to devise and implement novel software solutions for climate modeling challenges.
• Enhance Software Excellence: Play a crucial role in the development and integration of an open-source software system, prioritizing code quality, documentation, scalability, and resilience.
• Foster Creativity and Collaboration: Join a project that values creative contributions, encouraging close collaboration with specialists in climate science, machine learning, and applied mathematics.
• Thrive in Diversity: Be part of a welcoming and diverse community, dedicated to making a difference in the world through groundbreaking research and innovation.

Basic Qualifications

• Educational Foundation: A completed Bachelor of Science or equivalent degree in a quantitative discipline such as Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, or Earth Science.
• Programming Proficiency: Demonstrated experience with at least two programming languages. Whether your strength lies in C, C++, C#, Fortran, Python, Julia, or another language, your coding skills will be crucial to developing sophisticated software solutions.
• Computing Expertise: Experience with high-performance computing systems, including knowledge of multicore processors, GPUs, and performance profiling.
• Collaborative Spirit: A proven track record of working effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Specialized Knowledge: Background in Earth Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or Engineering.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with source control, collaborative coding, and continuous integration tools.
• Project Experience: Demonstrated involvement in developing large software projects with distributed contributors, especially in open-source environments.
• Numerical Proficiency: Expertise in numerical methods for partial differential equations and/or numerical linear algebra, supported by coursework or research.
• Julia Programming: Familiarity with the Julia language, particularly in package development and performance optimization.

We are on the lookout for someone who not only meets these qualifications but is also eager to learn, adapt, and contribute to a project that has the potential to transform our understanding and approach to climate science. If you are ready to apply your skills to a cause that matters, we would love for you to apply.

Required Documents

• Resume (including links to public code contributions, if available).
• A brief (less than one page) statement highlighting relevant experience and career goals.