COMET Project Manager II

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Project Manager II. This position is responsible for NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center’s (CPC)President Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE) Early Warning Systems (EWS) for Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands. This position manages the EWS projects ensuring adequate staffing, budgeting, execution of project milestones, and reporting within the proposed timelines to fulfill sponsor requirements. This position also provides scientific program support for the implementation of EWSs in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands, including providing support for stakeholders’ workshops and training, developing capacity in climate monitoring, modeling and predictions, integrating social data with predictions, and building user interface platforms to develop and improve EWSs.

This is a hybrid position, and the candidate will be expected to be at the CPC Offices located at the NCEP facilities located in College Park, Maryland at least 1 to 3 days per week initially.

COMET provides scientifically relevant, instructionally progressive education, training, and capacity development for the environmental sciences, including online self-guided instruction, tailored classroom experiences, and specialized hazard communication programs.

Application Notes

Application Deadline:This position will accept applications until Friday, April 12. Applications submitted past this date will not be considered.

Required application materials(preferably in PDF Format): 

• Resume

• Cover Letter - Please address your experience with the following items in your cover letter (for more information, please refer to the Key Responsibilities and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities sections of this job posting):

  • Managing scientific or technical projects with increasing levels of complexity.

  • Developing and managing large, complex budgets, schedules, and staffing plans. 

  • Building collaborative partnerships with a variety of stakeholders (e.g. scientists, engineers, instructional designers, sponsors, administrators, etc.).

• Questionnaire (to be completed within the application ):

  • Are you willing to travel domestically and internationally?

  • What project management software are you most proficient in/familiar with?

  • Please list the trainings in project management principles you have completed.

  • Have you completed/received a Project Management certification (e.g. PMP)?

Federal screenings and background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire and must be cleared prior to the start date. Learn more.

Work Location:  This position is open to candidates seeking in-person and hybrid (combination of in-person and remote) opportunities. Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

What You Will Do

Here is a summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management

• Provide program management for CPC projects focused on transfer of research capabilities (including the testing and implementation of hydrometeorological observing systems, numerical forecasting systems, decision support applications, forecast dissemination, and training requirements) to international National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, universities, research institutions, and other international partners.  

• Oversee CPC project management and lead the implementation of international capacity development projects and provide technical expertise to guide projects.  

• Use designated project management software to track budget, tasks, resources, and issues. 

• Supervise international capacity development project staff. 

• Provide scientific guidance and help lead CPC projects and provide subject matter expertise for the development of training resources and delivery of associated training.  

• Lead development of proposals, concept papers, scientific articles, and presentations and represent CPC at technical and scientific meetings.

• Advise on the strategic direction of CPC.

Budget Development & Management

• Develop and manage large, complex budgets, schedules, and staffing plans, including tracking and reporting on planned vs actual budgets and schedules. 

• Develop spend plans for funding awards and projections of future project funding needs for current and future projects.

• Collaborate with administrative staff on project cost accounting structure.

Partnership Building & Collaboration

• Use technical expertise in interacting with scientists, engineers, instructional designers to develop appropriate technologies and required project plans for CPC projects.

• Interact with sponsors on project performance and ensure that timelines and deliverables are defined and met.

• Interact with NCEP to support the transition to operations of the research and technology developed as part of the PREPARE EWS projects.

• Lead efforts to partner with UCAR NSF NCAR and UCP programs to support the transition of research and technology developed within UCAR.

• Work with end-users and sponsors to ensure that solutions are properly implemented.

Who We’d Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Atmospheric Sciences or any of the related Earth System Science fields;

• 2-4 years experience at the Project Management I (or equivalent) level;

• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage scientific or technical projects with increasing levels of complexity;

• Training in project management principles;

  • Or a combination of education and relevant experience.

Desired, but not required:

• Master’s degree in atmospheric or related science;

• 7 years’ of progressively responsible experience in project management;

  • Or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Project management certification (PMP)

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Advanced skill in managing large, complex multi-year scientific/technical projects.

• Advanced skill in managing diverse scientific, engineering, and technical teams in a matrix managed environment.

• Advanced skill in applying project management principles.

• Advanced knowledge of project cost accounting.

• Experience working with national and international partners and stakeholders.

• Advanced knowledge and skill in personnel management.

• Knowledge on a variety of atmospheric science topics.

• Advanced skill in working in a diverse and inclusive environment.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally.

• Knowledge of project management software.