Research Scientist(s) for Univ. Wyoming King Air Facility

The Department of Atmospheric Science  at the University of Wyoming is seeking applications for two Research Scientists to support the University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) Facility's Research Aircraft  and enhance airborne atmospheric research within the Facility. This world-class research facility is owned and operated by the University of Wyoming and funded through the National Science Foundation’s Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (NSF-FARE) Program. These onsite positions will be responsible for supporting various aspects of Facility airborne science including aircraft instrumentation for atmospheric measurements, data processing workflows and participation in airborne science missions as an aircraft scientific crew member.

The Next Generation King Air aircraft (a Beechcraft King Air 350) is under development as part of a UW NSF-MSRI funded program and will be delivered to UW in summer 2023.  These positions are recognized as a Facility investment in scientific talent.  The successful applicants will participate directly in transforming the New Wyoming King Air into a mission-ready observational platform designed to serve the atmospheric science research community as the pre-eminent small aircraft for atmospheric research and education.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

The successful applicants will join a team of more than a dozen scientists, engineers and operations personnel to support the mission of the UWKA facility for in-situ tropospheric measurements. They will lead the effort for the preparation, deployment, operation, and future development of the UWKA Facility, instrumentation and data products. Each position will be responsible for owning a suite of airborne atmospheric measurements (radiation, atmospheric state, wind and turbulence, cloud microphysics, etc.) and serve as the subject matter expert (SME) for instrument selection, application and data analysis of this group of measurements to meet Facility and PI/user objectives.  The SME will also be responsible for the function, calibration and lifecycle replacement of their instrument group.

These positions will be responsible for working as part of the science team responsible for the fundamental atmospheric state parameters provided by the facility.  This includes performing data quality assurance checks and delivering high-quality scientific data to users of the Facility. They will also provide guidance in the use of the aircraft to support science objectives through extensive interaction with PIs and potential facility users.  The Research Science group within the Facility includes individuals with a diversity of knowledge in atmospheric measurements, cloud radar, lidar, data processing, instrument integration and data acquisition. Experience with airborne research, flight-testing and/or in-situ instrument measurements is highly desired but not required. Scientists have the opportunity to use aircraft and instrument data to develop an independent research program and advance their own scientific interests including grants and publications, often in collaboration with departmental faculty and external users. 

These positions will be filled at either the Associate or Senior Research Scientist Level, depending upon experience. 

These are career positions with opportunities for advancement within the facility. Relocation expenses are negotiable.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

• M.S. or Ph.D. degree in meteorology, atmospheric physics, engineering, geo-science, or closely related field. At least two years of relevant work experience beyond an M.S degree may substitute for a Ph.D.
• Valid driver's license with a motor vehicle record (MVR) that is compliant with the University Vehicle Use Policy.
• Fundamental understanding of atmospheric processes in the planetary boundary layer and/or the free troposphere;
• Ability and willingness to participate as an aircraft mission scientist and system operator during research flights, including deployments (domestic and international) away from Laramie, typically for 3-4 weeks, 1-2 times per year;
• Demonstrated experience working with instrument/observational data analysis, data processing to develop derived quantities, data quality assurance and control (QA/QC), signal processing and/or observational data interpretation;
• Demonstrated proficiency in common scientific programming languages such as IDL, MATLAB, Python, C or similar;
• Knowledge and skills with scientific data formats, such as NetCDF, ICARTT, HDF5, GRIB;
• Ability to work in a team and interact with individuals of diverse scientific, technical and cultural backgrounds;
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Please consider applying regardless of the number of "Desired Qualifications" you possess; we provide on-the-job training.

• Experience with hands-on airborne atmospheric research, including research flight planning, sampling strategies, and/or participating as scientific crew member on research aircraft;
• Demonstrated knowledge of in-situ airborne atmospheric measurements with a fundamental understanding of data processing for standard atmospheric state variables, including platform motion/attitude corrections and georeferencing;
• Knowledge and experience with calibration, troubleshooting and operation of airborne instruments, including familiarity with standard laboratory calibration instruments;
• Experience in leading or managing field research projects;
• Experience in developing software applications for communication, visualization and/or interaction with scientific data;
• Desire to participate in the scientific enterprise, i.e., prepare or contribute to peer-reviewed papers, proposals, and conference presentations;
• Willingness to work with faculty and researchers on the development, improvement, and use of advanced instruments and data products to study the atmosphere;
• Basic weather analysis skills including experience in interpreting model outputs and forecast products;
• Knowledge of aviation weather and aircraft operations.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:  

Applicants must complete the online UWyo application.

https://eeik.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/223462/?utm_medium=jobshare

For a complete application packet, and for consideration, applicants will also need to provide:

• A curriculum vitae;
• A narrative discussion of the applicant’s specific experience, knowledge and abilities in meeting the requirements of the position;
• A list of airborne research campaigns, if any, in which the applicant directly participated (including roles and responsibilities); and
• Contact information for at least four references.

Questions about this position can be directed to Matt Burkhart, search chair, at [email protected]