26-106: Optical Flow & Remote Sensing Application Specialist

Job DescriptionCooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University (CSU) 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 SummaryThe 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, seeks to hire a Research Scientist I to conduct research on Optical Flow and Artificial Intelligence applications for satellite remote sensing, cloud detection, nowcasting applications, and advanced winds retrievals. This Research Scientist position requires a start date between 1 April 2026 and 1 May 2026. Onsite presence is required for this position because it requests significant collaboration with on-site teams. This position is partially funded by a US Department of Defense contract and therefore is open ONLY to citizens of the United States.Full consideration date: Thursday, April 16, 2026, 11:59pm (MT)Conditions of EmploymentMust be a citizen of the United States or Lawful Permanent Resident with a physical USCIS "Green Card" because this position is funded by a US Department of Defense contract.SupervisionThe individual in this position will not supervise any employees.Essential Job DutiesConduct research and develop novel satellite optical flow and remote sensing-based applications geared towards better characterizing cloud and convection diagnosis and nowcasting.Conduct basic research for synthesizing novel information from remote sensing platforms.Coordinate and collaborate with other team members towards targeting and use of these methods in support of various applications in weather and environmental research.Contribute to and lead scientific studies that serve and advance the CIRA mission.Develop scientific ideas and skills for future proposals that may lead to an independent research program.Collaborate with CIRA scientists working on relevant/complementary research projects.Collaborate with operational partners and product end users as needed.Collaborate with faculty and mentor students in the Atmospheric Science Department.Present results at scientific conferences and sponsor-hosted reviews.Prepare required project reports.Publish scientific results in conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journal articles.Required QualificationsPh.D. in atmospheric science plus 1–2 years of Postdoctoral Fellowship experience.Demonstrated deep understanding of methods for image processing tasks, including the use of machine learning such as convolutional neural networks to extract and predict information from satellite imagery.Remote sensing experience working with GOES ABI and GLM, Himawari AHI, and EarthCare.Fluency in coding to read, write, and manipulate scientific datasets, using Python.Experience with Linux/Unix OS.Ability to communicate well, orally and written, and particularly across disciplinary boundaries.Preferred QualificationsStrong mathematical background, including calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra.Experience working with optical flow algorithms and downstream applications.Experience extracting information about cloud properties and/or convection from satellite data using geospatial tools and object-based tracking analysis.Experience applying ancillary datasets (ground-based radar, lightning detection, local storm reports, numerical models) and processing methods for nowcasting improvements, automation, and verification.Experience with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools and processing (e.g. Pytorch).Experience working as part of an interdisciplinary team.Application InstructionsApplications must be submitted via the online portal. Please ensure your application fully addresses all required qualifications and applicable preferred qualifications when describing your work experience. A generic cover letter or missing cover letter may result in your application not being considered.Salary Range$75,000 – $79,000 commensurate with experience & qualifications.Required Application DocumentsCover LetterResume / CVEmployee BenefitsBenefits package includes health, retirement, and paid time off.Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.Access to university facilities and resources.Work-life balance support.EEO StatementColorado 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.J-18808-Ljbffr