Satellite Imagery Production & Communication Expert

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) on the Foothills Campus at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, CO, seeks to hire a Research Associate I or II to support production of satellite imagery, videos and/or animations as a member of CIRA’s Meteorological Satellite Applications (MetSat) Group and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service/Satellite Applications and Research (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR) Imagery Team.

 

Date posted

Mar. 24, 2023 4:30 pm

Application deadline

Apr. 9, 2023 11:45 pm

Organization

Colorado State University

Location

  • United States

Job description

The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University is seeking a Satellite Imagery Production & Communication Expert (Research Associate I or II) to support production of satellite imagery, videos and/or animations as a member of CIRA’s Meteorological Satellite Applications (MetSat) Group and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service/Satellite Applications and Research (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR) Imagery Team. This position will allow flexible work arrangements including hybrid office/remote work depending upon the terms of CSU’s telework policy. 

Overview:

The Cooperative 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. 

The individual in this position will report to the CIRA/Meteorological Satellite Image Production Team Lead and be co-mentored by the NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Imagery Team Lead and the Principal Investigator of the CIRA/NESDIS JPSS Imagery Calibration and Validation project. The individual in this position also will coordinate with the JPSS Satellite Liaison on VIIRS-related education and training efforts and with CIRA researchers on other satellite imagery projects. The objective of this position is to provide an opportunity for a motivated researcher to explore innovative approaches and engage both the general public and satellite user community while working in a highly stimulating and interdisciplinary team environment. The individual in this position will work on various satellite imagery applications that support VIIRS users as well as CIRA and NOAA public outreach efforts, and is expected to establish strong partnerships with both CIRA research staff and sponsors. 

Specifically, the individual in this position will produce and evaluate imagery from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on-board the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) constellation of satellites, and will work closely with CIRA researchers and the NOAA Office of Low Earth Observations (LEO) to identify interesting weather and/or hazard-related phenomena as seen by VIIRS and create imagery and/or animations of these events that may be shared and used on the CIRA website, CIRA and NOAASatellites social media feeds, technical presentations, blog posts and publications by both CIRA and NOAA scientists, and for training and education purposes. This imagery will also be used in CIRA and NOAA public outreach and media outreach efforts, including the newly created CIRA Satellite Library website (https://satlib.cira.colostate.edu). Example phenomena include tropical cyclones, severe thunderstorms, wildfires, smoke, blowing dust, auroras, and any interesting cloud or surface features. The individual in this position also will develop new methods for visualizing VIIRS imagery and develop novel VIIRS imagery products in support of ongoing CIRA and NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Imagery Team projects.   

Job Responsibilities:

Imagery Production & Collaborative Outreach 65%

  • collaborate with scientists at CIRA and NOAA on activities related to JPSS VIIRS observations;
  • select weather phenomena and prepare satellite imagery and/or animations for use on social media and CIRA’s Satellite Library website and provide contextual information on this imagery;
  • develop an archive of satellite images and animations to be used by CIRA, NOAA and other scientists, in collaboration with CIRA Image Production Team;
  • coordinate regularly via email and periodic meetings with CIRA and NOAA scientists;
  • collaborate with the CIRA and NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Imagery teams on CIRA's suite of imagery products created for media use and general education. 

Independent and Applied Research 25%

  • develop novel methods for visualizing VIIRS imagery and data within the context of public outreach;
  • develop novel VIIRS imagery products with a focus on demonstrating unique capabilities of VIIRS;
  • improve existing VIIRS imagery production and product dissemination at CIRA. 

Reporting and Documentation 10%

  • contribute to project reports, NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch (RAMMB) Weekly reports and CIRA Annual Report;
  • participate in CIRA’s daily Weather Discussions, monthly MetSat Team, and monthly NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Imagery Team meetings. 

Qualifications:

Note: Please detail each of these items in your cover letter and resume.

  • for Research Associate I: Bachelor’s Degree in atmospheric science, meteorology, or a closely related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) field plus 1-2 years of experience working with data visualization and display, including use of image processing software;
  • for Research Associate II: Bachelor’s Degree in atmospheric science, meteorology, or a closely related STEM field plus 3 or more years of experience working with data visualization and display, including use of image processing software –OR– Master’s Degree in atmospheric science, meteorology, or a closely related STEM field plus at least 1 year of experience working with data visualization and display, including use of image processing software;
  • experience communicating across disciplinary boundaries verbally and in writing. 

Preferred Qualifications:

Note: Please highlight any applicable items in your cover letter and resume.

  • Master’s Degree in atmospheric science, meteorology, or closely related field;
  • 2 or more years of experience working with geospatial data analysis and/or science communication;
  • experience with satellite data processing and programming for meteorological applications;
  • experience producing weather-related informational content for the public;
  • experience with satellite remote sensing, satellite meteorology or related field;
  • experience with public outreach, user training, and/or education;
  • experience with social media and other digital media platforms;
  • experience working in a team environment.  

How to Apply:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however, to ensure full consideration applications should be submitted by 11:59 PM MT on April 9, 2023. For full position announcement and to apply, please click “Apply to this Job” at the following website: https://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/123739. 

NOTE: In your cover letter, please specifically address the required and preferred qualifications of this position. A cover letter that fails to address the qualifications of this position may not be further considered after review by the search committee. 

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer.

For more details

https://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/123739