CIRES / NOAA Data Analyst Associate Scientist I Professional Research Assistant

The University of Colorado System is hiring a Professional Research Assistant - Data Analyst to support NOAA Fisheries. This role involves modernizing data acquisition, producing labeled training datasets, and developing analytical tools for classifying aquatic data. The position requires on-site work at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, CA, 2-3 days a week, emphasizing collaboration across NOAA and academic institutions.
Job Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
(CIRES) at the University of Colorado in Boulder has an immediate
opening for a Professional Research Assistant - Data Analyst,
supporting the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries).

These positions will support a NOAA-wide research program to
revolutionize the classification of echosounder and contextual data
collected in surveys of aquatic animals and seabed habitats. These
positions will:
• Participate in projects to modernize NOAA Fisheries data
acquisition, satellite telemetry, and cloud storage and
processing;
• Produce labeled training datasets using archived
multi-disciplinary survey data, including echosounder, net catch,
oceanographic, eDNA, optical, and other data; and
• Develop analytical tools for objective, accurate, and automated
classifications of echoes to taxonomic groups or species, either
aboard the data-collection platform, or in the cloud.

These activities will leverage resources and expertise across NOAA,
academic institutions, and commercial entities. For example, these
positions will work with NOAA Fisheries scientists to understand
the historical echosounder and contextual data, and package it into
analysis-ready, cloud-optimized formats. The analysis tools, e.g.,
contracted artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) or
Bayesian models, should expedite data processing, improve
classification accuracy, expand applicability of acoustic data,
promote adaptive sampling, and facilitate further and faster
collaborative development.

The Data Analyst will be located at NOAA Southwest Fisheries
Science Center, La Jolla, CA and report on site 2-3 days a
week.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a
culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students
dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We
are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and
individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

At CIRES , more than 950
environmental science professionals work to understand the dynamic
Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet.
CIRES has partnered with NOAA since 1967, and our areas of
expertise include weather and climate, changes at Earth’s poles,
air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earth
sciences, and more. Our vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a
sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal
understanding of the Earth system.

NOAA Fisheries is
responsible for the stewardship of the nation's ocean resources and
their habitat. We provide vital services for the nation, all backed
by sound science and an ecosystem-based approach to management that
support productive and sustainable fisheries, safe sources of
seafood, recovery and conservation of protected resources, and
healthy ecosystems. NOAA Fisheries is the trusted government
authority on the science and management of fish, other marine life,
and their habitats. The position located in La Jolla, CA will be
integrated with the NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science
Center.

NOAA NCEI is responsible
for hosting and providing access to one of the most significant
archives on Earth, with comprehensive oceanic, atmospheric, and
geophysical data. From the depths of the ocean to the surface of
the sun and from million-year-old sediment records to near
real-time satellite images, NCEI is the Nation’s leading authority
for environmental information. NCEI’s Boulder, Colorado office
holds and preserves the Nation's marine geophysical data and
information.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
• Collate and format annotated acoustic data from the six Science
Centers for input to advanced analytical echo-classification models
(50%)
• Organize co-variate data for input to advanced analytical
echo-classification models (25%)
• Work collaboratively with the Science Centers and data
scientists, data analysts, and software developers in support of
the AA-SI ‘Echo Classification’ activity (25%)

What You Should Know
• This is a 3-year position.
• Given project needs, the targeted start date for this position
is June 1, 2025.
• Access to the NOAA Federal Center’s computers is necessary to
perform the work of this position. Access is not available for
individuals working in the United States through a visa or a
working permit. and therefore, we are unable to consider
applications from individuals on a visa or working permit or
requiring visa sponsorship for this position now or in the
future.
• The positions will be rostered in CIRES at the University of
Colorado Boulder, but will be physically situated at the NOAA
office in La Jolla, CA (NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center,
8901 La Jolla Shores Dr, La Jolla, CA).
• Selected finalists will be required to pass a federal
background check.

What We Can Offer
• CIRES can offer a generous compensation package.
• The annual hiring salary range for this position is $57,942 to
$72,428.
• Salary is commensurate with education and experience and
determined based on our CIRES internal career track
classification.
• Some relocation funds are available for this position to
off-set moving expenses following CIRES and the University of
Colorado’s relocation processes and procedures.
• This position offers a hybrid work environment with both
on-site and remote work hours.
• CIRES and the University of Colorado Boulder offer a robust
training curriculum, opportunities for professional development and
a Mentorship Program.
• As an employee at CU Boulder, you receive a pass allowing free
access to the regional public
transit system , which is an outstanding network of buses and
light rail systems that provide service within Boulder and connect
to Denver, the Denver airport, and surrounding communities.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental,
retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The
University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in
Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education
environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

Be Statements

Be accomplished. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require
• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science
• Experience with scripting and object-oriented programming
languages (e.g., Python) and able to learn new languages as
needed
• Experience using version control (Git) and issue tracking
• Experience working with real world environmental data and
solving data-driven problems

What You Will Need
• Excellent use of Python programming.
• Demonstrated ability to work competently and collaboratively,
in-person and remotely.
• Development of sharable, open source workflows using Google
Colab.
• Familiarity with cloud services, specifically Google Cloud
Platform.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.
• Flexible and proactive attitude combined with an ability to
work independently and with other team members to simultaneously
make progress on multiple projects.

What We Would Like You to Have

Please note that while the position details both required and
preferred skills and experience, we invite applicants to apply even
if they do not have the preferred skills and experience outlined in
this section. If you meet the requirements and have passion for the
work, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on the job training
for any additional skills or knowledge that become relevant to the
position.
• Knowledge of metadata and metadata standards.
• Demonstrated ability to work with, organize, and transform
large volumes of data, metadata, and other supporting data.
• Experience with Java and Bash programming languages.
• Familiarity with SQL relational databases. Experience with or
knowledge of spatial data and databases.
• Experience troubleshooting enterprise software
applications.
• Experience documenting standard operating procedures for
technical tasks.
• General understanding of oceanography and collection techniques
for echosounder and trawl-catch data.
• Experience with or knowledge of common echosounder data
software, e.g., Echoview, Echopype, and PyEcholab.
• Experience with or knowledge of the principles and theories of
fisheries acoustics, echosounder data analysis, and echo
classification.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:
• Resume or CV.
• Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly
describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific
interest in this position. If you are selected as a finalist, we
will ask you to contact your professional references. We will be
using a digital reference check solution. This information will be
kept confidential and viewable only by the search committee.
• If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be
verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using
an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of
the United States, please submit a translated version (if
applicable) as an optional attachment.

The position will close on April 9th, 2025.

Posting Contact Name: Carrie Wall Bell

Posting Contact Email: Carrie.Bell@Colorado.EDU

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For
consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs .

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in
any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying
information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school
attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting
or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Carrie Wall Bell

Posting Contact Email: Carrie.Bell@Colorado.EDU