CPAESS Program Specialist II

Visa Sponsored Job: No

Relocation Assistance Eligible: No

Job Location: Boulder, Colorado

Position Type: Full time, Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

Compensation Range: $72,082 - $90,103

* Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Program Specialist II role with the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS). This position will provide professional-level technical and administrative support to the International Fisheries Science Coordinator to organize National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) international science activities. This includes coordinating with staff and leadership within NMFS, across other parts of NOAA, the U.S. Department of State, other U.S. agencies, and foreign partners.

The role aids in the facilitation of active bilateral and multilateral partnerships by preparing background and policy papers, briefing materials, and meeting reports.

This position manages operational workflows, including serving as the NMFS Marine Scientific Research (MSR) Coordinator and maintaining a central point for information management via websites and weekly reporting. Through meticulous coordination of logistics, schedules, and communications, the incumbent ensures the seamless execution of the agency's international science and technology priorities.

CPAESS serves the Earth System Science community in three distinct areas of service. We partner with federal agencies and businesses to hire critical scientific staff enabling a more robust workforce. Through our scientific programs we seek to edify new research with our postdoctoral programs, our visiting scientist and internship programs, along with our interagency support programs. We also help build the Earth system science community by convening and managing summer schools and institutes, conferences, and advisory committees.

Final date to receive applications: This position will be posted until 11:59pm MT on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Applications will not be accepted past this date.

• Resume (preferably in PDF Format)

• Questionnaire (to be completed when submitting your application)

  In lieu of a traditional cover letter, answer the following prompts that address the critical skills needed for this position.

  Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your Resume/CV and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences.

  Please keep responses to 1-3 paragraphs per prompt.

  • Describe a time when you managed a complex project or program with multiple deadlines and competing priorities. Briefly explain how you stayed organized, what systems or tools you used to track progress, and how you ensured key deliverables were met.

  • Describe an experience where you had to coordinate with multiple organizations or partners outside your direct chain of command. How did you establish effective working relationships, manage differing expectations, and keep everyone aligned toward a shared goal?

  • Share an example of written materials you developed (e.g. briefing documents, reports, summaries, or web content, etc.) that required translating complex information for different audiences. What was your process for ensuring the content was accurate, appropriately tailored, and actionable for its intended readers?

  • Describe any experience working in an international or cross-cultural context, whether through partnerships, research, policy work, or professional relationships with foreign counterparts. If your direct international experience is limited, describe a situation where you successfully navigated an unfamiliar or complex organizational environment and what you learned from it.

Background checks and Federal screens are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

This position is open to candidates seeking in-person, hybrid (combination of 3 days in-person and 2 days of remote), or fully remote opportunities. UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories. CPAESS staff deployed to federal agencies must abide by their respective federal agency requirements concerning remote/flexible work arrangements.

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

• Support ST's active bilateral partnerships with Canada, Japan, Korea and Norway;
• Provide professional-level support for multilateral engagement through The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and The North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), including internal clearance, travel support, meeting pre-briefs, staffing NOAA leadership in their US representative roles, maintaining membership and expert group inventories,…