Junior Space Weather Testbed Scientific Programmer

Lynker Technologies

Junior Space Weather Testbed Scientific Programmer

US-CO-Boulder

Job :

Type: Full-Time

# of Openings: 1

Category: Information Technology

Boulder, CO

Lynker is seeking a talented and motivated Junior Space Weather Testbed Scientific Programmer for a long term contract supporting the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) at the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). SWPC operates 24/7 to monitor and forecast conditions in the space environment that affect the performance and reliability of critical technologies on Earth and in space. SWPC supports national security, transportation, power grid resilience, emergency management, and commercial space operations.

SWPC is also designated as one of three ICAO Space Weather Centers, supporting international aviation.

The Junior Space Weather Testbed Scientific Programmer selected, will support SWPC Testbed by developing, maintaining, and testing scientific software tools used in space weather modeling, analysis, and forecasting. This position plays a critical role in the research-to-operations (R2O) process by enabling the integration of new models, data sources, and processing workflows into operational test environments. The role requires strong programming and analytical skills, a solid understanding of geophysical or atmospheric data, and the ability to work collaboratively with scientists, developers, and operational forecasters.

The Ideal Junior Space Weather Testbed Scientific Programmer will be located in the Boulder, CO, however the role could operate remotely for the right candidate.

• Legacy Code Refactoring:
  Translate, refactor, and modernize legacy scientific code written in IDL or MATLAB into modern, production-grade languages like Python or C++.
• Operational Scalability:
  Design and implement scalable software solutions to replace monolithic legacy products, ensuring they perform reliably in a 24/7 operational environment.
• System Integration:
  Assist in the migration of legacy meteorological data processing workflows into modern containerized environments using Docker.
• Validation & Quality Control:
  Perform rigorous data analysis to ensure that modernized software outputs remain consistent with validated legacy products.
• Interface Modernization:
  Contribute to the development of modern graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to replace aging visualization tools, enhancing usability for operational forecasters.
• Stakeholder
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Work closely with operational staff and system engineers to ensure software updates align with SWPC operational constraints and availability requirements.

• A Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, engineering, mathematics, atmospheric science, space physics, geophysics, or similar, from an accredited institution.
• Legacy Language Proficiency:
  Familiarity with legacy meteorological and scientific languages, specifically IDL or MATLAB, with the ability to interpret and translate complex logic into modern languages.
• Modern Programming:
  Proficiency in Python, C++ within Linux-based environments.
• Workflow Automation:
  Familiarity with version control (Git) and scripting for the automation of operational workflows.
• Communication:
  Demonstrated ability to document technical migrations and communicate complex software transitions to stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and diagnostic skills for complex datasets, paired with effective written and verbal communication for delivering results.

• Modernization
  
  Experience:
  
  Proven track record of replacing legacy scientific products with modern, scalable applications in an operational setting.
• Containerization:
  Experience using Docker to deploy reproducible software packages.
• Operational Awareness:
  Familiarity with the Research-to-Operations (R2O) process and the constraints of 24/7 mission-critical environments.
• Experience working on collaborative scientific software development projects or in a testbed environment.
• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or Systems design.

Lynker is a growing, employee owned, small business, specializing in professional, scientific and technical services. Our…