Senior Scientist (Casual)

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Hourly Rate: $95.39/hour

Shapes transformational scientific strategies at various scales, advancing theories, methodologies, and translating knowledge into impactful solutions and applications. Oversees multidisciplinary portfolios, influences institutional scientific direction, represents the organization globally, and fosters excellence through inclusive leadership. Mentors future scientific leaders while contributing to innovation, research, or policy development. Engages in mission-aligned activities both within the organization and throughout the broader scientific community. Contributes through a combination of scientific expertise, professional service, and education and outreach efforts.

• Defining and leading transformative scientific initiatives that set strategic direction for research, innovation, and application at organizational, national, or international levels.

• Developing innovative theories, models, methodologies, or frameworks that enhance scientific understanding, establish paradigms, or inspire significant new areas of research and influence.

• Leading extensive, impactful scientific projects/proposals, encompassing research portfolios, programs, or creating technologies or strategies with significant societal, organizational, or policy importance.

• Shaping institutional and sector-wide science strategies, contributing to programmatic planning, scientific policy development, and long-term vision setting for scientific advancement and application.

• Leading and actively engaging in papers, reports, technical documentation, data sets/findings, and proposals as appropriate as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI.

• Serving as an internationally recognized expert, representing the organization in strategic partnerships, global collaborations, scientific policy forums, and high-level briefings.

• Mentoring and developing scientific capability organization-wide; fostering talent, inclusion, teamwork, and innovation within and beyond their discipline, and building future-ready scientific communities.

• Delivering landmark scientific outputs, including foundational peer-reviewed publications, scalable technologies, major reports, or high-profile presentations influencing scientific, policy, or operational practices.

• Contributing to governance and innovation by developing frameworks, policies, and institutional capabilities to advance the scientific mission and ensure long-term excellence.

• Leading development of transformative products, tools, instruments and/or technologies for projects and programs that have significant impact within the discipline.

Education

Typically requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree and 18 years related experience, or a Master's degree and 14 years related experience, or a PhD in a scientific discipline and 10 years related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge

• Has expert-level knowledge in a scientific discipline, with broad interdisciplinary awareness and the ability to bridge theory, experimentation, or application across domains.

• Is a recognized authority capable of influencing and advising national or international scientific bodies through strategic insight, service, and thought leadership.

Skills and Abilities

• Possesses exceptional communication skills for translating scientific insights to technical, leadership, policy, and public audiences across diverse media and formats.

• Has deep expertise in scientific and strategic planning, stakeholder and sponsor engagement, and aligning scientific priorities with funding, operational, and societal goals.

• Is skilled in designing and delivering large-scale, cross-institutional, and interdisciplinary programs that deliver scientific and practical value.

Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.

At NSF NCAR| UCAR | UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun's core.

Flexible Work

At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.

Equal Opportunity Employer

UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy.Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.

Export Control

All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.

Work Location

UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

AI Software

ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing theway society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.