Part-Time Research Scientist

Job Summary

This part‑time research position will support scientific investigations related to the performance, calibration, and validation of space‑based solar irradiance instrumentation. The position will focus on the analysis of instrument performance and science data products for the NASA Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) instrument at LASP and the NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Extreme Ultraviolet and X‑ray Irradiance Sensor (EXIS) instrument in collaboration with CIRES.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute directly to the scientific analysis and calibration activities that support nationally important measurements of solar irradiance and their applications to heliophysics, atmospheric science, and climate research.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is one of the largest research institutes of CU Boulder, the #1 public university recipient of NASA research grants, and one of America’s leading aerospace universities. With a focus on solar, stellar, space plasma, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, LASP employs both experimental and theoretical approaches to answer key science questions. Since its inception in 1948, LASP has developed, operated, and analyzed the data from scientific instrumentation for solar science, earth atmospheric, planetary, deep‑space, and Earth‑orbiting spacecraft missions investigating the Sun, all eight planets, Pluto and beyond.

The progressive development of research capabilities and use of innovative technologies in pursuit of emerging research initiatives ensures a continued leadership role for LASP in today’s growing “new space” era. Since 2013, LASP has secured over $1.75B in grants and contracts.

Thanks to its distinctive combination of scientific and engineering expertise and its ability both to manage long‑term collaborations with agencies such as NASA and to respond to faster‑moving opportunities with private sponsors, LASP has grown rapidly in the last decade, with expenditures that exceed well over $150M annually, secured through grants, contracts, and other funding vehicles. Some 400 of LASP’s 600‑person staff are technical staff and research scientists.

The LASP community includes tenure/tenure‑track faculty, approximately 110 student employees, 69 graduate students, and 10 postdocs.

An important element of LASP’s mission is to train the next generation of space scientists and engineers: through wide‑ranging research and flight projects, LASP participates actively in the development of the future leaders of space research and is a leader in educating students with highly valued technical and scientific skills. Undergraduate and graduate student participation is integral to LASP’s R&D and operational success.

In this regard, LASP has been both a contributor to and beneficiary of the remarkable growth of the state of Colorado’s space sector.

• Instrument characterization, calibration analysis, algorithm development and evaluation, data quality assessment, and support for the generation, validation, and interpretation of scientific data products.
• Contribute to ongoing mission science activities and collaborate with scientists, instrument specialists, and project personnel to ensure the continued quality and scientific utility of mission datasets.
• Other duties as assigned.

• $65.88 – $98.88 per hour.

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well‑being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of…