Job Summary
The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
(CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder is hiring a data
manager to support NOAA’s National Center for Environmental
Information (NCEI). Based at the David Skaggs Research Center in
Boulder, Colorado, the successful candidate will support large
volume data management for the ocean acoustic community.
Joining a multidisciplinary team of scientists, data managers, and
software engineers, the candidate will assist with stewarding ocean
acoustic data, inclusive of public discovery and access, and supply
customer service to global data users. The candidate will also
strengthen existing partnerships within the community to address a
vast need for data management.
The ideal applicant will have experience managing large and/or
complex data sets, possess strong organizational and communication
skills, a keen attention to detail, the ability to operate
independently, and a flexible, upbeat approach to collaborating
with team members.
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.
Who We Are
CIRES is an internationally recognized
leader in innovative environmental science and research and is
located at the University of Colorado Boulder. At CIRES, more than
900 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.
NCEI as the Nation’s leading authority
for environmental information, hosts and provides access to one of
the most significant archives on Earth, encompassing comprehensive
oceanic, atmospheric, and geophysical data. Its data collections
span from million-year-old sediment records to near real-time
satellite imagery, reaching from the depths of the ocean to the
surface of the sun. Specifically, the marine geophysical data and
information for the Nation are held and preserved at NCEI’s
Boulder, Colorado office.
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
- Manage the passive acoustic data archive (50%)
- Communicate with community and archive team to coordinate and
shepherd data submissions, prioritize submissions, identify
enhancements or new capabilities needed to accomplish archive
objectives (20%)
Maintain relational databases to enable discovery and access to
data (10%)
Support the water column sonar data archive (10%)
Self-manage work with a variety of projects, stakeholders, and
team members concurrently (10%)
What You Should Know
- Visa sponsorship is not offered for this role. Candidates who
may require visa sponsorship now or in the future or who are
working in the U.S through a visa or a working permit, are not
eligible for hire in this role.
- Given project deliverables, candidates must be eligible to work
in the U.S on a full-time basis and have federal clearance
completed by the targeted start date of November 1.
- This position will be rostered in CIRES at the University of
Colorado Boulder but will be physically situated at the NOAA office
in Boulder, CO (David Skaggs Research Center, 325 Broadway,
Boulder, CO).
- Selected finalists will be required to pass a federal
background clearance check.
What We Can Offer
- CIRES offers a generous compensation package.
- The hiring salary range for this position is $57,942-
$85,272 . Salary is commensurate with education and experience
and determined based on our CIRES internal career track
classification.
- Some relocation expenses are available for this position
following CIRES and the University of Colorado’s relocation
processes and procedures.
- This position can accommodate a hybrid work modality.
- CIRES and the University of Colorado Boulder offer a robust
training curriculum, opportunities for professional development,
and a Mentorship Program.
- Boulder is a vibrant
community with access to mountain parks, dog parks, miles of
trails, rivers, lakes, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, theaters,
museums, and sports venues.
- 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
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 Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder
offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class
outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through
the
CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
Be enlightened. Be successful. Be Boulder.
What We Require
- A bachelor’s degree in marine science, Earth science, data
science, or another STEM field is required.
- Experience working with and/or managing environmental
data.
What You Will Need
- Flexible and proactive attitude combined with an ability to
work independently and with other team members to simultaneously
make progress on multiple projects.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
- Strong skills in time management. This role will require
working toward several deadlines throughout the year, sometimes
simultaneously.
- A strong enthusiasm for continuous learning.
- Strong networking skills to work with national and
international data providers.
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in both oral and
written English.
- Demonstrated competence, individually and as a member of a
team, in the pursuit and support of scientific research.
- Demonstrated proficiency communicating with external partners
and supporting multiple projects simultaneously.
- A solid foundation managing or working with environmental
data.
What We Would Like You to Have
Please note that while the position details both required skills
and desired skills, applicants do not need to have all of the
desired skills and experience to be considered for this position.
If you meet the minimum qualifications, have passion for the work,
along with experience in a related field, you are encouraged to
apply. We provide on-the-job training for any additional skills or
knowledge that become relevant to the position.
- Experience collecting and processing ocean acoustic data.
- Experience manipulating large volume datasets.
- Experience with object oriented and functional programming
(Python experience is a plus).
- Experience with Bash programming.
- Experience with Linux.
- Familiarity with cloud services (AWS experience is a
plus).
- Experience with or knowledge of relational database management
systems.
- Experience with or knowledge of metadata and data exchange
standards, e.g. ISO, XML, JSON, and NetCDF.
- Experience with or knowledge of spatial data and
databases.
- Experience documenting standard operating procedures for
technical tasks.
- General understanding of oceanography.
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 identified as a finalist for this position, you will
be asked to invite your references to complete a Crosschq
questionnaire on your behalf. Crosschq is an online reference check
solution. All information is kept confidential and shared only with
the members of 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 as an optional
attachment.
Please apply by
September 11, 2026 for consideration.
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: Charles Anderson
Posting Contact Email: charles.d.anderson@colorado.edu
