CIRES/ NSIDC Technical Writer

Job Summary

The Technical Writer, who will be a part of the Science Communications Group, interacts with several teams at NSIDC to publish and upkeep cryospheric data sets for use by the scientific communities served by NSIDC. The Technical Writer creates and maintains documentation for a broad array of scientific data sets describing remote sensing, airborne, or in situ data. This includes researching and writing about the methods, instrumentation, algorithms, and processing steps used to collect the data. In addition to data set user guides, the Technical Writer manages metadata information and maintains associated web content.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

At CIRES, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, more than 800 environmental scientists work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet. CIRES is a partnership of NOAA and the University of Colorado Boulder, and our areas of expertise include weather and climate, changes at the Earth’s poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, and solid Earth sciences. Our vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal understanding of the Earth system:

https://cires.colorado.edu

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado at Boulder, serves as a national information and referral center in support of snow and ice research. NSIDC is a trusted source of cryospheric data and services, and is a leader in research and development within this field.

https://nsidc.org

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Research and gather scientific and technical information for the development of data set documentation, web content, other technical documents, and graphics.
• Creates, manages, and updates metadata records pertaining to NSIDC data sets.
• Coordinate interactions with product team members to ensure timely and efficient publication of data sets.
• Create written tutorials on how to use data-specific tools.
• Create and update the written web page content related to a data product.
• Participates in NSIDC Product Teams to communicate user community requirements and provide documentation and metadata best practices.
• Contribute to the development, maintenance, and application of NSIDC technical writing standards and guidelines for style, grammar, and format.

What You Should Know

• This is a full-time position.
• Due to NASA funding restrictions, candidates who have affiliations or appointments with Chinese Government organizations, Chinese Government controlled organizations, Chinese-owned companies, or any company incorporated under the laws of the People’s Republic of China are ineligible for hire.

What We Can Offer

• We can offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.
• The salary for this position is as follows:
• Associate Scientist I: $53,000-$61,000
• Associate Scientist II: $60,000-$65,000

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

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Be Dynamic. Be Resourceful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree in a science field, preferably an Earth science subject area.
• Two years of professional writing experience.

What You Will Need

• A portfolio of work demonstrating advanced scientific and technical writing skills, including the ability to write for specialized and expert audiences, as well as the ability to write clear, jargon-free text for broader audiences.
• Ability to clearly communicate scientific and technical information.
• Experience following organizational or publication style guidelines.
• Ability to absorb and work with scientific and quantitative information.
• Ability to work on multiple teams that have diverse missions and operating styles.
• Ability to work independently in an unstructured, collaborative environment.
• Ability to organize, manage, and track simultaneous and continuing unresolved tasks.
• Deadline and results-oriented.
• Aptitude for problem-solving and attention to detail.
• Ability to adapt and contribute to procedural and technical change and improvement.

What We Would Like You To Have

• Master’s degree in a science field, preferably in an Earth science subject area.
• Knowledge and experience in Earth science, polar regions, remote sensing, or related fields.
• Experience working with scientific data.
• Basic familiarity with UNIX operating system.
• Basic familiarity with Drupal or other content management systems.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Resume or CV
2. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
3. List of contact information for 3 references who will be willing to write a confidential Letter of Recommendation for you. You don’t need to include letters of recommendation with your initial application. The search committee will request letters of recommendation at a later time If you are identified as a finalist for this role.

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.

The position will be open until filled. Applications will be screened as they are received.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs .

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: J. Reeves

Posting Contact Email: jreeves@nsidc.org