Ocean Sciences Modeling Assistant Project Scientist

UC Santa Cruz · Ocean Sciences

Pay: $83,700–$92,200/yr
Hours: Full-time 100%
Where: Santa Cruz, CA
Apply by: Oct 12, 2026
Posted: Sep 10

Professor Christopher Edwards in the Department of Ocean Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz invites applications for the position of Assistant Project Scientist in Ocean Modeling. The successful candidate will model physical and biogeochemical processes along the California Coast with the purpose of developing and maintaining state-of-the-science data-assimilative state estimates and non-data-assimilative, downscaled representations for research and public distribution. Specific research tasks include model grid generation and developing process pipelines for daily operations that include data download, quality control, data processing, observation error analysis, forcing file processing, running nonlinear and data-assimilative code, posterior model error analysis, model visualization, archiving, and distribution.

What they want

Ph.D. (or equivalent foreign degree) in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences or a closely related field (marine sciences, ocean sciences, etc.).
A minimum of four years of full-time experience in ocean modeling that was gained after the award of the degree.
Experience in model grid generation and developing process pipelines for daily operations.
Demonstrated experience implementing ocean physical and biogeochemical models.
Demonstrated experience using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and its 4-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation and nesting capabilities.
Demonstrated experience working in a Linux system, high performance computing environments, the Fortran programming language, and the Matlab scientific programming environment.

Starts: Sep 9, 2026