Data Assimilation Scientist

Job Summary  

Established in 2015, TruWeather Solutions, Inc (https://truweathersolutions.com/ ) is poised to be a leading provider of weather data analytics and innovative weather risk management products in the US market and beyond.  TruWeather’s customized translation of real-time and predictive weather data into discreet workflow decision insights will sharpen resource scheduling, planning, and mission execution.  This results in safer, more productive operations and business success. 

TruWeather Solutions is leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) projects with an aim to design and develop a Weather Sensing Infrastructure and provide high quality, tailored weather data and information to enable safe and efficient operations at expanded scales. 

This position focuses on generation of accurate, fine-scale analysis of weather parameters (e.g., wind, temperature, moisture, etc.) via the combination of multiple data sources.  This process is broadly known as “data fusion” and more specifically termed “data assimilation” when producing a gridded 3-dimensional analysis formed from merging weather observations into a background field (normally a short-term weather forecast).  Potential applications of the analysis by TruWeather include a) products supplied directly to end user decision making, b) forecast verification, c) target data for machine learning, and d) initialization of a numerical weather prediction model.  As a matter of course, the resulting implementations build upon TruWeather’s collection of intellectual property (IP). 

This position follows a flexible, hybrid (combined in-office + remote) work style, with regular office time at the TruWeather’s Research and Development Center in Albany, NY.  The position reports to the TruWeather Solutions Director of Science. 

Responsibilities and Duties  

• Conduct scientific research and development efforts aimed at advancing the science of meteorology and its application to UAS and AAM. 
• Assist in maintaining the Science R&D roadmap to ensure alignment with the company’s vision and goals.  
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to envision, design, develop, and implement software for innovative UAS and AAM commercial products.  
• Construct optimal fine-scale atmospheric analyses via assimilation of diverse (in-situ and remote) weather observations, with a focus on the low-level atmosphere. 
• Provide subject matter expertise and guidance to support business development and growth initiatives, including project proposals and execution.  
• Communicate scientific findings and insights to technical and non-technical audiences through reports, presentations, and other communication channels. 
• Document newly developed technologies to protect Intellectual Property. 
• Assist in recruiting and hiring high-quality teammates, with an emphasis on diversity. 

Education Requirements  

Graduate degree in atmospheric science (focus on data assimilation, or related field) with 5 years of experience in applied research and development. 

Minimum Experience and Skills Requirements   

• Experience in state-of-the-art atmospheric data assimilation and general blending of observations to generate analysis data, in real time and on historic datasets 
• Quality control and aggregation of weather observation data 
• Interaction with large data sets in a database system 
• Understanding of probability and statistics, particularly for derivation of uncertainty (i.e., error variance) in weather observations 
• Excellent coding skills with proficiency in a modern program, preferably Python 
• Efficient and effective report writing 
• Analysis of error variance in a variety of weather observation 

Preferred Experience and Skills 

• Experience with cloud computing 
• Analysis of error variance in a variety of weather observation types 
• Experience with cloud and high-performance computing platforms 

General Skills 

• Ability to work independently 

• Solid interpersonal and communication abilities, both written and oral 
• Creativity in problem solving 
• Result-oriented and flexible