CPAESS Program Specialist II

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

position Type:

Full time, Term – 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

$72,082 – $90,103

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Job Description SummaryUCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Program Specialist II role with the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS). This position will provide professional-level technical and administrative support to the International Fisheries Science Coordinator to organize National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) international science activities. This includes coordinating with staff and leadership within NMFS, across other parts of NOAA, the U.S. Department of State, other U.S. agencies, and foreign partners. The role aids in the facilitation of active bilateral and multilateral partnerships by preparing background and policy papers, briefing materials, and meeting reports.
This position manages operational workflows, including serving as the NMFS Marine Scientific Research (MSR) Coordinator and maintaining a central point for information management via websites and weekly reporting. Through meticulous coordination of logistics, schedules, and communications, the incumbent ensures the seamless execution of the agency’s international science and technology priorities.
CPAESS serves the Earth System Science community in three distinct areas of service. We partner with federal agencies and businesses to hire critical scientific staff enabling a more robust workforce. Through our scientific programs we seek to edify new research with our postdoctoral programs, our visiting scientist and internship programs, along with our interagency support programs. We also help build the Earth system science community by convening and managing summer schools and institutes, conferences, and advisory committees.

Job Description

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59pm MT on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Applications will not be accepted past this date.

Required application materials:

• Resume (preferably in PDF Format)

• Questionnaire (to be completed when submitting your application)
  In lieu of a traditional cover letter, answer the following prompts that address the critical skills needed for this position. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your Resume/CV and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences. Please keep responses to 1-3 paragraphs per prompt.

  • Describe a time when you managed a complex project or program with multiple deadlines and competing priorities. Briefly explain how you stayed organized, what systems or tools you used to track progress, and how you ensured key deliverables were met.

  • Describe an experience where you had to coordinate with multiple organizations or partners outside your direct chain of command. How did you establish effective working relationships, manage differing expectations, and keep everyone aligned toward a shared goal?

  • Share an example of written materials you developed (e.g. briefing documents, reports, summaries, or web content, etc.) that required translating complex information for different audiences. What was your process for ensuring the content was accurate, appropriately tailored, and actionable for its intended readers?

  • Describe any experience working in an international or cross-cultural context, whether through partnerships, research, policy work, or professional relationships with foreign counterparts. If your direct international experience is limited, describe a situation where you successfully navigated an unfamiliar or complex organizational environment and what you learned from it.

Background checks and Federal screens are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Work Location Expectations: This position is open to candidates seeking in-person, hybrid (combination of 3 days in-person and 2 days of remote), or fully remote opportunities. UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories. CPAESS staff deployed to federal agencies must abide by their respective federal agency requirements concerning remote/flexible work arrangements.

What You Will Do

Here is a summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Partnership Management

  • Support ST’s active bilateral partnerships with Canada, Japan, Korea and Norway;

  • Provide professional-level support for multilateral engagement through The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and The North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), including internal clearance, travel support, meeting pre-briefs, staffing NOAA leadership in their US representative roles, maintaining membership and expert group inventories, and after-meeting reports.

  • Coordinate and execute the activities of the NOAA-Canada Fisheries Science Bilateral Meeting

• Policy Analysis & Communication

  • Serve as the NMFS Marine Scientific Research (MSR) Coordinator for review of foreign requests to conduct research within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone

  • Work with regional and headquarters staff to prepare agendas, background papers, policy papers, and reports for international meetings or issues .

  • Maintain and develop the OST International Fisheries Science websites (internal and external);

  • Communicate NOAA Fisheries international science efforts through the development, submission and circulation of relevant weekly reports..

  • Assist in developing OST policy positions on broad international fisheries science issues.

• Programmatic Strategy & Resource Development

  • Aid in the development of an updated international fisheries science engagement strategy which includes maintaining an inventory of international engagements.

  • Identify external funding opportunities and support development and implementation of internal funding opportunities.

• Strategic Inter-Agency & International Liaison

  • Coordinate international science activities within NMFS, between NMFS and other parts of NOAA, the U.S. Department of State, other relevant U.S. agencies and with foreign contacts;

  • Liaise with International Affairs Offices across NOAA to address issues of mutual concern and to receive and coordinate requests for information and assistance

• Regional Engagement

  • Serve as the NMFS point of contact for awareness and engagement in the Americas (which includes bilateral and multilateral initiatives)and in the Caribbean (which includes attending the NOAA in the Caribbean quarterly meetings to share and receive updates in the region).

Who We’d Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in science, education, public administration or a related field, and;

• 2 years of relevant program experience;

  • Or an equivalent combination of education and experience (such as a Master’s degree and 1 year of experience).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability in managing projects and outcomes of moderate complexity and impact.

• Skill in planning and organizing meetings.

• Knowledge of policies and programs related to U.S. living marine resources.

• Knowledge of international marine issues.

• Good oral and written communication skills.

• Strong interpersonal skills in a diverse team environment

• Ability/willingness to travel domestically and abroad, as necessary.

• Ability to navigate multiple tasks with short deadlines.

Benefits Overview

UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance, UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:

• Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities.

• UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one.

• Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions).

• 10 paid holidays.

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

• Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary.

• EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost.

Commitment to Job Application Fairness

Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.

Some Final Considerations

At NSF NCARjobshiringnearme.org UCAR jobshiringnearme.org UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core.

Flexible Work

At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.

Equal Opportunity Employer

UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy.Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.

Export Control

All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.

Work Location

UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

AI Software

ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing theway society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer that strives to develop and maintain a diverse workforce. UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy.
Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). We are committed to inclusivity and promoting an equitable environment that values and respects the uniqueness of all members of our organization.