Senior/Principal Research Scientist

The Mission

We believe that the future of ocean understanding and predictability will be increasingly data-driven. We build the data acquisition infrastructure to power that. The next frontier is the seamless integration of observations with traditional weather forecasts and data-driven (machine learning) techniques. We are looking for an exceptional and energizing senior research scientist in the field of Machine Learning/AI to shape this vision and make this a reality.

The Role

You will be part of the Ocean Science team at Sofar, taking charge of our emergent AI/ML R&D efforts. You are expected to help develop key prediction algorithms, collaborate with software engineers on building data-pipelines and interface with all parts of the organization (product, marketing, sales, etc.) to help transition R&D into products.

You are expected to individually lead internal projects and participate as a Principle Investigator on grant funded efforts. You will be expected to actively participate in the writing and application process of government funded grants as well as playing a key role in execution. This position will support a combination of research and research-to-operations transition, and you you will be expected to make pragmatic decisions that help drive advances in Sofar’s product offerings.

Competencies

We are looking for an enthusiastic, proactive person who is able to make decisions and operate with minimal oversight. You must have strong analytical skills and good work ethic and a strong willingness - when needed - to work hard and get the job done. Priorities may change, especially since this is a new role at Sofar (and we are still a startup!), so an ability to adapt quickly to new priorities is key. Lastly, we are looking for someone who has the ability to develop and coach others on the team to improve performance and prepare them for future roles.

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Graduate degree in a relevant field, such as atmospheric and oceanic sciences, applied mathematics, computer/computational science, engineering.
• Expert background in AI and ML and general data science, including experience with time series forecasting, deep-learning, data analysis, system design, and prevalent AI/ML frameworks (Tensorflow, Pytorch etc.).
• Experience with modern software development, including strong Python knowledge, version control.
• Experience utilizing AI/ML and data-pipelines on cloud based infrastructure.
• Experience with R&D AI/ML/data science projects, from inception to transition to operations.

Bonus points:

• Experience as a PI on (government) grants.
• Experience using or interpreting output of Earth system models.
• Experience with AWS, Apache Airflow, Parallel Cluster, High Performance Computing.

Estimated Salary Range

• $150,000 - $180,000
• The range listed is what we reasonably expect to pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and may be modified in the future. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, experience, and equity package.

Sofar's Commitment to Climate Justice

We at Sofar Ocean acknowledge that careers in the marine sciences “... have traditionally been, and remain, non-diverse work environments”, thereby limiting the entry and prosperity of underrepresented groups in the space. (Johri et al., 2021) Many of these same groups are disproportionately affected by climate change, and are often excluded from decision-making that directly address their interests and needs.

We are committed to addressing these climate injustices and highly encourage people who identify as women, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to apply.