Research Associate

  • Full-time
  • Verisk Business: AER

Company Description

Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), a Verisk business, has been helping businesses and governments better anticipate and manage climate and weather-related risks for more than 40 years. Large government agencies like NOAA, NASA and the Departments of Defense and Energy rely on AER’s scientists to help solve weather and climate related problems of vital national importance in energy, environment and national security. Large insurance, energy and investment firms count on AER to help them decrease weather-related losses and increase profitability by integrating state-of-the-art climate science and weather information into their planning and decision processes.  To learn more about AER please visit us at: www.aer.com. We are proud to be a part of the Verisk family of companies!  

At the heart of what we do is help clients manage risk. Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) provides data and insights to our customers in insurance, energy and the financial services markets so they can make faster and more informed decisions.     

Our global team uses AI, machine learning, automation, and other emerging technologies to collect and analyze billions of records. We provide advanced decision-support to prevent credit, lending, and cyber risks. In addition, we monitor and advise companies on complex global matters such as climate change, catastrophes, and geopolitical issues.   

But why we do our work is what sets us apart. It stems from a commitment to making the world better, safer and stronger.   

It’s the reason Verisk is part of the UN Global Compact sustainability initiative. It’s why we made a commitment to balancing 100 percent of our carbon emissions. It’s the aim of our “returnship” program for experienced professionals rejoining the workforce after time away. And, it’s what drives our annual Innovation Day, where we identify our next first-to-market innovations to solve our customers’ problems.     

At its core, Verisk uses data to minimize risk and maximize value. But far bigger, is why we do what we do.  

At Verisk you can build an exciting career with meaningful work; create positive and lasting impact on business; and find the support, coaching, and training you need to advance your career.  We’ve been recognized by Forbes as a World’s Best Employer and a Best Employer for Women, testaments to our culture of engagement and the value we place on an inclusive and diverse workforce.  

Job Description

AER is hiring a full-time Research Associate to work in the Air Quality group at our Lexington, MA office.  You will work with various photochemical and air quality dispersion models, with an emphasis on CMAQ, on cloud computing platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) to research the science of air quality and address the air quality problems of our government, non-profit, and industry clients.  You will assist the team in compiling and running these models on AWS (using programming languages such as python and Fortran in a Linux based environment) as well as verifying and analyzing the model output.  The position requires imaginative, dependable individuals who can work on multiple projects simultaneously, who can carefully scrutinize the technical work performed by themselves and others to ensure high-quality results, and who can leverage their technical and scientific skills to inspire creativity across the organization. 
About the Day to Day Responsibilities of the Role
•    Support AER’s Air Quality group by performing scientific research and programming tasks. 
•    Be the technical lead for AER’s photochemical modeling projects using CMAQ and other models (CAMx, WRF-Chem, SCICHEM).
•    Assist in the design, modification, development, and implementation of scientific programming applications. 
•    Assist in the preparation and presentation of technical results, software documentation, conference presentations, journal articles, and project reports. 
•    Contribute creative ideas to further the development of AER’s scientific projects. 
•    Continuously expand your scientific and technical skills under the guidance of AER’s senior scientists and engineers. 
 

Qualifications

About You and How You Can Excel in This Role
•    At minimum a Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field, such as meteorology, chemistry, engineering, physics, computer science, or applied math. Master’s degrees or above in fields relevant to air quality are preferred, but relevant work experience can substitute for these credentials.
•    Experience  with CMAQ and its preprocessors, as well as basic familiarity with other air quality models (CAMx, SCICHEM, AERMOD).
•    Experience with scientific programming or modeling in languages such as Python, Fortran, JavaScript, c-shell, and/or Pearl. 
•    Basic familiarity with Unix/Linux-based computer systems. 
•    Basic familiarity with Amazon Web Services or cloud computing.
•    Excellent communication and scientific writing skills. 
•    Candidates at all experience levels (early-career, mid-career, and senior-level) are encouraged to apply. Successful mid-career and senior-level candidates with prior managerial and consulting experience will receive pay and title commensurate with their experience.  
 

Additional Information

Verisk Analytics is an equal opportunity employer. 

All members of the Verisk Analytics family of companies are equal opportunity employers. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, veteran's status, age or disability. 

http://www.verisk.com/careers.html 

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