Research Software Engineer @Boston College

Position Title: Research Software Engineer

Full/Part Time: Full Time for 2 years with the possibility of renewal

Start Date: prefer January 1, 2025, but can be flexible

Salary Range: $90K/yr – $120K/yr. Offered salary will be determined based on the applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Location: Position is based in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

About the project: A major challenge in geoscience research is understanding how the Earth’s surface and its interior shape one another to influence tectonic motions, volcanic processes, and climate on timescales from tens to millions of years. However, interactions between these systems remain poorly constrained due to a lack of models that capture the coupled dynamics between Earth’s interior and surface processes. This project, funded through the NSF CSSI Program, will couple two widely used, open-source software packages: ASPECT, a mantle dynamics simulation package that is used extensively for long-term modeling of tectonic plates; and Landlab, an environment that models surface processes. The software and workflows developed through this project will enable scientific communities that are typically siloed, studying either Earth’s surface or its interior, to initiate new studies of coupled processes with direct societal relevance (e.g., geohazards, resource exploration). Model use cases will be developed to demonstrate the implementation of coupling on different spatial and temporal scales, which can be used by domain scientists to initiate independent research projects. Training materials will be developed and incorporated into long-standing training programs associated with both ASPECT and Landlab, as well as online videos and interactive web visualizations.

What you will do: We seek a research software engineer (RSE) with at least 3–5 years of software development experience in one or more object-oriented programming languages, with an emphasis on Python and C++. The RSE will lead the technical development associated with coupling ASPECT and Landlab, in close collaboration with members of the ASPECT and Landlab development teams. A key aspect of the project will be making Landlab run in parallel with MPI. You will develop use cases to ensure the key components of both codes work together as intended for the most complex and computationally challenging scenarios, and to demonstrate to the user community that the new coupling can be used to address frontier challenges.

You will also have responsibility for user support: providing technical support to community members and students, investigating and providing timely responses to user questions, and working with users to troubleshoot problems. The RSE will be responsible for creating documentation, examples, and online training materials. In collaboration with other developers and scientists you will assist with organization and teaching at workshops and attend various meetings. This position offers an enriching work experience and an opportunity to work with scientists from around the world on open-source software systems.

Minimum Required Skills:

  • Bachelor’s degree with 3+ years of experience, Master’s degree with 2+ years of practical experience, or PhD in computer science, geoscience, or a related science or engineering discipline
  • Software development experience with Python and C/C++
  • Experience with MPI and parallel code development
  • Experience with git and collaborative software development (e.g., using GitHub, Bitbucket, or similar)
  • Unix command line and shell scripting experience
  • Good communication skills (written and oral) and strong commitment to working in a team
  • Demonstrated ability to work closely with diverse staff, developers, and end users
  • Strong desire to continue learning new skills, tools, and concepts

Other Preferable Skills:

  • Programming experience involving coupling of models
  • Experience with Jupyter Notebook (creating and using)
  • Experience teaching, especially with Python and Jupyter Notebook
  • Experience in mathematical and numerical model development and application

Applicant Information: Curriculum Vitae, cover letter, proof of highest degree earned (copy of diploma or unofficial transcripts), contact information for 3 references familiar with the applicant’s professional qualifications for the position. CV and cover letter should clearly illustrate how prior knowledge and experience meets the minimum and preferable skills for this position. Review of applications will begin on October 1st, 2024.

Boston College conducts background checks as part of the hiring process. To apply for the position, please visit: https://bc.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home/requisition/9222

Inquiries may be directed to Prof. Mark Behn (mark.behn@bc.edu).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university that strives to integrate research excellence with a foundational commitment to formative liberal arts education. We encourage applications from candidates who are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. Boston College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected category including disability and protected veteran status. To learn more about how BC supports diversity and inclusion throughout the university, please visit the Office for Institutional Diversity at http://www.bc.edu/offices/diversity.

Mark D. Behn
Professor, Director of Weston Observatory
Boston College
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
email: mark.behn@bc.edu
phone: (617) 552-2180