Research Engineer, Climate Modeling

The posting, as Ai2 wrote it

Persons in these roles are expected to work from our offices in Seattle. On-site requirements vary based on position and team. If you have questions about on-site work arrangements for this role, please ask your recruiter.

Our base salary range is $146,880 - $220,320 and in addition we have generous bonus plans to provide a competitive compensation package.

We will begin reviewing applications on October 28, 2026.

Who You Are

We seek a Research Engineer for a new three-year project to develop an AI-powered physics-informed hybrid climate model trained on historical data that is capable of multidecadal forecasts that are more accurate than the current state of the art. We’re looking for someone passionate about improving the quality, efficiency and accessibility of climate models with AI and modern software engineering.

This position is supported by a grant with a current period of performance ending September 22, 2029. Continuation of the position beyond that date depends on renewal, extension, or identification of additional funding. Ai2 will make reasonable efforts to notify the employee if funding for the position is expected to end.

Who We Are

Ai2’s Climate Modeling team is an international pioneer in using machine learning (ML) methodologies to improve on current physics-based climate models. Our fast, accurate autoregressive open-source emulator, ACE, stably reproduces the climate and weather extremes of an existing climate model or a reanalysis. We have coupled ACE to a ML ocean model, trained it to realistically account for changing CO2 concentrations, and downscaled (super-resolved) ACE outputs from their 100 km native scale to to km-scale detail. Our tight-knit team of scientists and software engineers works closely with leading physics-based climate modeling centers to obtain unique training and testing data and get expert feedback on our progress. We collaborate with other leading research groups doing related AI work.

Your Next Challenge

Physically-based climate models discretize equations representing individual time-evolving processes like clouds, rain, wind, land and sea-ice, and ocean currents on a computational grid. Some processes (e.g. clouds) are less reliably encoded than others (e.g. winds). Hence such climate models have biases in representing present-day climate and produce an undesirably large range of projections of future climate change for a given human-caused change in CO2 or other climate forcings. Current AI-based climate models reduce present-day climate bias, but don’t generalize well to future climate change.

We are starting a 3-year project funded by google.org to develop an open source ‘AI-first’ climate model that can demonstrably project future climates more accurately than current physically-based climate models when trained on historical observations by judicious design of the AI to incorporate physical principles that reliably apply in any climate, seen or unseen. The model should be lig
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by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you feel you need a reasonable accommodation pursuant to the ADA, you are encouraged to contact us at recruiting@allenai.org.

Benefits

• Team members and their families are covered by medical, dental, vision, and an employee assistance program.
• Team members are able to enroll in our health savings account plan, our healthcare reimbursement arrangement plan, and our health care and dependent care flexible spending account plans.
• Team members are able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan.
• Team members will receive $125 per month to assist with commuting or internet expenses and will also receive $200 per month for fitness and wellbeing expenses.
• Team members will also receive up to ten sick days per year, up to seven personal days per year, up to 20 vacation days per year and twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year.
• Team members will be able to receive annual bonuses and can participate in the long-term incentive plan.

Note: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the team members(s) of this position. Team members will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the team member(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an at will relationship.