Job Description

Overview

Axiom is seeking a sharp Support Scientist for Operational Wave Modeling Development to accelerate and enhance operational marine modeling capabilities within the National Weather Service (NWS) Regional Wave Prediction System (RWPS)-the next-generation framework built to align with NWS transformation goals. With roughly 40% of the U.S. population residing in coastal counties and rip currents remaining a leading cause of weather-related fatalities, this role advances foundational guidance for Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) to protect life and property. Working alongside a team, the specialist will support the development, testing, and implementation of physics-based and machine learning wave frameworks, integrate coastal processes, and assist in transitioning cutting-edge capabilities into high-reliability NWS operations. THIS IS A HYBRID ROLE.

Responsibilities

The candidate will perform job duties in an independent, collaborative, and initiative-driven way, applying innovative methods across the primary work areas:

• Operational Modeling & System Integration: Work with the team to support the development, optimization, maintenance, and integration of wave modeling capabilities within the RWPS architecture, ensuring alignment with NWS operational standards.
• Coastal Processes & Hazard Prediction: Contribute to advancing numerical and statistical formulations for key coastal phenomena, including wave runup, coastal impact prediction, total water level, and rip current forecasting.
• AI & Next-Gen Techniques: Collaborate on exploring, evaluating, and integrating artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) techniques to improve wave modeling efficiency, parameterizations, or forecast accuracy.
• Interagency & Sector Collaboration: Partner across multidisciplinary federal and private sectors (e.g., USGS, NOS, academic institutions, and
• private industry) to evaluate external models and accelerate the transition of research to operations (R2O).
• Model Experimentation & Validation: Assist in designing and executing numerical model experiments, applying advanced verification, validation, and observational data-fusion techniques across regional and nearshore domains.
• System Support & Web Services: Help maintain, visualize, and disseminate marine modeling output and related web-based products for internal operational and public use.

Qualifications

The support scientist should have the following:

• An M.S. (or equivalent experience) in meteorology, physical oceanography, coastal engineering or a related field, with 7+ years in weather forecasting, physical oceanography, or coastal ocean science.
• Knowledge of spectral wave models (like WAVEWATCH III), in particular for real-time applications.
• Experience in running numerical models on High Performing Computer (HPC) platforms using MPI, OpenMP, Slurm, LSF, etc.
• Familiar with modern software development practices, particularly version control software
• Advanced skills and knowledge of modern programming languages and object-oriented languages, such as FORTRAN90 and Python.
• Experience working in a UNIX environment with advanced shell scripting languages and familiar with running complex jobs.
• Demonstrated proficiency using GitHub to manage software repositories, code versions, and projects.
• Ability to maintain, visualize, and disseminate marine modeling output and web-based products.
• Candidates must be U.S. Citizens or Green Card Holder (US Citizens must have lived in the US for 3-5 years prior to application)

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in operational system integration, and software development for real-time applications within regional and nearshore domains.
• Direct experience advancing formulations for coastal processes, including wave runup, total water level, coastal impact prediction, and rip current forecasting.
• Familiarity with applying artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) techniques to enhance wave parameterizations, model efficiency, or forecast accuracy.
• Strong team-player mindset with a proven ability to collaborate across interagency and private sectors.

Axiom offers competitive compensation packages including comprehensive medical/dental/life insurance and matching 401(k) contribution.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)