Scientific Data System User Interface Lead

This position is a 12-month Limited Term (LT) and may be extended up to 24 months or become permanent.

If you have permanent status and have passed probation, you have mandatory reinstatement rights into your former position/classification at the end of this LT appointment. You will be separated from state service if you have not had prior permanent or probationary civil service status. During this 12-month limited-term assignment, you may be entitled to receive health, dental, and vision benefits. You will also earn State Service and accrue monthly leave credits.
 

Do you have a background in both science and software development and want to apply it towards helping California fight climate change? CARB's Research Division has an opening for an Air Pollution Specialist (APS) in the Remote Sensing Data Analysis Section (RSDAS). This recently formed section will serve as the central hub for methane data collected from remote sensing technology in order to support a variety of CARB programs and policies. Specifically, this section will develop and maintain the technical infrastructure for managing and analyzing satellite-based observations of methane plumes to support CARB’s goals to reduce emissions of this significant greenhouse gas and its co-pollutants. RSDAS will also be responsible for establishing effective communication mechanisms to notify external stakeholders about methane detections and collect information about the actions taken to address these emissions, summarize data and results in the form of interactive visualizations and dashboards, and support collaborative efforts to protect the health and wellbeing of California’s most vulnerable communities.

The incumbent will lead the development of a web-based application to collect information from facility operators, CARB, and partner agencies regarding actions taken to address detections of methane plumes in California. This position will work in the team developing and maintaining CARB’s satellite methane data pipeline to ensure the program collects and manages the data effectively and provides useful and accessible end products. The APS will also coordinate testing of software components and data products to ensure they function as intended and serve the needs of users. The selected candidate will maintain a current working knowledge of available software frameworks and services and provide recommendations for those which can be applied to the use cases of the satellite methane project. As needed, the APS will coordinate and participate in demonstrations and training related to the satellite methane data management system and proposed components. This includes documenting the system and its business processes to assist internal and external partners and other jurisdictions in understanding how the system is designed and operates.

This position will serve a valuable role as a bridge between the scientific vision of CARB’s satellite methane project and information technology processes necessary to accomplish it. Therefore, the APS must develop a thorough and continuous understanding of the requirements for determining, requesting, and deploying technology resources from both CARB’s Office of Information Services (OIS) and the California Department of Technology (CDT). This will involve formally documenting how the proposed design and architecture of CARB’s satellite methane data management system will satisfy all relevant security and software development requirements, in particular, for a new external facing authenticated component to collect information about actions taken to investigate and address emissions. This position will work with other members of the RSDAS development team to integrate new features into the existing data management system and processing pipeline while remaining consistent with requirements and best practices of the approved software development lifecycle. 

Effective collaboration will be a core responsibility of the position in order to understand the data and analysis needs of a diverse range of internal and external users and ensure RSDAS’s system can deliver them. This includes working closely with OIS to determine what information technology resources are available and best suited for CARB’s satellite methane project. The successful candidate must also understand how iterative deployment, testing, and user feedback can be used to inform and implement an effective user experience within a full stack application.  Active participation by this APS in Architecture Review Board meetings and agency-wide working groups to discuss and demonstrate software frameworks and will also benefit CARB’s collective growth and vision in regard to applying technology to science and policy.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This position may be eligible for hybrid in-office work and in-state telework. The amount of telework is at the agency's discretion and is based on the California Air Resources Boards' (CARB) current telework policy. While the CARB may support telework, some in-person attendance is also required. 

The positions at the CARB may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position under Government Code 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California, subject to the candidate meeting telework eligibility criteria outlined in the CalEPA telework policy and/or future program need. Employees not residing in California are not eligible for telework. Regardless of hybrid telework eligibility, all employees may be required to report to the position’s designated headquarters location at their own expense, as indicated on their duty statement.

• Position located in a high-rise building.
• Standard office environment (artificial lighting, controlled temperature, etc.)