Airborne Research at NSF NCAR’s Research Aviation Facility
Advancing our understanding of Earth’s Atmosphere through world-class airborne platforms, instrumentation, and science.
I serve as Section Head of the Research Aviation Facility at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a national resource operated in partnership with the National Science Foundation to support airborne research across the geosciences. RAF operates the NSF/NCAR HIAPER GV and C-130 research aircraft alongside an extensive suite of in-house instrumentation, serving investigators from institutions across the country and around the world. My goal is straightforward: to make RAF the most sought-after partner for airborne field campaigns in the world, known for scientific excellence, operational capability, and the ability to meet the demands of any complex deployment we take on.
My own background is in airborne chemical instrumentation with nearly two decades developing and deploying CIMS instruments for atmospheric field research. That experience informs how I lead, with a deep appreciation for what it takes to do rigorous science in a demanding environment, and a commitment to giving every research team the platform they need to succeed.
New Employment Opportunity – Lead Airborne Systems – Software engineer IV
NCAR’s Research Aviation Facility (RAF) is hiring a Lead Airborne Systems – Software Engineer IV to lead our airborne data acquisition, processing, and cabin display software, following the retirement of our longtime lead engineer after 34 years of service.
This is a rare opportunity to own the full software stack behind a world-class research aircraft program. Real-time data acquisition, instrument integration, embedded Linux/PC-104 systems, cybersecurity, and field deployments aboard the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V and C-130. You’ll lead a team of engineers and data managers, modernize mission-critical systems, and work directly with scientists and flight crews on some of the most technically demanding airborne science in the world.
We’re looking for 12+ years of relevant experience, strong C++/Python/Linux chops, and ideally some background in real-time systems, Qt, or scientific data pipelines (netCDF/CF).
Link to position posting: https://ucar.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UCAR_Careers/job/Lead-Airborne-Systems—Software-Engineer-IV_REQ-2026-177-1
Research Priorities & Facility Mission
RAF’s scientific mission is broad by design. Our facility serves investigators working across atmospheric chemistry, dynamics, cloud physics, oceanography, and more. My own research background in atmospheric chemistry shapes how I think about measurement quality and campaign design — and informs the standards I hold for the facility as a whole.
Airborne Atmospheric Research
From urban air quality to the remote stratosphere, RAF platforms have contributed to field campaigns that have reshaped our understanding of atmospheric composition and climate forcing. Recent campaigns have explored urban chemistry, wildfire smoke impacts, and the study of convective storm induced gravity waves. This work continues and RAF aircraft are designed to go where the science demands.
Instrumentation & Measurement Quality
Photo credit: Chris Rodgers
Advancing atmospheric science depends on advancing the tools we use to observe it. RAF maintains and develops a suite of in-house instrumentation and works closely with principal investigators to integrate their own instruments into our aircraft. Measurement accuracy, precision, and reliability are non-negotiable, and investing in instrumentation capability is one of the clearest ways RAF can serve the scientific community over the long term.
Community & Collaboration
GOTHAAM 2026 Team, Photo credit: Chris Rodgers
RAF exists to serve the research community. We work with investigators at every stage of campaign planning — from early scoping through post-mission data access — and I am committed to making that partnership as productive as possible. Beyond individual campaigns, I believe RAF has a role to play in training the next generation of airborne scientists and in helping the broader atmospheric community think ambitiously about what airborne research can achieve.
Instrument Development Projects
Before moving into organizational leadership, my research focused on the development and deployment of chemical ionization mass spectrometers for airborne field measurements. These instruments were purpose-built for research aircraft, demanding environments where sensitivity, reliability, and real-time data quality are non-negotiable. The projects below represent key milestones from that work, carried out during my years at NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory.
WB-57 during the NOAA SABRE missions
DC-8, ATom mission
NOAA WP-3D, SENEX 2013
Pasadena, CA during CalNex 2010
Instrumentation development remains central to RAF’s mission. The facility maintains an extensive suite of in-house instruments available to NSF-funded investigators, and our team continues to develop and refine measurement capabilities in support of the research community. Details on available instrumentation can be found on the NCAR EOL website.