Job Description Summary:

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the 2026 NSF Unidata Student Intern.

The 2026 NSF Unidata Summer Internship will offer graduate students and upper-level undergraduates the opportunity to work closely with Unidata’s professional staff on software development projects that interest them and benefit the wider Unidata community. Interns interact with software developers, instructional designers, technical writers, and other mentors within the program, building skill with modern software development processes, learning about data-enabled Earth Systems Science, and generally getting to know what it’s like to work in a community-focused organization supporting Earth Science research and education. Participants contribute to Unidata’s innovative data access, analysis, and visualization tools by writing code, creating learning materials, or participating in other aspects of the software development lifecycle.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Term - Casual (Fixed Term)

Compensation Min - Mid Range:

Undergraduate Interns: $23.41/hr; Graduate Interns: $28.32/hr

Application Notes

As an intern, you will choose a summer focus from a wide range of areas where NSF Unidata has active projects. Some examples include:

• Contributing to existing data management, analysis, and visualization software packages written in languages like Python, Java, and C.

• Creating learning materials that help students and educators take advantage of NSF Unidata software and services.

• Investigating ways that leading-edge technologies such as machine learning, software containerization, and cloud computing can benefit the Earth system science community.

While we encourage you to think about focus areas you might be interested in, and to take a look at some of the things previous interns have worked on, you'll work together with NSF Unidata staff mentors to choose projects once the internship begins.

The 2026 program is an 11-week summer position (40 hours / week) running from May 18, 2026 to July 31, 2026. As circumstances permit, interns will have the opportunity to work full-time in person and/or hybrid at the NSF Unidata Program Center (UPC) in Boulder, Colorado. 

Interns receive an hourly stipend and will be provided with housing (shared with other UCAR interns) and transportation costs to and from Boulder. Additionally, NSF Unidata will arrange for 2026 interns to attend the 2027 AMS annual meeting to present their work.

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59pm MT, Friday, February 6, 2026. Applications will not be accepted past this date, and candidates will receive a status update no later than Monday, March 16, 2026.

Required application materials: 

• Resume/CV (preferably in PDF Format)

• Questionnaire (to be completed when submitting your application) In lieu of a traditional cover letter, the hiring team wants to learn more about your skills/experiences regarding very specific questions related to your skills, education, and academic/career goals to be successful in this position. As part of your application, you will be asked to submit answers to two essays (up to 3,000 character limit per essay). Your essays will be read and weighed equally to your resume, so please ensure you're providing detailed, yet informative, responses based on your experiences. 

  • What drew you to apply for this internship? How do you hope the experience will benefit you?

  • How could your skills, education, and experience be used during the Unidata internship? If possible, provide specific examples of relevant projects you have worked on previously.

    • Note: Candidates who advance in our selection process may be asked to submit a sample project (e.g. past class assignment, research project, previous work project, etc.) that highlights relevant skills.

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