Real-Time Earth

Summary

The mission of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) of Columbia University is to seek fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world. Our scientists study the planet from its deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational basis for the difficult choices facing humanity. Much of this research involves computationally demanding data analysis and modeling.

As part of the Real-Time Earth strategic initiative to enhance the Observatory’s approach to computing and data science, we are seeking six students to participate in a pilot Computational Technology Intern Program during the Fall of 2018. These paid interns will be paired with Lamont scientists and will contribute to ongoing research projects involving scientific computing, machine learning, and big data. The interns will develop software and data-analysis pipelines in support of these projects and will deploy their applications on commercial cloud platforms. In return, interns will gain valuable real-world experience working on challenging and novel problems such as ocean energetics, deep-sea image analysis, and ocean waves in hurricanes.

Qualifications

Interns are not expected to have prior knowledge of Earth science but should have a solid programming background with an understanding of contemporary best practices in software development. In particular, we seek interns with the following qualifications:

• Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or masters student in Computer Science, Engineering, or Data Science. Columbia University students strongly preferred.
• At least two years of coding experience (formal or informal) in one or more languages commonly used in scientific computing (e.g., Python, R, Matlab, or Fortran).
• Some experience with version control, test-driven software development, continuous integration, and other modern best practices in scientific software.
• A desire to solve real world problems!

Potential Projects

Here is a list of potential projects that will be available this semester.

Additional Details and Application Instructions

Interns will be expected to work 10 hours/week and will be paid $30/hour. Internships will take place during the Fall Semester of 2018.

To apply, please begin by filling out this form.

After you have filled out this form, please visit our online application site for further information and to submit the following:

• 1-page cover letter explaining your background and goals
• Résumé (please include a link to your GitHub profile)
• Transcript (unofficial)

We only accept online applications.

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer – Race/Gender/Disability/Veteran.