Software Engineer Student Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is one of the largest research institutes of CU Boulder, the #1 public university recipient of NASA research grants, and one of America's leading aerospace universities. With a focus on solar, stellar, space plasma, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, LASP employs both experimental and theoretical approaches to answer key science questions. Since its inception in 1948, LASP has developed, operated, and analyzed the data from scientific instrumentation for solar science, earth atmospheric, planetary, deep-space, and Earth-orbiting spacecraft missions investigating the Sun, all eight planets, Pluto and beyond. The progressive development of research capabilities and use of innovative technologies in pursuit of emerging research initiatives ensures a continued leadership role for LASP in today's growing "new space" era. Since 2013, LASP has secured over $1.75B in grants and contracts.

Thanks to its distinctive combination of scientific and engineering expertise and its ability both to manage long-term collaborations with agencies such as NASA and to respond to faster-moving opportunities with private sponsors, LASP has grown rapidly in the last decade, with expenditures that exceed well over $150M annually, secured through grants, contracts, and other funding vehicles. Some 400 of LASP's 600-person staff are technical staff and research scientists. The LASP community includes tenure/tenure-track faculty, approximately 110 student employees, 69 graduate students, and 10 postdocs.

An important element of LASP's mission is to train the next generation of space scientists and engineers: through wide-ranging research and flight projects, LASP participates actively in the development of the future leaders of space research and is a leader in educating students with highly valued technical and scientific skills. Undergraduate and graduate student participation is integral to LASP's R&D and operational success. In this regard, LASP has been both a contributor to and beneficiary of the remarkable growth of the state of Colorado's space sector.

• Develop, implement, and maintain software systems for processing, analyzing, and visualizing scientific and engineering data from space science missions on Linux-based platforms. 
• Write, debug, and improve code to process raw science and housekeeping data into scientific data products. 
• Collaborate with scientists to develop algorithms and produce and analyze data products. 
• Work in collaboration with engineers, students, and scientists to define software requirements that align with project goals. 
• Effectively communicate solutions through the creation of documentation, flowcharts, diagrams, and clean, well-documented code. 
• Apply software engineering best practices throughout the development process. 
• Engage in peer/code review with teammates, assessing techniques, procedures, and technical approaches to promote collective improvement. 
• Other duties as assigned.

• The final round of candidates will be asked to participate in a "take-home" coding exercise and will be invited for an in-person interview. 
• Occasional limited travel may be necessary for this position, to support remote instrument/project activities lasting up to 1 week at a time.
• A flexiblehybrid remote/on-site workschedule is possible, to include in-person support of significant project meetings and activities.
• Due to requirements to access export-controlled data and information, only U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), or other protected individuals (i.e., persons designated as an asylee, refugee, or temporary resident under amnesty provisions) may apply.

Level Determination

The level (II or III) will be determined based on the selected candidate's education, experience, technical depth, and demonstrated ability to perform work at the defined scope.

• Data Systems Software Engineer II Range: $99,594 - $129,545
• Data Systems Software Engineer III Range: $120,416 - $156,628

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

• BS/BA in computer or physical sciences, or related field. 
• Experience with scientific programming, software development, or data processing: 
  • Data Systems Software Engineer II: 2-4 years 
  • Data Systems Software Engineer III: 5-8 years 

• Experience in scientific programming 
• Experience with Command Line Interfaces (CLIs)/Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) 
• Experience using source code version control systems and interfaces (e.g., Git, GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab) 
• Experience interacting with relational databases (e.g., Amazon RDS, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite) 
• Familiarity with Agile-based software development workflows 
• Familiarity with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines 
• Experience contributing to open-source software projects 

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Resume or CV.
2. Cover Letter.

(Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.

Please apply by 7/20/2026 for consideration. 

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.