Lead Web Developer

Overview

Lynker is seeking a talented Lead Web Developer to support the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) at the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). SWPC operates 24/7 to monitor and forecast conditions in the space environment that affect the performance and reliability of critical technologies on Earth and in space. SWPC supports national security, transportation, power grid resilience, emergency management, and commercial space operations. SWPC is also designated as one of three ICAO Space Weather Centers, supporting international aviation. 

The Lead Web Developer selected will facilitate the end-to-end redesign of the SWPC primary website, www.spaceweather.gov transforming it into a modular, intuitive and data-rich platform that meets the needs of SWPC’s 21st-century customers.  This position is responsible for strategic design, technical execution, and stakeholder engagement throughout the entire modernization effort—from research and conceptual design through prototyping, implementation, and operational deployment. The Lead Web Developer will guide integration of experimental models and visualizations from the SWPC Testbed into a scalable public web architecture that delivers high-availability and mission-critical data services. Strong leadership, user experience design, and customer engagement skills are critical to success.  The ideal Lead Web Developer will be located in the Boulder, CO, however the role could operate remotely for the right candidate.

Responsibilities

Duties of the Lead Web Developer will include the following:

• Lead the complete ground-up redesign of SWPC’s public website, from discovery and planning through development, testing, deployment and sustainment.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews and user research to define core requirements, identify customer expectations, and prioritize improvements to the user experience.
• Architect and implement a modular, maintainable, and scalable web infrastructure that supports dynamic content, real-time data, dashboards, product visualizations and reporting.
• Design modern, accessible, and responsive interfaces using human-centered design and usability best practices.
• Integrate new forecast models, scientific tools, and Testbed-developed products into operational web workflows, ensuring traceability, version control, and documentation.
• Oversee web theming, templating, and CMS restructuring (e.g., Drupal, Wordpress) to decouple content, presentation, and logic layers.
• Collaborate closely with SWPC’s Testbed development team to transition experimental capabilities and prototypes into production environments.
• Develop and maintain application programming interfaces (APIs), containerized services (e.g., Docker), and middleware components supporting interactive plots, animation loops, and time-series data.
• Provide strategic guidance to web developers and content managers on architecture, performance optimization, and security best practices.
• Act as the primary liaison between internal stakeholders, NOAA IT teams, and external users for all web modernization efforts.
• Document system designs, data flows, testing protocols, and training materials to support long-term maintainability and sustainability.

Qualifications

The Lead Web Developer selected should have the following:

• A Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, engineering, mathematics, atmospheric science, space physics, geophysics, or similar, from an accredited institution (A Masters Degree is a BIG PLUS)
• 10+ years of related experience.
• 5+ years of experience designing and developing large-scale, user-facing websites with modern frameworks and CMS platforms.
• Proven track record leading end-to-end redesign projects, including research, planning, development, testing, and deployment.
• Proficiency in front-end technologies (HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript), backend scripting (e.g., PHP), and CMS administration (Drupal preferred).
• Experience designing modular web architectures with decoupled components, reusable templates, and dynamic content integration.
• Strong understanding of UI/UX design principles, accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG, Section 508), and responsive design patterns.
• Experience integrating APIs, real-time data services, or visualization libraries (e.g., D3.js, Plotly, KNMI Timeline Viewer.)
• Familiarity with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker) and deployment automation (e.g., CI/CD workflows).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to engage with technical and non-technical stakeholders alike.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment, make strategic decisions, and lead cross-functional technical teams to complete large-scale web projects.

The Ideal Lead Web Developer will have the following:

• Experience supporting operational or scientific websites in federal, academic, or weather domains is a HUGE PLUS.
• Familiarity with NOAA, NWS, or SWPC data products and services.
• Working knowledge of cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) and geophysical data formats (e.g., NetCDF, JSON, HAPI).
• Background in Agile project management, user journey mapping, or design sprint facilitation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience presenting design strategies and prototypes to executive leadership and external partners.
• Enthusiasm for improving scientific communication through modern web technology.

About Lynker

Lynker is a growing, employee owned, small business, specializing in professional, scientific and technical services. Our continually expanding team combines scientific expertise with mature, results-driven processes and tools to achieve technically sound, cost effective solutions in hydrology/water sciences, geospatial analysis, information technology, resource management, conservation, and management and business process improvement.

We focus on putting the right people in the right place to be effective. And having the right people is critical for success. Our streamlined organization enables and empowers our talented professionals to tackle our customers' scientific and technical priorities – creatively and effectively.

Lynker offers a team-oriented work environment, and the opportunity to work in a culture of exceptionally skilled professionals who embrace sound science and creative solutions. Lynker's benefits include the following:

• Comprehensive healthcare for the employee at no monthly cost
• Healthcare benefit covers medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision
• Personal Time Off (PTO) Policy plus paid holidays
• Highly competitive compensation plan regularly calibrated against industry and location benchmarks
• 401(k) retirement plan with company-matching
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) – we're all company owners!
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life and accident insurance
• Tuition assistance/Training/Workforce improvement reimbursement per year
• Spot bonuses for exceptional performance
• Annual Employee Recognition Awards with bonuses
• Employee Referral Program
• Free centralized, self-directed Learning Management System to learn at your own pace
• Personalized career growth plans for every employee

Lynker is an E-Verify employer.

Lynker is an equal opportunity employer and makes all employment decisions based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local laws.