Jim Ranson
About Jim Ranson
Jim Ranson is a Technical Manager at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, where he leads a team in the design and fabrication of atmospheric research instrumentation. With over 30 years of experience in optical remote sensing systems, he has held significant roles at Ophir Corporation and Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies.
Current Role at National Center for Atmospheric Research
Jim Ranson serves as the Technical Manager for Design and Fabrication Services at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). He has held this position since 2011, contributing over 13 years of expertise in leading a team of engineers, designers, instrument makers, and logistic technicians. His responsibilities include overseeing the design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing of instrumentation used in atmospheric research.
Previous Experience at Lockheed Martin and Ophir Corporation
Before joining NCAR, Jim Ranson worked at Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies as a Principal Engineer from 1994 to 2011, accumulating 17 years of experience. Prior to that, he spent six years at Ophir Corporation as a Mechanical Engineer from 1988 to 1994. His roles in these organizations contributed to his extensive background in engineering and design.
Education and Mechanical Engineering Expertise
Jim Ranson studied at the University of Colorado Denver, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) from 1983 to 1988. He furthered his education with graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at the same institution. His educational background supports his specialization in various engineering disciplines.
Specializations in Engineering and Design
Jim Ranson has over 30 years of experience in designing and managing optical remote sensing systems across multiple platforms, including airborne, ship-borne, space-borne, mobile, and ground-based applications. His areas of specialization include LIDAR, LADAR, RADAR, laser development, radar development, mechanical engineering, systems engineering, opto-mechanical design, program management, and project engineering.