Dr. Cifelli is a radar meteorologist with extensive experience in precipitation research, including advancing precipitation and hydrologic prediction in complex terrain regions. He is currently Chief of the Hydrology Applications Division (HAD) at the NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory. A major focus of HAD is to improve physical process understanding and prediction of water availability and hydrologic extreme events.

Rob completed a detail with the Bureau of Reclamation in 2016 through the President's Management Council Interagency Rotation Program. He continues to work closely with the Reclamation Research and Development Office on developing improved weather, climate, and water forecasts of extreme events to better meet water management needs. Dr. Cifelli also works closely with the NOAA Office of Water Prediction (OWP) to advance NOAA's hydrologic prediction capabilities.