[ES_JOBS_NET] CIRES / Earth Lab Professional Research Assistant, Boulder, CO

[Christine Wiedinmyer]

https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/CIRES-Earth-Lab-Professional-Research-Assistant/72630

Earth Lab <https://earthlab.colorado.edu/> at the University of Colorado
Boulder (CU Boulder) seeks a full-time professional research assistant
(PRA) to provide *support for a project related to invasive plants, fuel
structure and moisture, and the influence on fire regimes*. The PRA will
conduct field work to measure fuel moisture and structural characteristics
of invasive species across the Great Plains to inform wildland fire fuel
models. They will then use models to simulate fire activity in different
seasons to characterize how and when invasive species might change fire
regimes if they invade the eastern slope of the Colorado Front Range and
the grasslands of Northeast Colorado. The professional research assistant
will work with Dr. Chelsea Nagy and Dr. Alison Post at CU Boulder, as well
as colleagues at USDA-ARS and the University of Illinois.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable
federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.
We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated
with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds
to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
 Who We Are
Who We Are

CIRES <https://cires.colorado.edu/> is an internationally recognized leader
in innovative environmental science and research and is located at the
University of Colorado Boulder. At CIRES, more than 900 environmental
science professionals work to understand the dynamic Earth system,
including people’s relationship with the planet. CIRES has partnered with
NOAA since 1967, and our areas of expertise include weather and climate,
changes at Earth’s poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water
resources, solid Earth sciences, and more. Our vision is to be instrumental
in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and
societal understanding of the Earth system.

Earth Lab’s <https://earthlab.colorado.edu/> mission is to harness the data
revolution through research, analytics, and education to accelerate
understanding of global environmental change to help society better manage
and adapt. Research strengths of our group include invasive plants,
wildfire, and global environmental change.

 What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

   - (40%) Leading manuscript writing.
   - (20%) Planning, coordinating, and conducting field campaigns.
   - (20%) Integrating and analyzing existing and derived data sources.
   - (10%) Reporting: Tracking project milestones and deliverables and
   drafting project reports.
   - (10%) Organizing team meetings and collaboration efforts.

 What You Should Know
What You Should Know

   - This appointment is expected to last until 5/31/2028. An extension
   beyond that day may be possible.
   - The Associate Scientist will work in person at Earth Lab's main office
   on the CU Boulder campus in Boulder, CO. A hybrid work modality is
   possible, following CIRES and university guidelines and policies. This is
   not a fully remote position. The in-person experience and engagement with
   the Earth Lab community is a key aspect of this position.
   - The field season will run from Apr-Oct, requiring 1-4 days in the
   field each week.
   - Visa sponsorship is not offered for this role. Candidates who may
   require visa sponsorship now or in the future or who are working in the U.S
   through a visa or a working permit, are not eligible for hire in this role.

 What We Can Offer
What We Can Offer

   - CIRES offers a generous compensation and benefits package.
   - The annual hiring salary for this position ranges from $67,000 -
   $78,750. Salary is commensurate with education and experience and
   determined based on our CIRES internal career track classification.
   - Relocation is not offered with this position.
   - This position can accommodate a hybrid work modality.
   - CIRES and the University of Colorado boulder offer a robust training
   curriculum, opportunities for professional development, and a Mentorship
   Program.
   - Boulder <https://bouldercolorado.gov/> is a vibrant community with
   access to mountain parks, dog parks, miles of trails, rivers, lakes, cafes,
   restaurants, boutiques, theaters, museums, and sports venues.
   - As an employee at CU Boulder, you will have free access to the regional
   public transit system, <https://www.rtd-denver.com/> an outstanding
   network of buses, and light rail systems that service Boulder and connect
   to Denver, the Denver airport, and surrounding communities.

 Benefits
Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder <https://www.colorado.edu/>, we are
committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our
employees. Our comprehensive benefits package
<https://www.colorado.edu/jobs/benefits> 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
<https://advantage.cu.edu/campus/cu-boulder> program.
 Be Statements
Be Statements
Be daring. Be willing. Be Boulder.
 What We Require
What We Require

   - A master’s degree in ecology, environmental sciences, natural
   resources, or a related field is required.
   - At least 3 years of experience leading field campaigns and managing
   field crews working in a wilderness setting.
   - Experience with simultaneous management of multiple projects.
   - Experience with data integration, analysis, and visualization.
   - Experience with project management tasks, including organizing
   meetings, hiring, tracking achievements, reporting, and meeting deadlines.
   - Experience authoring scientific manuscripts published in peer-reviewed
   journals.

 What You Will Need
What You Will Need

   - Proficiency (5+ years of experience) in R and/or python programming
   languages for ecological research.
   - Demonstrated ability to create high quality figures for scientific
   presentations and publications.
   - Familiarity with collaboration software (e.g., Google docs and sheets,
   Asana, Slack).
   - Attention to detail.
   - Strong communication and collaboration skills.

 What We Would Like You to Have
What We Would Like You to Have

Please note that while the position details both required and preferred
skills and experience, we invite applicants to apply even if they do not
have the preferred skills and experience outlined in this section. If you
meet the requirements and have passion for the work, you are encouraged to
apply. We encourage on the job training for any additional skills or
knowledge that become relevant to the position.

   - Advanced knowledge of inferential statistics.
   - Documented experience leading scientific publications.
   - Experience conducting field work related to fire ecology.
   - Experience with both statistical and process-based models.
   - Experience managing and using gridded environmental datasets.
   - Proven ability to develop workflows using complex datasets from
   diverse sources.
   - Experience developing and applying machine learning models to
   real-world datasets.
   - Experience working with large spatial datasets in Google Earth Engine.
   - Experience working with remote sensing data, such as drone or
   satellite imagery.
   - Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., git and/or Subversion).
   - Commitment to open science.

 Special Instructions
Special Instructions

To apply please submit the following materials with your application:

   1. Resume or CV.
   2. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing
   your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this
   position.
   3. Although not needed at the time of application, if you are identified
   as a finalist for the role, the hiring committee will request professional
   references at a later time.

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.
If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a
translated version as an optional attachment.

Please apply by *June 17, 2026 *for consideration

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For
consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs
<https://www.colorado.edu/jobs/>.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any
materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information
such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation.
You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mailman.ucar.edu/pipermail/es_jobs_net/attachments/20260616/2f4982f5/attachment.htm>