CIRES / Earth Lab Professional Research Assistant

• (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.

• 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.

• 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 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, an outstanding network of buses, and light rail systems that service Boulder and connect to Denver, the Denver airport, and surrounding communities.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

To apply please submit the following materials with your application:

• Resume or CV.
• Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
• 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.