CIRES/ North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center Post-Doctoral Associate in Social or Ecological Sciences

• Requisition Number: 58439
• Location: Boulder, Colorado
• City: Boulder
• State: Colorado
• Employment Type: Research Faculty
• Schedule: Full-Time
• Date Posted: 13-Aug-2024

Job Summary

The North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (NC CASC; https://nccasc.colorado.edu/) at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in Social Science or Ecology with a background in decision science to inform management of invasive species in the Northern Great Plains. The Postdoc will be actively involved in and lead several aspects of the National Park Service funded project titled “Grassland Resilience in the Northern Great Plains under Climate Change” to facilitate improvement and usability of existing adaptive management tools. The Postdoctoral candidate will specifically inform the improvement of the Annual Brome Adaptive Management (ABAM) program, which is a joint effort between U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and several National Park Service (NPS) units and programs in the Northern Great Plains.

In the ABAM program, a decision support model provides guidance to park managers regarding when and where to apply actions such as prescribed fire and herbicides for controlling invasive grasses and restoring native vegetation. After two years of implementation, several possible expansions and improvements to the program are being explored, with support from the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. The Postdoctoral Associate may contribute to several aspects of this effort. The selected applicant will gain experience and knowledge in actionable science approaches to support science-based management of federal and private lands; work with personnel in a variety of capacities in academia and federal science and management agencies; and learn about the science and management of Northern Great Plains grasslands. In addition to serving the needs of our partners (USGS and NPS), the Postdoctoral Associate will also have the opportunity to develop and pursue related research efforts.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. 

Who We Are

CIRES is a leading institute at CU Boulder. At CIRES, more than 950 environmental scientists work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet. CIRES is a partnership of NOAA and CU Boulder, and its areas of expertise include weather and climate, changes at the Earth’s poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, and solid Earth sciences. CIRES’ vision is to be instrumental in ensuring a sustainable future environment by advancing scientific and societal understanding of the Earth system.

The NC CASC is one of nine regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (https://www.usgs.gov/programs/climate-adaptation-science-centers) built to help meet the changing needs of natural and cultural resource managers across the United States. The CASC-network fosters innovative and applied research in support of Tribal, federal, state, and local natural resource management and decision-making.

The NC CASC is hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) within the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). It is a partnership between CU Boulder, the U.S. Geological Survey, and five consortium partners: University of Montana; South Dakota State University; Conservation Science Partners; Wildlife Conservation Society; and Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance. The Center serves primarily Department of Interior agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, and Tribal partners across a 7-state region, including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. We are committed to open science, making data, code, and tools open and reproducible, to better enable a broad community of participants in the scientific process.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Coordinate with project partners on model/tool improvements, expansions, and resulting scientific products, including incorporating monetary costs into the model (20%)
• Understand managers’ perceptions of the model/tool and how those perceptions shape their decision making (alongside other pressing factors) (20%)
• Apply decision analysis to better account for uncertainties in using outputs from the model/tool to make management decisions (20%)
• Explore ways for the tool to integrate the effects of weather variability and climate change over multiple timescales (15%)
• Work collaboratively in a highly interdisciplinary environment with a team of ecologists, climate and social scientists, and adaptation specialists at NC CASC, US Geological Survey and their partners and stakeholders (10%)
• Develop products including, but not limited to, peer-reviewed publication(s), open-source datasets and tools, and public-facing synthesis documents (15%) 

What You Should Know

• This is a full-time, 40-hours per week, 12-month position with the possibility of extending for a second year, contingent on performance.
• This position offers a hybrid work modality. Other types of work modalities may be considered, following current CIRES and university guidance and policies.
• Candidates must be able to legally work in the U.S on a full-time basis. Anticipated start date is December 1, 2024 (negotiable).

What We Can Offer

• CIRES offers a generous compensation and benefits package.
• The annual hiring salary for this position is in the range of $60,000. Salary determination will be commensurate with education and experience and will be based on our CIRES internal career track classification.
• A modest amount of relocation funds are available for this position following CIRES and the University of Colorado’s relocation processes and procedures.
• 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. Boulder was recently ranked as one of the top places to live in the U.S. by U.S. News.
• 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.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Be Statements

Be diverse. Be supportive. Be Boulder. What We Require

What We Require

• PhD in social science (e.g., anthropology, geography, sociology) or ecology (e.g., plant ecology, rangeland science, invasion biology) or a related field

What You Will Need

• Training and experience in decision analysis science
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Interest or experience working with natural resource managers

What We Would Like You to Have

We invite applicants to apply even if they do not have the preferred skills and experience outlined in this section. If you meet the minimum qualifications 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.

• General understanding of invasive plant management approaches and tools
• Experience and skill in science translation for natural resource managers and decision makers, including crafting visual or graphical outputs
• Basic skill or experience in facilitation (e.g., running meetings)

For a Social Scientist:

• Experience applying social science research tools (e.g. ethnography, interviews, surveys) and analysis (qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis) to natural resource and/or conservation questions
• Experience conducting cost-benefit analysis

For an Ecologist:

• Strong R skills
• Knowledge or experience with Bayesian models
• Working understanding of climate science
• Strong background in grassland ecology and/or invasive plant ecology

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Resume or CV
2. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing how your goals, skills, and experience fit the core responsibilities of this position. Please also describe how your broader knowledge and experiences can contribute to our organizational culture and values. (2 pages maximum).
3. List of contact information for three references. You don’t need to include letters of recommendation with your initial application. The search committee will request at least one letter of recommendation at a later time if you are identified as a finalist for this position.

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.

Application deadline and expected start date:

• Full consideration will be given to completed applications received by September 10, 2024.
• Position will remain posted until filled.

For questions about the position, please contact Imtiaz Rangwala (imtiaz.rangwala@colorado.edu), Christy Miller Hesed (Christine.Hesed@colorado.edu), or Kyra Clark-Wolf (Kyra.clark-wolf@colorado.edu). 

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.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Imtiaz Rangwala

Posting Contact Email: imtiaz.rangwala@colorado.edu