Job Description

Position Location

Fort Collins, CO

Work Location

Position qualifies for hybrid/in-office work

Research Professional Position

Yes

Posting Number

202500355AP

Position Type

Admin Professional/ Research Professional

Classification Title

Research Associate III

Number of Vacancies

1

Work Hours/Week

40

Proposed Annual Salary Range

$52,000 - $60,000

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here .
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator .

Desired Start Date

08/16/2025

Position End Date (if temporary)

07/14/2028

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on

05/12/2025

Description of Work Unit

Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately 157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000 foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities.

The School of Education faculty is comprised of educator-scholars whose expertise spans diverse learning contexts and populations. Innovative instruction, diversity/equity/inclusion, technology-enhanced learning, distance education, service learning, professional development school partnerships, and rigorous research are embodied in all of our programs. Our faculty members’ philosophies and areas of expertise, along with the School’s core values, guide our pedagogical and inquiry practices, which are typically both interdisciplinary and applied.

Position Summary

STEERS Overview + Partners
Rangeland-based livelihoods in the western U.S. are threatened by escalating drought and climate disruption. Robust climate-smart outreach programs are needed to equip people with the knowledge and skills needed to combat these challenges. This project will (1) Organize and facilitate a novel community of practice, STrengthening Extension and Education in Rangeland Systems (STEERS) for Greater Climate Resilience, that will unite an interdisciplinary team with broad expertise in rangeland climate adaptation and educational program design to co-develop climate-smart drought programming. STEERS will: (2) Assess existing rangeland drought training programs and resources; (3) Develop and deliver place-based rangeland drought training programs to facilitate adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and regionally-relevant, climate-informed decision-making for partners in underserved communities; (4) Increase access to on-the-ground drought planning capacity with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe by co-developing climate-smart grazing management planning; and (5) Evaluate project training programs to inform dissemination and scale-up of climate smart extension and research. STEERS will also (6) Engage students in hands-on training opportunities in climate-smart rangeland agriculture, Extension, and educational program design through STEERS-EXCITE Internships.

STEERS is a partnership among CSU, the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, USDA Climate Hubs, the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

Team Values and Culture
The STEERS team values interdisciplinary collaboration, strong relationships, and effective communication. We aspire to set clear objectives and goals and ensure that all team members are aligned on and understand their roles and responsibilities, with opportunities to adapt and learn from one another while also having fun. Our work is impossible without the contributions of community partners; we value them as equal contributors.

The Position
This position will focus on adult education as it pertains to Extension programming for drought adaptation and planning, support for Extension personnel, ranchers, and other community members, administration of the Drought Advisors outreach program, and grant writing and publications. The successful candidate will work as part of the team to support Extension, improve project-related education efforts and evaluate outcomes. The Research Associate will work in close coordination with Dr. Zarestky and as part of the project team.


Community of Practice: The successful candidate will coordinate a community of practice related to drought adaptation, and design and conduct applied research on aspects of Extension education in the context of climate adaptation planning processes for ranchers and Indigenous community partners.

Team Facilitation and Support: This position will provide project management and organizational support to the interdisciplinary team. Such support includes scheduling, planning, and facilitating meetings, tracking task progress and monitoring timelines for deliverables.

Work with Research and Community Partners: Help organize, host and lead workshops to build the capacity of the content experts and project partners.

Research and Evaluation: Extension education research and evaluation will be based on literature reviews, workshops with partners, and interviews or surveys with partners and program participants. The successful candidate will be tasked with taking a largely independent role in conducting these activities and assisting in the preparation of focus groups, workshops, white papers, and peer-reviewed publications through background research and literature review, partner engagement, and social science data collection, analysis, and reporting and communication with other interested audiences.

Other
Depending on interest, the incumbent may take on teaching and advising assignments or other activities. This is a two-year position with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability.

Some travel to workshops and to collaborate with community partners will be required. This person also will work with the project leadership team to craft research proposals for future funding.

Required Job Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education or a related field plus two years of related experience.
• Expertise in collecting and analyzing social science data for education research or community outreach projects.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple work projects and types of activities with attention to detail and within project deadlines.
• Experience working with and presenting to interdisciplinary groups, and including compelling visuals.
• Evidence of scientific and technical writing for peer-reviewed publication.
• The successful candidate will have a strong interest in climate adaptation in agriculture, interdisciplinary and applied science, and interest in increasing the capacity of educators (i.e., Extension and other technical professionals) in drought preparation and resilience programs.

Preferred Job Qualifications

• PhD in Education or a related field.
• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative social science research, from data collection through analysis and publication.
• Expertise in ecology, forest and rangeland management, agriculture, or other related discipline.
• Experience writing reports funding agencies or community partners
• Demonstrated record of publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience with grant writing and fundraising.
• Experience supporting student internships or service learning at the undergraduate or graduate level.
• Experience with Microsoft Office and/or Google suite, graphics software (e.g. Canva), and data analysis software (e.g. R, NVivo).

Essential Duties

Job Duty Category

Research and Scholarly Productivity

Duty/Responsibility

• Design research on extension outreach and education, including interview guides, surveys, and IRB approvals.
• Develop interview questions and surveys and identify potential case studies for research on drought-related extension education.
• Develop written reports and peer-reviewed publications based on both literature review and data collection.
• Conduct interviews, deploy surveys, and analyze data.
• Present at relevant conferences.

Percentage Of Time

30

Job Duty Category

Project development, implementation, and outreach

Duty/Responsibility

Project development:

• Leverage existing Drought Advisors activities to build and extend programs into a community of practice.
• Design outreach programming for dispersed and diverse adult learners
• Determine the structure and direction of written materials to support future publications.

Project implementation:

• Develop and execute project management strategies and the STEERS team functions.
• Support project interns as needed.

Outreach:

• Manage and lead regular activities of the Drought Advisors community of practice
• Develop and deliver regular webinars, outreach events, and participant support materials.
• Meet with research and community partners to build relationships, co-construct project activities, and deliver findings.

Percentage Of Time

70

Application Details

Special Instructions to Applicants

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter which addresses how professional experiences align with identified required and preferred qualifications of the position, a current resume/CV, and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.


CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Conditions of Employment

Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)

Search Contact

Jill Zarestky, jill.zarestky@colostate.edu, 970-491-6867

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

Job Tags

Full time, Contract work, Temporary work, Internship, Local area, Outdoor,

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