Job Details

Professional Scientist I/Lab Manager

Position Number: 6227482
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Laboratory and Research

Professional Scientist I/Lab Manager

Requisition Number: 64271
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 31-May-2025
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Mountain Ecology and Biogeography Lab at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and the University of Colorado is seeking a highly motivated and qualified Professional Research Assistant to manage field and laboratory activities related to two projects. The initial assignment will be for fifteen months with the possibility of extension pending funding and evaluation. Salary will be commensurate with experience as a Professional Research Assistant. The preferred start date is June 16, 2025.
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

As the University's oldest institute, INSTAAR has a long history of responding to pressing environmental issues including climate change. Our traditional focus has been on alpine, Arctic, and Antarctic regions, where effects of global change are especially pronounced. In recent decades, our research has broadened to include environmental challenges that span local, regional, and global scales. INSTAAR's research activities integrate field studies, state-of-the-art laboratory experiments, sample analysis, and numerical and laboratory modeling. Our field sites are located across all seven continents and the world's oceans.

Our expertise across disciplines helps us generate influential science that can inform public and policy decisions and move us toward a more sustainable society. INSTAAR's national and international research leadership is augmented by exceptional strength in graduate education and bringing undergraduates into the research process.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Serve as a field and lab manager for the Mountain Ecology and Biogeography Lab (Mt. Bio Lab), established by Dr. Sisimac Duchicela (PI). Primary responsibilities will include:

Fieldwork: Our main field season occurs during the summer from mid-June to mid-September (mostly at the MRS (Mountain Research Station)-Niwot Ridge LTER). This summer, our lab is collaborating on a new project with the Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Activities will include supporting a team of six invited scientists on major parts of the project:

Studying breeding systems of high alpine plants by helping to bag flowers of selected species,
Help collect and/or study pollen deposition from selected. This will require coordinating with the team at the MRS or staying at the MRS to assist with fieldwork. Therefore, we are looking for a highly motivated individual with plenty of fieldwork experience and the ability to hike for long periods of time at high elevation with equipment to collect plant samples or monitor flowers/buds.

Lab work: During the summer, lab work will consist of processing floral and other plant traits. In the fall, lab duties will include ordering, assembling and maintaining equipment and creating a database of lab (and field) protocols. Work with PI on obtaining plant permits and setting up/requesting greenhouse space for new experiments.

General support and research: This is a new lab, so we are setting up our lab space and our workflow! Part of the lab manager's job will be to research equipment (or alternatives to buying equipment). A big part of the job will also be data processing and some analysis. We need to organize and upload our field data from this summer and past data plus help create a streamline process for future data. Therefore, the timeline will look like this: summer 2025 (fieldwork at Niwot Ridge LTER), fall and spring 2025 (greenhouse/lab setup plus data processing), summer 2026 (fieldwork either in Ecuador or Niwot Ridge or both).

What We Can Offer

$50,000 - $56,000, depending on experience.

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 ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

Minimum of a bachelor's degree in environmental science, ecology, biology, chemistry, geography, hydrology, or related fields, 2-3 years specialized experience in related field.
Valid driver's license.
Experience doing vegetation surveys or basic plant identification and conducting fieldwork in all-weather conditions.
A minimum of 3 days per week in the summer will be expected.

What You Will Need

Must be able to work effectively with minimal daily supervision.
Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written, including listening and responding to questions effectively.
Ability and willingness to travel to field sites in Colorado.
Proficiency with basic computer software including the Microsoft Office suite, as well as, online collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
Must have the ability to pay close attention to details and keep clear and accurate records.
Willingness to learn new methods or skills related to new instrumentation or field sampling to support project goals.
Knowledge and basic skills in R and basic statistics.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

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

Please apply by 5/31/25 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder 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.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Professional-Scientist-I-Lab-Manager/64271