Ecological Research Assistant/Field Technician

Colorado State University•Fort Collins, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory is seeking two to five highly motivated research assistants to support multiple ongoing and upcoming projects over the summer of 2026. The candidates would become a part of our team at the Ecological Research and Management Group, which also oversees the Western Ranch Management and Ecosystem Stewardship program. Our grant-funded team addresses a variety of applied research questions across multiple ecosystems while collaborating with diverse stakeholders. The projects that the research assistants will support are varied but may surround rangeland monitoring and forest ecology, with research occurring across multiple sites in Colorado, New Mexico, and potentially other states. Topics include monitoring the impacts of new technologies or practices for livestock grazing, effects of forest management, forest carbon inventory, and vegetation recovery post-wildfire. Work will be conducted on public lands and private ranches spanning ecological systems and management goals. Research assistants will gain exposure to a variety of sampling techniques and exciting technologies such as drones, virtual fencing for livestock grazing management, and remote sensing. Projects may include field botany components, offering opportunities to build or strengthen skills in plant identification and vegetation assessment. The work accomplished in this position provides an essential basis for research conclusions and management recommendations. The quality of the work directly affects the quality and accuracy of the science and recommendations. The successful candidate should have the ability to work positively with peers and have strong organization and communication skills. Work is generally performed in a field setting under a variety of conditions, and the research assistants must be available to travel to field sites for multi-day trips. One of the ecological research assistants will be designated as our crew leader. If you are interested in this role, please mention this when applying.

Requirements

Valid driver’s license

Nice To Haves

Fieldwork experience
Vegetation or forest sampling
Plant identification
Dendrochronology
Demonstrated skills in scientific data management and organization
Experience in backcountry environments and conditions
Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Experience with Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
Experience with forest and/or rangeland management
Experience with grazing management
Experience with drone surveys

Responsibilities

Vegetation field sampling
Plant identification
Measuring forest structure
Use of GPS and GIS technologies
Data management
Organizing logistics for field work and/or summer field courses
Routine care and operation of CSU-owned scientific equipment and computer hardware
Travel to field sites for multi-day trips