Postdoctoral Fellow - Quantitative Ecologist-1

Colorado State University • Fort Collins, CO

2d • $63,000 - $73,000

About The Position

We seek multiple Postdoctoral Fellows in ecological research, mentored by Julie Heinrichs at the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University and co-mentored by Cameron Aldridge (U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, and NREL-CSU). Fellows will collaborate within an interdisciplinary team to develop decision-support tools, spatial models, and actionable science for conservation and wildlife management across western U.S. landscapes. Projects include developing spatial conservation prioritizations using the Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET), integrating integer linear programming with ecological data (e.g., vegetation, species distributions, restoration risk) and partner engagement to produce management-ready outputs across regions such as Wyoming, Colorado, and the Sonoran Desert; and simulating Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management strategies using individual-based modeling (HexSim) to evaluate harvest scenarios and prion exposure thresholds, producing decision-support tools that balance disease mitigation with hunting opportunities. Additional opportunities include analyzing links between pinyon–juniper ecosystem productivity and wildlife populations by applying hierarchical Bayesian models to large-scale avian monitoring data, integrating remote sensing, temporal resource dynamics, and future climate scenarios to inform habitat mapping and management across Four Corners landscapes; mapping wild horse densities using spatio-temporal point-process models that synthesize diverse survey datasets to generate time-series density surfaces and web-accessible tools for monitoring and ecological assessment; and advancing climate-informed fire risk modeling in arid and semi-arid systems, developing spatial metrics of ecosystem integrity under shifting fire regimes, simulating post-fire ecosystem change, and delivering operational decision-support products to guide fire management strategies under increasing climate uncertainty. The Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) is a research and teaching unit at Colorado State University with a mission “to ensure the sustainability of the Earth’s ecosystems through the generation and application of new knowledge.” The department’s interdisciplinary, ecosystem research promotes collaborations among disciplines and across fields of expertise at CSU and throughout the world. As a soft-money research unit, this role is critical to ensure adequate funding to sustain its vital role in the research community both locally and across the globe.

Requirements

• PhD in ecology, conservation, geography, or related discipline
• Experience in statistical analyses or simulation modeling

Nice To Haves

• Strong spatial and quantitative and/or simulation modeling skills
• Understanding of landscape and wildlife ecology
• Experience working on team science projects
• Collaborative project planning and execution experience
• Strong communication, project, and time organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to interact successfully with an interdisciplinary team and with project partners, including federal agencies
• Experience with analysis and software such as: Fire simulation modeling; Vegetation state and transition approaches; Population and demographic modeling approaches; Individual-based modeling models (HexSim); Geographic Information Systems (GIS); R coding; Prioritization/Optimization analysis (e.g. integer linear programming); Frequentist and Bayesian statistics; High-performance computing/AI

Responsibilities

• Participate in the co-production of actionable science in support of federal agencies and funding partners, by leading one or more of the 5 analyses outlined in the position description.
• Support analyses led by other team members.
• Brief supervisor and team on analysis plans/ results/ changes.
• Participate in weekly mentoring meetings and team project meetings.
• Attend NREL Writes.
• Prepare communications for project partners and funders.
• Draft presentations and manuscripts.
• Develop and revise research plans.
• Maintain shared project notes.
• Manage and update project management software.
• Plan time and resources.

Benefits

• Robust benefits package
• Collaborative atmosphere
• Focus on work-life balance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree