Opportunity

CFRI, as part of the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERI), has received funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the “Act”) enacted in 2021 to carry out a five-year program of work to strengthen collaborative governance processes among governmental, non-governmental and community-based entities engaged in forest wildfire risk management in the U.S. The Act specifically directs the SWERI to leverage their established role and expertise as boundary-spanners to facilitate the coordination and use of currently available geospatial data platforms and products in multi-stakeholder collaborative wildfire risk management governance processes in ways that complement and supplement the diversity of locally-relevant knowledge held by, and available to, managers, stakeholders and policy-makers across spatial scales.

The successful candidate will lead a work group to translate the SWERI provision in the Act into actions, products and performance using a boundary-spanning, transdisciplinary research approach that engages managers, stakeholders and policy-makers involved in collaborative forest wildfire risk management as co-producers and users of knowledge. Specifically, the successful candidate will lead applications of social science research methods and knowledge throughout the co-production process with stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

Establish and Sustain Productive Relationships and Partnerships

• Mentor and supervise members of the project team to function cohesively.
• Communicate and coordinate with leaders and staff at the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute and the other Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes to leverage knowledge and advance synergies.
• Develop and maintain relationships and communications with policy-makers, program directors and program managers in federal, state, and local governmental, Tribal, non-governmental and community-based organizations involved in decision-making pertaining to forest wildfire management, including underserved and underrepresented audiences.
• Establish and sustain outreach and communication mechanisms with multi-stakeholder collaborative groups taking collective action to address forest wildfire issues.
• Develop and maintain relationships and communications with scientists and technical analysts involved in research, development and applications pertaining to forest wildfire decision support.
• Assure compliance with civil rights and affirmative action policies including reaching out to underserved and underrepresented audiences.

Program Development, Delivery, Evaluation and Accomplishment Reporting:

• Develop, implement, evaluate, and adapt methods to:
  • Identify and segment audiences at different spatial scales and decision levels (i.e., national, regional, state, and substate) that use or could benefit from using geospatial data depicting fuel reduction-based vegetation management projects, wildfire risk, and wildfire history;
  • Inventory and document the purposes, tools, and processes individuals within audience segments use geospatial data products and decision support tools to inform fuel reduction-based vegetation management to mitigate wildfire risk;
  • Inventory and document factors that facilitate or inhibit effective planning of fuel reduction-based vegetation management treatments within audience segments.
• Inventory, develop, implement, evaluate, and adapt methods for a range of peer-learning and knowledge exchange activities to promote methods, tools, and practices that improve the effectiveness of fuel treatment planning, design, implementation and adaptive management.
• Define, monitor, report on, and adapt metrics of progress for the adoption, diffusion, utility, and adaptation of methodologies, tools, and practices in fuel treatment planning, design, implementation, and adaptive management.
• Identify, develop, and produce a portfolio of peer-learning workshops, written documents, and presentations to a diversity of policy, managerial, and research audiences regarding factors facilitating or inhibiting the coordination and use of fuel treatment data and related spatial information to assess, plan, and monitor the effects of fuel treatments, and potential interventions to reduce inhibiting factors.
• Oversee project administration, accomplishment reporting, long term budget planning, and work to sustain productive working relationships with WCNR Business Office and other campus administrative units.
• Assist the Director and Assistant Directors in hiring, training, and supervising CFRI staff to conduct tasks and produce products contributing towards project deliverables.
• Conduct necessary travel to carry out project tasks.

Qualifications:

• Completed M.S. in natural resource or environmental policy, planning and management-related social science or closely related fields with 5+ years of experience relevant to the position description; or PhD in natural resource or environmental policy, planning and management-related social science or closely related fields and 2+ years of experience relevant to the position description.
• Evidence of experience leading knowledge co-production, participatory action research or transdisciplinary social science-oriented research initiatives in natural resource or environmental management contexts with individuals from a diversity of backgrounds, experience and knowledge.
• Evidence of self-initiative, independence, and organization in project management, and completion of project deliverables.

Preferred:

• Evidence of experience managing complex projects involving multiple components and a diversity of client groups or project partners.
• Evidence of expertise in U.S. forest wildfire policy, governance and management
• Evidence of expertise or experience using geospatial data analytics and products
• Evidence of experience in collaborating, motivating and encouraging staff to perform at a high level
• Evidence of professional oral communication
• Evidence of publishing research in a diversity of outlets
• Evidence of personal or professional commitment to diversity as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, allocation of resources and/or accountability for diversity outcomes.
• Have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications in the announcement to be considered for hire. Apply no later than October 19, 2023, for full consideration. Mailed or emailed applications will not be accepted.

Upload each of the items below individually as a Word Document (.doc), PDF (.pdf), or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Please note that incomplete applications cannot be considered. Please remove social security numbers and birth dates from application materials. A complete application consists of:

1. Statement of Qualifications (one-page letter addressing each qualification described in the announcement) uploaded in the ‘Cover Letter’ slot.
2. Resume
3. Transcripts (for each degree earned that is listed under qualifications) uploaded in the ‘Official Transcripts’ or ‘Unofficial Transcripts’ slot.
4. Degree Conferral (copy of diploma if transcripts do not include confirmation that degree was awarded) uploaded in the ‘Other’ slot.
5. References – please include within your application contact information for 3 professional references including at least one supervisor. 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 search contact, Tony Cheng at tony.cheng@colostate.edu.

Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires).