Landscape Ecologist / Spatial Analyst - Fort Collins, CO

Colorado State University, United States

Updated: about 1 month ago
Location: Fort Collins, COLORADO
Deadline: 03 Apr 2023

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title Landscape Ecologist / Spatial Analyst - Fort Collins, CO
Position Location Fort Collins, CO
Work Location Position qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional Position Yes
Posting Number 202300498AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Research Associate III
Number of Vacancies 1
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range $52,800 - $77,000
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University (CSU) is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for permanent full-time and part-time faculty and administrative professional employees in the following University benefit areas: https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ & https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/ .
Desired Start Date
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 04/03/2023
Description of Work Unit
The Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) is Colorado’s primary biological conservation information center housed within the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. CNHP is a key player in Colorado’s conservation of open lands and maintains the only centralized conservation database in Colorado that includes plants, animals, and natural communities. The staff consists of approximately 30 highly experienced biologists and information managers with expertise in inventory, research, and monitoring of Colorado’s flora, fauna, plant communities, and conservation issues. CNHP serves a wide variety of users including federal, state and local agencies, consultants, environmental groups, non-government organizations, private landowners, and the public. CNHP’s annual revenue is approximately 2 million dollars and is generated from contracts and agreements through CNHP’s partners and clients. CNHP generally works on over 40 conservation projects per year. For more information, please visit: http://www.cnhp.colostate.edu/. As a service and research Department within the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University and Colorado’s constituent member of the NatureServe Network of Natural Heritage programs, CNHP offers the ability to collaborate with academic researchers, federal and state agencies, NGOs, and conservation scientists. CNHP offers employees a good work-life balance and supports professional advancement.
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.
Position Summary
The Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) is seeking an experienced landscape ecologist / spatial analyst to help grow our body of work on the conservation of biological diversity across Colorado and the western U.S. We’re looking for someone who is a creative and collaborative problem-solver, able to apply spatial data and analyses to complex conservation challenges. The Landscape Ecologist will provide technical and scientific support for conservation planning projects through spatial data management, analysis, and application. The position will integrate historical, current, and future-projected data, and leverage a variety of coarse- and fine-scale data to address study questions and fill ecological data gaps. The Landscape Ecologist will help CNHP develop and expand remote sensing, modeling, and mapping work in Colorado, maintain and expand professional partnerships and collaborations, communicate results to diverse audiences, adopt the latest methods and technologies in analytical and data visualization frameworks, and help advance ecological knowledge and practice within CNHP and the NatureServe network. The Landscape Ecologist must have a strong background in ecological and/or species distribution modeling to address current and future planning needs and management questions. We are seeking a candidate with a desire to pursue translational ecology by bridging the latest science with on-the-ground ecological conservation, management, and restoration. Prior experience working in ecosystems of Colorado or the western U.S. is desired.
The Landscape Ecologist will work with CNHP’s team of multi-disciplinary ecologists, biologists, and conservation planners. The position will be based in Colorado, and will primarily entail office work, with occasional work travel to attend conferences and meetings as well as the potential for field work. This position is flexible on in-person v remote work.
Beginning Monday, August 16, 2021, Colorado State University has mandated vaccinations against COVID-19. Faculty and staff are required to submit their vaccine status or declare an exemption. More information about the vaccination mandate can be found on the CSU COVID-19 Information & Resources site here, https://covid.colostate.edu/pandemic-preparedness-team-broad-guidance-for-all-summer-and-fall-2021-activities/
Required Job Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in ecology, conservation biology, geography/GIS, or related field.
  • Five years of related professional experience in GIS and landscape-scale spatial analysis (at least two years if candidate has an advanced degree).
  • Strong quantitative ecological modeling skills, with an emphasis on raster analysis, landscape-scale data development, mapping, remote sensing, and/or spatial modeling, and procedural documentation and metadata.
  • Fluency in ESRI ArcGIS and other tools (such as R and/or Python) required to efficiently collect, integrate, analyze, and share conservation data.
  • Experience working with and managing large and diverse datasets.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse partners across federal, state, private, and NGO sectors to advance shared conservation goals and objectives and solve management challenges.
  • A commitment to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and conservation field as a whole.
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, virtually and in-person.
  • Strong written and oral science communication skills, such as communicating complex conservation topics.
  • Careful attention to detail and strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Willingness to travel occasionally to participate in partner meetings and professional meetings and conferences.
Preferred Job Qualifications
  • Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in ecology, conservation biology, geography/GIS, or related field, and 5+ years related experience.
  • Knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic ecology and experience working in ecological systems of Colorado or the western U.S.
  • Familiarity with western U.S. flora and/or fauna, with an emphasis on the habitat needs and vulnerabilities of rare and unique species and ecosystems.
  • Knowledge of current conservation and natural resource issues in Colorado and the western U.S., and experience identifying conservation strategies based on results of scientific analyses.
  • Field experience collecting scientific data, such as vegetation sampling and/or other environmental data.
  • Demonstrated success acquiring funding for, managing, and completing ecological research projects.
  • Prefer to have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license by the employment start date.
Diversity Statement
Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Essential Duties


Job Duty Category Research
Duty/Responsibility
The Landscape Ecologist will conduct applied research in landscape ecology and spatial analysis with an emphasis on actionable science for natural resource conservation planning. This work includes innovative problem solving and advanced analysis, including spatial analyses to model, prioritize, and predict a variety of landscape-level patterns and processes such as current impacts or future threats to conservation targets, distribution and environmental requirements of conservation targets, disturbance regimes and climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem health, and optimal networks of conservation lands. Specific duties include:
  • Design, propose, and conduct externally-funded research and outreach projects that answer critical questions for natural resource in Colorado, and contribute to CNHP core products and services.
  • As part of collaborative project teams, identify, produce, and improve spatial analysis processes and deliverables such as species distribution modeling, effects of climate change on Colorado species and ecosystems, habitat quality and connectivity assessments, quantification of human-driven impacts, and identification and prioritization of biodiversity conservation needs for species, ecological systems, and land protection.
  • Be a thought leader at CNHP for modeling and analysis of complex spatial data, and provide leadership in keeping CNHP and the NatureServe network on the cutting edge of spatial analysis and modeling processes.
  • Build and maintain professional relationships with natural resource personnel in Colorado and the region.
  • Cooperate closely with other CNHP teams with a common goal of developing and maintaining the utility of the central information system and promoting CNHP generally.
  • Communicate the accomplishments and plans of CNHP to a diverse set of partners through meetings, presentations, report writing, and data visualizations, including especially the production of useful maps and summary documents.
Percentage Of Time 70
Job Duty Category Project Management
Duty/Responsibility
  • Complete project management duties, including principal investigator responsibilities for scopes of work and budgets, data compilation, synthesis and reporting; writing proposals, metadata, procedural documentation, and reports.
Percentage Of Time 20
Job Duty Category Program Support
Duty/Responsibility
  • Participate thoughtfully in unit management tasks expected of all CNHP employees, including participation in monthly staff meetings, involvement in the bi-annual CNHP Partners Meeting, and adherence to CSU processes for Principal Investigators, financial systems, and other administrative duties.
Percentage Of Time 10

Application Details


Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications in the announcement to be considered for hire. Apply no later than April 3, 2023, for full consideration at: https://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/123074 . 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:
  • Statement of Qualifications (one-page letter addressing each qualification described in the announcement) uploaded in the ‘Cover Letter’ slot.
  • Resume
  • 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.
    Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Valid Driver’s License
    Search Contact Lee Grunau (Lee.Grunau@Colostate.edu)
    EEO Statement
    Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
    The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, titleix@colostate.edu .
    The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .
    The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .
    Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
    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.

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