Postdoctoral Fellow - Indoor Environment

Updated: about 1 year ago
Location: Fort Collins, COLORADO
Deadline: 25 Apr 2023

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title Postdoctoral Fellow - Indoor Environment
Position Location Fort Collins, CO
Work Location Position qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional Position Yes
Posting Number 202300602AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Postdoctoral Fellows
Number of Vacancies
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range $54,000-$64,000
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 06/01/2023
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 04/25/2023
Description of Work Unit
As one of the nation’s top public research universities, Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, Colorado, is a land-grant institution, with enrollment of more than 33,000 students. CSU offers 76 undergraduate degree programs, 114 graduate degree programs, 21 professional master’s degree programs, and a Professional Veterinary Medicine program. CSU’s world-class research and scholarship attract more than $400 million in research funding annually, putting the university among top federally funded public universities without a medical school. Colorado’s Front Range is a high-tech hub with companies such as Woodward, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, IBM, Intel, Keysight Technologies, Broadcomm, AMD, Xilinx, Ball Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman located in or near Fort Collins.
Fort Collins is an attractive community of approximately 170,000 located along the Colorado Front Range at the base of the Rocky Mountains, 65 miles north of Denver. The city is routinely recognized as one of the most desirable places to live in the United States. It consistently ranks high on quality of life measures by numerous publications; see https://www.fcgov.com/visitor/awards for the complete list. The city offers a pleasant climate with excellent schools and abundant cultural and recreational opportunities nearby. For more information on Fort Collins, check out the City’s website: www.visitftcollins.com.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at CSU offers a curriculum that integrates exceptional classroom learning and in-depth engineering practice for an unparalleled educational experience. Made up of 43 faculty members, 10 staff members, 1,000 undergraduate students, and 125 graduate students, ME is one of the largest departments on CSU’s campus. State-of-the-art labs provide unmatched, hands-on experience to help undergraduate students conceptualize industry environments, and $11M in annual research funding provide groundbreaking opportunities focusing on health, materials, and energy, for graduate students to enhance their educational concentrations. Award-winning faculty offer industry and academic perspective, and equip each graduate with the tools needed to obtain leading positions in advanced technology fields. The Mechanical Engineering program at CSU includes majors in both Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering-Mechanical Engineering; both curriculum combine classroom learning with engineering practice. The department recently added specialties for Aerospace Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, offering undergraduate concentrations, a graduate certificate, a Master of Engineering (M.E.) with specialization, and a Master of Science (M.S.) with a specialized master’s thesis. Our goal is to give our graduates the engineering skills they need to obtain leading positions in advanced technology fields. Our students are integral members of our research groups and their thesis and dissertation topics focus on cutting-edge research. Further information about the Department can be found at www.engr.colostate.edu/me/.
The Bond research laboratory is located at the Powerhouse Energy Campus. Projects in the group integrate engineering science, social science, and Earth science to achieve better outcomes for human health and the environment.
Position Summary
The Bond Research Group in Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow with a strong background in social science, human dimensions, or human behavior to work closely with engineers on systems that integrate humans, built environments, and natural environments. The candidate should have experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, as well as exposure to recognizing ethical behavior in the context of physical and social interventions. Activities will include, but are not limited to, observation and evaluation of interventions related to energy consumption and indoor environmental quality; review and amalgamation of qualitative survey instruments; interpretation of physical or quantitative measurements to infer behavioral influences; and facilitating community input such as focus groups.
The candidate will benefit from the dynamic and collaborative research environment provided by research groups in Air Quality, Climate, Health, and Well-Being and the Energy Institute, and would join a unique team of collaborators that bridges the disciplines of engineering, public health, psychology, and communications (to name a few). The position provides access to field programs and a large international network of collaborators, community organizations and governmental agencies in addition to academic researchers.
This is a one-year appointment with the option to continue for a total of three years based on performance. In addition to standard university benefits, the position offers support for professional development and dedicated time to pursue the candidate’s own interests.
Examples of relevant backgrounds include psychology, anthropology, human factors within engineering, or human dimensions of natural resources. Demonstrated versatility in methods is more important than the individual’s stated degree. Ability to investigate and assimilate literature in unfamiliar disciplines is essential. Applicants should have excellent written and oral communication skills, ability to work both independently and within a fast-paced multidisciplinary research environment, and comfort with conversing with academicians, community members, practitioners, and policy-makers.
Required Job Qualifications
  • Doctoral degree in psychology, anthropology, human factors, human dimensions, or another relevant field;
  • Experience conducting social science, human behavior, or related human systems research;
  • Strong interest in environmental health, public health, or public policy;
  • Ability to work independently and with a team, balancing competing demands;
  • Prior publication record (e.g., peer-reviewed literature, book chapters); and
  • The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the US by the proposed start date; the department will not sponsor a visa for this position.
Preferred Job Qualifications
  • History of working within multidisciplinary teams;
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills;
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct research and triangulate outcomes using mixed methods; and
  • Experience using feedback from stakeholders to inform design of interventions.
Diversity Statement
Ability to advance the department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through research, teaching and outreach with relevant programs, goals and activities.

Essential Duties


Job Duty Category Research
Duty/Responsibility
  • Review existing literature and determine best practices;
  • Design investigations and carry out tasks to evaluate human interactions with technical and natural systems;
  • Analyze data to explore hypotheses and draw inferences;
  • Perform quality control on data generated; and
  • Define and adhere to procedures designed to protect human subjects.
Percentage Of Time 70%
Job Duty Category Communication
Duty/Responsibility
  • Disseminate research findings in peer-reviewed literature, professional conferences, local workshops, and knowledge exchange with key stakeholders;
  • Present research plans and outcomes to multidisciplinary teams; and
  • Contribute data, graphics, and text for funding proposals.
Percentage Of Time 20%
Job Duty Category Mentoring
Duty/Responsibility
  • Work closely with Graduate and Undergraduate Research Assistants to ensure experimentation is conducted correctly and safely.
Percentage Of Time 10%

Application Details


Special Instructions to Applicants
People interested in this position must submit a cover letter, which addresses how professional experiences align with required and preferred qualifications of the position, a current resume or CV, and the names, email adrresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search Contact Tami Bond, [email protected]
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, [email protected] .
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, [email protected] .
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, [email protected] .
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.