Job Details

Niwot Ridge LTER General Field Technician

Position Number: 6987963
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Agriculture - Environmental Science, Ecology & Forestry

Niwot Ridge LTER General Field Technician

Requisition Number: 70346
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Part Time
Posting Close Date: 24-Mar-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research (NWT LTER) program is hiring three general field technicians!
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Niwot Ridge LTER is an integrated research project with the goal of understanding ecological processes in high-elevation mountain ecosystems. Mountain ecosystems - where high topographic relief means habitat can vary greatly over short distances, and seemingly small changes in temperature will transform snowfall into rain - are among those most vulnerable to changes in environmental conditions. The Niwot Ridge LTER seeks to better understand how environmental change leads to ecological change.

The Niwot Ridge LTER is a part of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. As the University's oldest institute, INSTAAR has a long history of responding to pressing environmental issues including climate change. Our traditional focus has been on alpine, Arctic, and Antarctic regions, where effects of global change are especially pronounced. In recent decades, our research has broadened to include environmental challenges that span local, regional, and global scales. INSTAAR's research activities integrate field studies, state-of-the-art laboratory experiments, sample analysis, and numerical and laboratory modeling. Our field sites are located across all seven continents and the world's oceans.

Our expertise across disciplines helps us generate influential science that can inform public and policy decisions and move us toward a more sustainable society. INSTAAR's national and international research leadership is augmented by exceptional strength in graduate education and bringing undergraduates into the research process.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

You will work on a variety of Niwot Ridge LTER research projects including alpine streamflow, plant and animal surveys, alpine lake sampling, soils monitoring, and meteorological instrument installation. Some laboratory work, data entry, and driving the fieldwork suburban between CU Boulder and the Mountain Research Station in Nederland-including on 4WD Forest Service roads-may be part of the position.

What You Should Know

One of these will be a 12-week position with a start day of May 26th running through August 21st, and two will be 8-week positions with a start date of June 22nd running through August 21st.
These positions are based at the University of Colorado Mountain Research Station, north of Nederland, CO at 818 County Road 116.
Field sites range in elevation from 9,500 feet at the Mountain Research Station to over 12,000 feet.
Transportation via shared university vehicle may be available from Boulder to the Mountain Research Station.
The typical work week will average 36 to 40 hours.

What We Can Offer

$21/hour - $23/hour.

Benefits

Temporary positions at the University of Colorado are not benefits-eligible, however, all positions are eligible for paid sick leave.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

A high-school diploma and progress toward an Associate Degree or Bachelor's Degree.

What You Will Need

The ability to hike five to ten miles during the day at high altitude (10,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation) with a full backpack over rough and changing terrain.
The desire to work as part of a team to achieve goals in challenging conditions (snow, rain, wind, cold temperatures).
Previous background or strong interest in learning more about field research, particularly in topics such as alpine ecology, environmental science, botany, hydrology, climate, limnology.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

Resume or CV.
A cover letter which includes answers to the application questions below. Applications which do not include answers to these questions in their cover letter will not be considered. Application questions:

For which position(s) are you applying, the 12-week position (May 26th through Aug 21st) and/or the 8-week position (June 22nd through Aug 21st)? Are you able to work Monday through Thursday from 7am to 5pm for the full duration of the position(s)?
Are you willing to drive a Suburban a minimum of two days per week from the University of Colorado Boulder's East Campus to the Mountain Research Station in Nederland?
Why are you interested in this position, and why do you think you would be a good fit for this job? What will you bring to the job that other applicants may not?
Describe any experiences relevant to the position requirements (from previous jobs, volunteering, course work, other education experiences, outdoor recreation, etc.) you would like us to know about. Include a list of any outdoor safety certifications (such as First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, CPR, prior or current) or similar experience that you may have.

Please note that while the position details both required skills as well as desired skills and experience, we want applicants to be aware that they do not need to have all of the desired skills and experience to be considered for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, have passion for the work, along with experience in a related field, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on-the-job training for any additional skills or knowledge that become relevant to the position.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until 3/24/26.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Niwot-Ridge-LTER-General-Field-Technician/70346