Professional Research Assistant

University of Colorado • Denver, CO

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers
The Wunder Lab has openings for 3-4 temporary full-time Professional Research Assistant positions to begin 4/13/2026 until approximately 8/15/2026.
PRAs will form a 4-person field crew managed by PhD student Casey Weissburg (Project Lead). This is an exciting opportunity to conduct nest and brood monitoring for the Mountain Plover, a declining shorebird species, at two separate study sites in beautiful Colorado. Fieldwork will occur on the eastern prairies near Karval, CO, and in the high prairies of South Park, near Hartsel, CO. Work in Karval starts 4/13/2026 and in South Park mid-May and continues until mid- to late-August depending on start date.
The prairie landscape is beautiful but harsh, wide open with no shade. Temperature extremes range from near freezing in the early season morning/nights to 90-100 degrees F during the summer. Inclement summer monsoon weather (rain, lightning, hail) is a common occurrence. Work hours may be irregular, depending on storm activity, but typically include morning and late afternoon work with 2-3 hours off during the middle/hottest part of the day. Technicians will have weekends off. Lodging or free camping is provided at the study sites, but housing arrangements away from the study sites during off days are not provided.

Requirements

• Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
• Bachelor of Science in a natural resource-related field is preferred for all employees, but a combination of education and related technical/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree.
• Outdoor safety hazard awareness is required: common hazards include venomous snakes, rapid temperature shifts, and electrical storms.
• Ability to take direction, work independently, a strong work ethic, a willingness to learn, a desire to gain experience while maintaining an enthusiastic attitude, and good communication skills with project lead and landowners are essential for all positions.
• Occasional work during the evening may be required depending on weather disruptions.
• Work outdoors in the prairie means common hazards such as venomous snakes and thunderstorms.
• Temperature extremes range from near freezing in the early season morning/nights to 90-100 degrees F during the summer. Inclement summer monsoon weather (rain, lightning, hail) is a common occurrence.
• Employees will always have weekends off from work.
• Most fieldwork will be conducted from ATVs but successful applicants should possess the ability to hike moderate distances over uneven terrain, sometimes in inclement weather (rain, hail, high winds).
• Plover nest searching and brood monitoring require the ability to visually scan grasslands with and without binoculars and the ability to hear bird calls and the radio signal of radio-transmitting tags during telemetry duties.

Nice To Haves

• At least 2 seasons experience working on wildlife-related field research projects.
• Previous experience with bird capture and handling.
• At least one season of experience of nest searching for ground-nesting birds, and/or radiotelemetry.
• Prior experience driving ATVs, as well as driving 4x4 vehicles and trailering in muddy conditions.
• Some experience with primitive camping.

Responsibilities

• Nest searching and resight surveys for a ground-nesting shorebird (50%25)
• Mountain Plover capture and banding (10%25)
• Radiotelemetry tracking of tagged chicks for brood monitoring (30%25)
• Data entry (5%25)
• Weekly arthropod sample collection (5%25)

Benefits

• The University of Colorado Denver provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.
• Benefits: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits
• Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level