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.

The postdoctoral associate will be expected to independently lead research around environmental health risks, including conducting field sampling, laboratory processing, and data analysis; mentor graduate and undergraduate students in ENVS/INSTAAR; participate in departmental seminars; organize public-facing events to disseminate research; support the educational mission of ENVS and INSTAAR (including a 1-credit short course in ENVS); and serve as a project manager generally in collaboration with CU Boulder faculty, staff, and community partners. The initial focus will be on resilience to wildfire-derived contaminants following wildland-urban fires, with potential to expand to other environmental risks depending on research funding.

$63,000 - $65,000/year

• Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Health or other comparable field.

• We are looking for someone who is a natural builder, mentor, and problem-solver. Specific skills required include knowledge and experience of field sampling methods for multiple environmental media
• Wet laboratory experience to conduct sample processing and analysis; GC/MS and/or LC/MS analytical expertise
• Confidence with data analysis and data visualization using R (or other comparable languages)
• Willingness to support undergraduate and graduate students in writing, research, and laboratory protocols; ability to quickly learn new skills methods, or research topics
• An interdisciplinary mindset and openness to collaborate across ENVS and INSTAAR
• Confidence independently formulating research questions and writing proposals for research funding.

• Preferred qualifications include knowledge and expertise focused on water quality impacts of wildland-urban wildfires and/or other emerging environmental risks
• PAH and/or PFAS cycling in the environment
• Public health risk assessment using various statistical and/or spatial environmental modelling techniques.