Research Scientist I - Remote Sensing Scientist (ET)

Fort Collins, CO

Position is fully in-office/in-person

Yes

202500442AP

Admin Professional/ Research Professional

Resch Sci/Scholar I

1

40

$75,000 - $95,000

05/15/2025

04/27/2025

CSU hosts approximately 32,000 students in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and 100 km north of Denver. Fort Collins has approximately 165,000 residents and is routinely recognized as one of the most desirable places to live in the USA. Fort Collins residents enjoy an excellent school system and expansive parks, natural areas, and trail systems. More information about Fort Collins and CSU can be obtained at http://www.visitftcollins.com and http://visit.colostate.edu.

The CEE Department at CSU is recognized both nationally and internationally for its research, education, and service and outreach programs and is ranked in the top 40 CEE programs in the USA. The CEE Department comprises 34 faculty, 7 research scientists/scholars, 15 research associates, and 10 administrative professionals. Our faculty are leaders in interdisciplinary research and education and collaborate with faculty in the Atmospheric Science Department, School of Global Environmental Sustainability, the Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory, and the Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Department, and with researchers around the world. Our water-related programs are designated a CSU Program of Research and Scholarly Excellence. Annual research expenditures by the CEE Department have averaged $14.2M since 2016, including interdisciplinary research and education programs like the NSF U-WIN Center, CLEAN Center, NSF InterFEWS, and the NIST Center for Risk-Based Community Resilience Planning. Additional information about the CEE Department can be found at http://www.engr.colostate.edu/ce/.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University seeks a highly motivated Research Scientist to work under the supervision of Prof. Ryan Smith. The Research Scientist will be responsible for processing large quantities of ET data at high resolution (30 m to 1 km) in large global watersheds. The Research Scientist will then work with the larger team to use these data to estimate groundwater use. The successful applicant will also integrate other remote sensing datasets, such as GRACE and GRACE-FO, to improve understanding of large-scale water budgets. The applicant should have expertise in implementing and validating ET models using remotely sensed data, as well as working with large-scale remote sensing data in Google Earth Engine or similar platforms. The applicant should have experience scripting in a server environment, and a firm understanding of computational languages such as python and MATLAB. The Research Scientist will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities at Colorado State University and will get an opportunity to work alongside graduate students, postdocs, and other research scientists from various backgrounds and diverse cultural ethnicity.

Research

80%

Supervision and management

20%

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter which addresses how professional experiences align with identified required and preferred qualifications of the position, a current resume/CV, and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.

CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.

References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)

Ryan Smith, ryan.g.smith@colostate.edu

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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.