Research Assistant - Pollinator Monitoring

Graduate Hourly Research Assistant (Non-Student Hourly) – Pollinator Monitoring and CitSci Support  
Unit Description:
The Newman Lab at Colorado State University/NREL is seeking a graduate-level hourly research assistant to support pollinator monitoring and citizen science initiatives during Summer 2026. The position will involve both ecological field research and community engagement through the CitSci platform. The selected candidate will contribute to the development of a scientifically rigorous pollinator monitoring framework in Rocky Mountain National Park while also assisting citizen scientists participating in projects hosted on CitSci.
 

• Assist in running a pilot study on pollinator diversity and morphospecies-based pollinator identification in Rocky Mountain National Park (40%)

• Help develop and refine a standardized experimental and sampling protocol based on pilot observations and field data (20%)

• Respond to questions from volunteers and citizen scientists on the CitSci platform across multiple projects (not limited to pollinator-related projects) (5%)

• Support participant engagement and help ensure quality and consistency of submitted observations and ecological data (10%)

• Collaborate with project personnel on data organization, quality assurance, and communication tasks (25%)

• Current graduate student in ecology, entomology, environmental science, biology, or a related field.

• Strong written communication and organizational skills.

• Interest in pollinator ecology, citizen science, or biodiversity monitoring.

• Ability to work independently and communicate professionally with volunteers and project participants.

• Willingness to conduct fieldwork in outdoor environments.

• Experience with pollinator identification, field ecology, or biodiversity surveys.

• Familiarity with citizen science platforms (e.g., CitSci, iNaturalist, eBird, etc.).

• Experience interacting with volunteers, outreach participants, or community-based research programs.

• Basic experience with ecological data management or analysis.

• Interest in developing long-term ecological monitoring frameworks.

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. 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.

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