Work Location Position is fully in-office/in-person
Posting Number 202400110F
Proposed Annual Salary Range $70,500 - $73,500 (9-month salary)
Employee Benefits
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Position Type Faculty
Work Hours/Week 40
Description Of Work Unit
The Department of Biology at Colorado State University ( CSU ) is one of eight departments in the College of Natural Sciences. The Department has a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching, as well as an international reputation for excellence in research across a broad range of disciplines, including cell and molecular biology, physiology of plants or animals, animal behavior, ecology, evolutionary biology and computational/theoretical biology. The Department of Biology is housed in a state-of-the-art life sciences research facility that opened in 2017.
The Charles Maurer Herbarium Collection ( https://herbarium.colostate.edu/ ) was founded in 1883 and is the oldest and third largest herbarium in the Southern Rocky Mountains. It contains over 104,000 vascular-plant specimens from Colorado and surrounding states, including 170 types. Specimens in the herbarium were the primary bases for Rydberg’s (1906) Flora of Colorado , Harrington’s (1954) Manual of the Plants of Colorado , and Ackerfield’s (2015 and 2022) Flora of Colorado . The collection is used for conservation, ecological, floristic, phylogenetic, and taxonomic studies of vascular plants, as well as teaching (e.g., plant identification, plant systematics) and public outreach. The herbarium is in a recently refurbished space that includes a compactor unit. All specimens in the permanent collection have been digitized and are accessible through SEINet ( https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/ ). An endowment provides funds to support growth of the collection, outreach, fieldwork, and student interns.
Tenure/Tenure Track? No
% Research 25
% Teaching 50
% Service 0
% Administration 25
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 06/10/2024
Number of Vacancies
Desired Start Date
Position End Date
Position Summary
The successful candidate will have disciplinary expertise in an area of botany, plant ecology or plant biodiversity, curator experience in managing botanical collections, and experience in higher education instruction. This non-tenure-track position involves Herbarium administration and curation (25%), botany, Herbarium-related, or discipline-based educational research (25%), and undergraduate teaching, mentoring and experiential learning opportunities (50%).
Colorado State University provides a highly supportive environment with opportunities to interact with faculty in other colleges on campus and to participate in the Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (https://cmb.colostate.edu/), the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (https://ecology.colostate.edu), and other interdisciplinary programs. For more information about CSU in general and the Biology Department in particular, please visit the Biology Department website: https://www.biology.colostate.edu
The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by proposed start date. The Department of Biology will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Required Job Qualifications
PhD in Botany, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics of Plants, or related discipline
Experience in curation, leadership, management and outreach for botanical collections
Teaching experience in higher education at the graduate or undergraduate level
Experience mentoring graduate or undergraduate students on research or experiential learning projects
2+ years working in a university herbarium setting
The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by proposed start date. The Department of Biology will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.
Preferred Job Qualifications
Publication record in botany, plant systematics, plant ecology or evolution, conservation, biodiversity, natural history, or museum sciences.
Record of success in attracting and serving student, professional, and general-public users of botanical collections.
Record of success in recruiting community partners and donors to facilitate the improvement of the research collections and facilities.
Record of obtaining extramural research funding.
Experience training, managing, and working with undergraduate and graduate student assistants, interns, staff or volunteers in curation and outreach activities.
Commitment to teaching using active learning approaches, and to professional development as a pedagogically-informed instructor.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicants must submit a Cirriculum Vitae (CV), Teaching Statement, Research Statement, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ( DEI ) Statement, and the names and contact information of three professional references by the full consideration date.
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.
Background Check Policy Statement
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.
EEO Statement
Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, titleix@colostate.edu .
The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .
The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .
Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
Diversity Statement
Demonstrated knowledge of, and relevant ability with, culturally diverse communities among potential target and constituent populations.
Search Contact Kristen.Felten@colostate.edu
Essential Duties
Job Duty Category Administration
Duty/Responsibility
Herbarium administration and curator duties: Direct the activities of the Charles Maurer Herbarium Collection. Administer and coordinate loans of herbarium specimens and facilitate use of the collection by other researchers and the public. Oversee herbarium volunteer and outreach activities. Engage in development activities to support Charles Maurer Herbarium Collection. Provide professional service to department, college, campus, or scientific societies.
Details: Manage day-to-day activities in the herbarium, which include processing specimens (mounting, databasing, barcoding, imaging, filing, sending loans). Interact with student, professional, and general-public users to facilitate their effective use of the collection. Supervise undergraduate students or staff. Maintain and improve the collection (including online resources and digitization efforts) and facilities. Support CSU instructors who teach classes that use herbarium resources. Manage Herbarium budget. Oversee maintenance needs. Liase with community partners and with CNS Development to recruit support and donations to the Herbarium. Conduct research and fieldwork to improve the representation of the regional flora in the herbarium and to improve the research value of the collection. Conduct effective public outreach to support interest in plants, for example, at K–12 schools, the regional native-plant society, wildflower festivals, or other groups.
Percentage Of Time 25
Job Duty Category Undergraduate Teaching
Duty/Responsibility
Botany courses and Herbarium experiential learning: Instruct three undergraduate courses per academic year according to pedagogical best practices. Targeted courses are
BZ223 Plant Identification (3 credits),
One course for Warner College of Natural resources (4 or 3 credits)
BZ325 (Plant Systematics (3 credits, every other year), rotating with a to-be-created undergraduate seminar CURE course on Field Botany/Experiential Learning (2 credits, every other year).
In addition, the candidate will mentor undergraduate students on research or experiential learning projects focusing on Herbarium resources or Rocky Mountain plants and involve undergraduates in outreach activities to the public promoting science and the beauty and value of plants.
Percentage Of Time 50
Job Duty Category Research
Duty/Responsibility
Original research, centering Herbarium or Rocky Mountain resources: Generate new knowledge in the areas of botany, plant systematics, diversity and/or conservation including taxa in Rocky Mountain ecosystems. Obtain extramural funding to support a research program. Demonstrate original scholarship by establishing a record of publication in peer-reviewed journals, books and reviews, research funding, invited talks, and participating in professional meetings and organizations.
Percentage Of Time 25
References Requested
References Requested
Minimum Requested 3
Maximum Requested 3
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
Industries
Higher Education
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