Assistant/Associate Professor

Job description

Posting Detail Information


Working TitleAssistant/Associate Professor

Position LocationFort Collins, CO

Work LocationPosition is fully in-office/in-person

Posting Number202500304F

Proposed Annual Salary Range$105,000 - $145,000

Employee Benefits
Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service.

With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

+ Review our detailed benefits information here.

(https://hr.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/01/benefits-summary-afap.pdf)

+ Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.

+ For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator (https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/) .

+ Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in (https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-community/) !


Position TypeFaculty

Work Hours/Week40

Description of Work Unit
As one of the nation’s top public research universities, Colorado State University ( CSU ) in Fort Collins, Colorado, is a land-grant institution, with enrollment of more than 34,000 students.

CSU offers 76 undergraduate degree programs, 114 graduate degree programs, 21 professional master’s degree programs, and a Professional Veterinary Medicine program.

CSU’s world-class research and scholarship attract more than $500 million in research funding annually, putting the university among top federally funded public universities without a medical school.

Fort Collins is an attractive community of approximately 170,000 located along the Colorado Front Range at the base of the Rocky Mountains, 65 miles north of Denver.

The city is routinely recognized as one of the most desirable places to live in the United States.

It consistently ranks high on quality-of-life measures by numerous publications; seehttps://www.fcgov.com/visitor/awardsfor the complete list.

The Front Range has developed into a high-tech hub with companies such as Woodward, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, IBM , Intel, Keysight Technologies, Broadcomm, AMD , Ball Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman located in or near Fort Collins.

The city offers a pleasant climate, excellent schools, and abundant cultural and recreational opportunities nearby.

For more information on Fort Collins, check out the City’s website:www.visitftcollins.com.

The Walter Scott Jr. College of Engineering ( WSCOE ) at Colorado State University is a dynamic and diverse college comprising approximately 170 faculty, 300 postdoctoral scholars and research scientists, 95 academic and administrative staff, 2,500 undergraduate students, and 1,050 graduate students.

The College is home to four academic departments serving both graduate and undergraduate students, two departments with graduate- only programs, two interdisciplinary degree-granting programs, and a federal cooperative research institute.

WSCOE prides itself on its “hands-on” experiential approach to engineering education, offering extensive laboratory and team-based coursework alongside research opportunities.

Founded in 1962 by renowned tropical meteorologist Herbert Riehl, the top-rated Department of Atmospheric Science is committed to providing quality graduate education for tomorrow’s leaders, to conducting cutting edge research in the atmospheric sciences and related fields, and to providing service to Colorado, the nation, and the world.

We aspire to be a leader in scientific understanding of the coupled Earth-Atmosphere system by engaging students in cutting-edge science that informs solutions to pressing societal issues at the intersection of climate, weather, and air quality.

This includes collaborating closely with other Colorado State University groups sharing our environmental research mission and with national and international groups at the intersection of weather, climate, and air quality issues.

Our department has about 200 people including graduate students, full-time researchers, an outstanding and dedicated support staff, and 20 faculty members.

Tenure/Tenure Track?Yes

% Research50

% Teaching40

% Service10

% Administration0

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on12/01/2025

Number of Vacancies

Desired Start Date07/01/2026

Position End Date

Position Summary
The Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant to Associate professor level:


1)Climate dynamics.

We seek an innovative and collaborative scholar with a strong and growing record of research, teaching, and service in climate dynamics and its intersection with the broader Earth system.

The successful candidate will have a clear and innovative vision that demonstrates their potential to be a leader in the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the physical processes that govern Earth’s climate through, for example, creative observational analyses, numerical experimentation, and application of novel machine learning and other statistical techniques.

The individual will contribute to our mission of advancing fundamental knowledge of Earth’s climate system and its behavior across a range of spatial and temporal scales.


2)Application of artificial intelligence to atmospheric science.

We seek an exceptional individual working at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and Earth system science.

The successful candidate’s research will push boundaries of AI in creative and innovative ways to advance understanding and prediction of the Earth system.

Example research foci include but are not limited to: integrating AI with traditional physics- or chemistry-based models; leveraging machine learning for understanding high-impact extreme events and weather, cloud and chemical processes; applying AI tools to improve our understanding of climate variability and predictability; and the design of AI tools to improve terrestrial- and satellite-based remote sensing applications.

This position is part of a Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering at Colorado State University cluster hire for new faculty members who integrate AI as a foundational component of their research and who aspire to develop novel and innovative AI educational programs.

Faculty members in the Department of Atmospheric Science engage in teaching, research, and service to the University and broader community.

The new faculty members will be expected to build and maintain a strong and vibrant research program supported through external funding that complements and expands upon the department’s current research areas.

Successful candidates will contribute to teaching and intellectual leadership at the university.

In the Department of Atmospheric Science, this includes teaching courses at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels, supporting undergraduate course offerings, advising and mentoring graduate students, and developing advanced courses in their areas of expertise.

Conditions of EmploymentPre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)

Required Job Qualifications

+ PhD degree in atmospheric science or closely related field by the start date of the appointment.

+ Evidence of scholarly achievement commensurate with experience in the areas of climate dynamics and its intersection with the broader Earth system, or AI applied to atmospheric science, as described in the position summaries.

+ Demonstrated experience writing and publishing scientific results.

+ Strong oral and written communication skills.


Preferred Job Qualifications

+ A clearly articulated vision and plan for developing an independent research program, including a demonstrated ability to lead and deliver on sponsored research proposals.

+ A clearly articulated vision and plan to effectively engage in educational activities, including teaching experience and a demonstrated ability to attract and mentor students at the graduate level.

+ A record of community engagement and service, commensurate with experience.


Special Instructions to Applicants
Applications will be considered until the positions are filled; however, applications should be received by December 1, 2025 to ensure full consideration.

Application materials of semifinalist candidates, including letters of recommendation, will be made available for review by the faculty of the Department of Atmospheric Science.

Applicants should submit the following materials at this link:http://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/ (http://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/XXXX) 167622:

+ A cover letter indicating interest in the position that may include any context about the applicant’s background that they would like to highlight beyond the statements below.

+ A curriculum vitae.

+ Two statements (no more than 4 pages total across the 2 statements):

+ A research statement that includes the candidate’s vision for their research for the next 5 years, impact on the broader community and society through research and service, and the potential for research collaborations.

+ A statement of teaching and education interests, and/or philosophy that includes plans to effectively develop and deliver educational materials, attract, and mentor students, and engage the broader community.

This statement should also describe the existing department courses that the candidate would be enthusiastic to teach and potential new course(s) that they would want to develop.



+ The names of four references (who will not be contacted without prior approval of the candidate).


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.

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.

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
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.

Search ContactProf.

Jim Hurrell, jhurrell@rams.colostate.edu


Essential Duties


Job Duty CategoryResearch

Duty/Responsibility

+ The faculty member will be expected to build and maintain a strong internationally recognized research program supported through external funding and to complement and expand upon the current research activities in the department, in the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering, and at CSU .


Percentage Of Time50


Job Duty CategoryTeaching

Duty/Responsibility

+ The faculty member will contribute to teaching and intellectual leadership in our atmospheric science curriculum at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels by teaching courses in the Department’s core graduate curriculum, specifically ATS606 Introduction to Climate, ATS655 Objective Analysis, and ATS780 Machine Learning for the Atmospheric Sciences, advising graduate students, and developing advanced courses in their areas of expertise.


Percentage Of Time40%


Job Duty CategoryService

Duty/Responsibility

+ Service duties may include Colloquium Coordinator, membership on the Department Graduate Committee, and departmental curriculum development.



+ Also, at the College and University level, activities would include membership on various committees.



+ Professional service could include membership on Professional Society Committees (e.g. AMS , AGU ), official duties such as organizer and session chair for various professional conferences, and peer review of research proposals and journal articles.



+ Service to society may include educational outreach efforts and contributions to department efforts to improve diversity in the atmospheric sciences.


Percentage Of Time10%



References Requested

References Requested


Minimum Requested4

Maximum Requested4


Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).




Applicant Documents
Required Documents

+ Cover Letter

+ Curriculum Vitae

+ Statement of Research Philosophy

+ Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Optional Documents

Required Skill Profession

Other General