careers/internships
Looking for natural resource professionals who are out standing in their field
CURRENT OPENINGS
Forest Field Crew Lead Botany specialist
May 2026 - September 2026
MSI is seeking a Field Crew Lead who will work directly with Mountain Studies Institute as part of our dedicated forest monitoring team to support our collaborative forest health partners across southwest Colorado. The Field Crew Lead will assist with forest monitoring, data entry, ecological restoration, and other MSI projects as needed.
This role is particularly well suited for candidates with a strong background in botany and plant identification, who are interested in applying those skills to forest health and ecological monitoring in mountain environments. View full position description here.
Forest field crew lead
May 2026 - September 2026
MSI is seeking a Field Crew Lead who will work directly with Mountain Studies Institute as part of our dedicated forest monitoring team to support our collaborative forest health partners across southwest Colorado. The Field Crew Lead will assist with forest monitoring, data entry, ecological restoration, and other MSI projects as needed. View full position description here.
Forest Field technician
June 2026 - September 2026
Field technicians will work directly with Mountain Studies Institute (MSI) as part of our dedicated forest monitoring team to support our collaborative forest health partners across southwest Colorado. Field technicians will assist with forest monitoring, data entry, ecological restoration, and other MSI projects as needed. View full position description here.
MSI partner opportunity:
Postdoc for SnowSmart Forestry with University of Arizona
Join the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and Environment to lead cutting-edge work in the SnowSmart Forestry Project. They are seeking a postdoctoral scholar to drive hyper-resolution snow modeling that informs forest management strategies conserving snowpack — critical for water supply, forest health, and wildfire resilience.
You’ll collaborate with hydrologists, ecologists, foresters, and water managers across the Colorado River Basin. Using three years of snow data from Colorado’s Dolores and Mancos watersheds, you’ll train the SnowPALM model, develop thinning prescriptions on 40 acres of ponderosa pine, and monitor results with Snowtography and drone LiDAR. Read full position description HERE.
While this is not an MSI position, this position will be working closely with our Water Program hydrologist, Dr. Jake Kurzweil.
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ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Opportunities (click to learn more)
Interested in helping with restoration projects, education, or citizen science?
DIVERSITY MAKES US STRONGER
MSI aims to build a welcoming, inclusive team that is as diverse as the many mountain communities we serve. We seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and maintain an environment where all staff are valued and respected.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position. This policy applies to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, benefits, and termination.
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