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Position: Future Earth Network Associate (Colorado, USA)

Deadline: June 12, 2020

Job summary:

Future Earth is seeking a strategic and creative individual to support our rapidly growing scope of work to build the field of sustainability science and innovation worldwide. Future Earth is an international platform for research, innovation, and collaboration working to accelerate transformations to sustainability. With offices around the world, we harness the experience and reach of thousands of scientists, experts, and innovators with the goal of solving the most pressing challenges facing the planet and its people. The US hub of Future Earth is hosted by the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado State University, and George Mason University.

The Network Associate will be hired and paid by Colorado State University. The Network Associate will work with Future Earth’s Network Lead, Senior Research Officer, and other members of the Future Earth Global Secretariat to strengthen and elevate the global sustainability community. This includes supporting two core functions of Future Earth: Research Coordination (facilitating and delivering innovative systems focused on international Sustainability Science) and Networks and Capacity (building and supporting the field of Sustainability Science with our national, regional, and topical communities around the world). The position will support and strengthen our work with two core network structures: National and Regional Structures and Topical Structures (Global Research Projects and Knowledge-Action-Networks).  

The Network Associate will join at an important moment for Future Earth, as the organization engages in strategic planning around the structure of our Secretariat, integration of our various research and geographic communities, and organization of a global sustainability community convening in 2021.   

The Network Associate will report to the Future Earth Network Lead. To facilitate this connection, this position will require the Network Associate to work remotely. When conditions allow, it is expected that the Network Associate will work at least three days per week within the Sustainability Innovation Lab at Colorado (SILC), within the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Complex (SEEC), at the University of Colorado Boulder, where the Future Earth Network Lead is based. 

Job responsibilities with percentage weights:

  • Work with the Future Earth Executive Team to support the implementation of any new structures relating to the Future Earth Secretariat (25%, working with Global Hub Director and Future Earth Executive Team Members). 
  • Support the Future Earth research community integration and review process (25%, working with our Research Lead and Network Lead).
  • Support the organization of the Sustainability Research and Innovation 2021 Congress (SRI2021), including correspondence with participants and speakers, assisting the SRI2021 Program Committee and Operations Team (25% working Network Lead).
  • Build and manage the PREP (Partnership for Resilience and Preparedness) initiative network (25%, working with the Senior Research Officer).

Qualities we are seeking:  
We are seeking a creative individual for this dynamic position. The person stepping into this role will be a self-starter, strategic thinker, an excellent communicator, and a diplomatic and flexible collaborator able to effectively liaise between different geographically distributed groups. Further, an ideal candidate thrives within a complex, global organization, enjoys solving problems under tight deadlines, understands the sustainability science and innovation landscape, fearlessly embraces change, demonstrates creativity and strong attention to detail, is keen to learn, and works exceptionally well with others.

  • Bachelor’s degree with 1-3 years of work experience
  • Familiarity with, and passion for, environmental and sustainability science and policy
  • Excellent communications skills and fluency in English
  • Experience in working in a complex international environment with a range of different partners
  • Proven capacity in collaboratively and effectively managing demanding projects across international time zones
  • Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous workstreams
  • Outstanding organizational skills and strong attention to detail
  • Ability to see the bigger picture and quickly set priorities
  • Ability and willingness to occasionally attend early morning or late evening international calls 
  • Strong sense of responsibility and accountability
  • Integrity, creativity, flexibility and an open mind


Term and Compensation:
This position begins immediately, and has been established as a limited term, full time appointment. The position runs from the time a candidate is selected through March 31, 2021 with a possibility for extension. Compensation will be between $25 and $30 / hour, depending on experience. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.