Research Associate

Research Associate.

• This position is subject to the availability of funding. The incumbent is not eligible for Service Professional non-renewal notice or Classified Staff layoff or recall status.
• Driving a vehicle on behalf of the university is anticipated to be a regular part of this position. Arizona Administrative Code Fleet Safety Policy requires all employees who drive on university business to become authorized by submitting Driver's license information for driving record monitoring, and to complete training appropriate to the level of driving performed. The law applies to all faculty, staff, and students who drive personal or university-owned motorized vehicles for any business purpose.
  
  More information on the NAU Authorized Driver Policy can be found on the NAU website.

The Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) at Northern Arizona University serves diverse audiences with objective science and implementation strategies that support ecological restoration and climate adaptation on Western forest landscapes. ERI is nationally recognized as a leader in ecological and social science, scholarship, information exchange, collaborative efforts, and policy analysis supporting forest restoration and fire use. ERI is one of three congressionally designated institutes, the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERI) located in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, focused on bridging science and management to restore western fire‑adapted forests.

The ERI seeks a Research Associate for the newly formed Wildfire Insurance and Resilient Economies (WIRE) Partnership, which will involve close collaboration with the NAU School of Forestry, other ERI units, and ERI and SWERI partners and collaborators. The WIRE Partnership tackles the growing insurance crisis in the Western U.S., driven by the increasing severity of wildfires. It focuses on understanding and innovating insurance models to support communities and businesses, alongside reframing wildfire economics to emphasize prevention and restoration over reactive suppression and commodity extraction.

Working closely with the aforementioned collaborators, the WIRE Research Associate will work closely with the WIRE Program Manager to implement a program within ERI that explores the wildfire insurance and economics system, including but not limited to the following:

• Analyzing insurance models to identify impacts and develop equitable, prevention‑focused alternatives.
• Quantifying the economic benefits of wildfire prevention and forest restoration.
• Educating policymakers, insurers, and communities on the long‑term value of prevention and restoration, sustainable insurance models, and wildfire risk reduction.

The successful applicant will be passionate about conducting rigorous, actionable, use‑inspired research and working to implement research findings closely with partners. The WIRE Research Associate will need experience using economic and social science methods, as well as communicating research findings in a variety of different formats. A key component of the position is also developing relationships with partners, as well as other ERI, SWERI, and School of Forestry staff, to ensure that the WIRE Program is collaboratively implemented.

50% Research

• Direct and conduct research using economic and/or social science methods to analyze insurance models, quantify economic benefits of wildfire prevention, and inform policy recommendations, among other related topics.
• Oversee data collection, modeling, and analysis to guide decision‑making and improve program processes.
• Develop and disseminate accessible research reports, publications, and presentations to share with partners. (Essential)

25% Communication

• Lead the planning, initiation, production, and delivery of communication products for partners.
• Work with partners in convening, facilitating, gathering information, and dissemination of findings from the ERI's work. (Essential)

10% Partner Engagement

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with policymakers, insurers, community leaders, and academic partners to advance program goals.
• Assist ERI staff with collaboration and partnerships across all lands. (Essential)

10% Program Administration

• Assist the WIRE Program Manager with program implementation and tracking. (Essential)

5% Other

• Attend coordination meetings among SWERI and ERI staff.
• Other duties as assigned. (Marginal)

• Master's degree in forestry, economics, ecology, environmental studies, geography, or closely related fields.
• 4 years of research support experience.
• A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the required qualifications.