Student STARS Researcher

Primary Responsibility

The Student Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS) Researcher is responsible for facilitating data gathering and entry for CMC’s participation in AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Ratings System). Data may be sensitive and will require strict adherence to confidentiality procedures, policies and legal guidelines.

Pre-requisites (Qualifications Standards)

• Education and experience sufficient for the rigors of the position: incumbent must be full-time CMC student pursuing a BA in Sustainability Studies degree or a BS in Business with a Sustainability emphasis/minor.
• Current enrollment in any 300 level SUS course or higher is required.
• Demonstrate knowledge of core foundations of sustainability (as evidenced through coursework taken or in progress or through work or volunteer experience).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; with e-mail and library/internet research; and with Google-based equivalents to Microsoft Office suite.
• Reliability and follow through regarding work assigned.
• Willingness to serve as one face of the STARS project team at internal and public events.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to assume a high level of responsibility for managing one’s own work and coordinating that work with STARS project team leadership and STARS program goals.
• Welcoming.
• Innovative.
• Focused on Student Success.

Bilingual (English/Spanish) Or Conversational Language Abilities Preferred

Colorado Mountain College requires that employees perform their assigned duties within the State of Colorado. The College further expects employees to accurately report their work location at all times. Failure to do so impairs the College's ability to ensure compliance with tax, payroll, employment, information security, and operational requirements.

Position anticipated to close on July 24, 2026 or until filled.

Essential Duties

• Facilitate data gathering and entry for CMC’s participation in AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Ratings System).
• Undertake extensive STARS training assigned/provided by supervisor, to include: Learning from the STARS Technical Manual, Watching STARS training videos, Reading additional STARS training material, and Working closely with supervisor to learn the processes for data gathering and analysis using secondary data gathering tools (mostly spreadsheets) and the STARS online system itself.
• Analyze data needs, and suggest, in partnership with supervisor, best practices for gathering data.
• Design and carry out successful stakeholder communications with areas of operation across all CMC sites and operational areas (academics, facilities, operations, and planning) to facilitate data gathering and analysis.
• Enter data into secondary data gathering instruments (mostly spreadsheets) and into the STARS system itself.
• Aid student groups from the SUS 450 (Sustainability Assessment and Reporting) course with data gathering and analysis work for STARS.
• Participate in meetings of the STARS project leadership team.
• Conduct and convey research on avenues for CMC to address sustainability challenges.
• Aid with other STARS program development and management duties as assigned.
• Analyze data gathered for submission to the STARS online tool.
• Aid with drafting narrative STARS report content.
• Aid with drafting the public version of the final STARS report and associated recommendations to be shared internally and, potentially, externally once each full STARS online report is complete.
• Aid with organizing, promoting, and implementing STARS-related live events such as the sharing of the final STARS report, panel sessions at the CMC Sustainability Conference, and/or other similar events.

Supervision Received

Position reports to Director of Facilities and three full time faculty in Sustainable Studies from Spring Valley, Steamboat and Edwards.

Supervisory Responsibility

Position has no supervisory responsibility.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Successful completion of a background check including a motor vehicles records report required.
• Incumbents in this position will adhere to all safety and compliance policies of Colorado Mountain College while performing all duties assigned.

Work Conditions

• This position requires constant sitting, occasional walking, standing, and driving; occasional handling objects, pushing/pulling; frequent reaching with hands/arms, and use of finger movements; occasional lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling objects up to 50 lbs.
• Constant written and oral communication and the ability to reason and analyze and perform calculations occasionally.
• Work is performed using a computer and standard office equipment daily and driving a vehicle occasionally.

Cultural Commitment

CMC is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the College will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.