Director of Research to Practice (R2P) - Construction Safety Research Alliance (CSRA)

The Construction Safety Research Alliance (CSRA) within the Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder is seeking a Director of Research to Practice (R2P). This position is responsible for leading the transformation of CSRA research into actionable tools, resources, and guidance that drive meaningful change in practice and provides organizational support in areas of product deployment and communications, serving as a multi-functional partner to ensure consistency and continuity. This position also ensures CSRA research outputs are professionally communicated and effectively disseminated to the CSRA community and broader industry. This position coordinates directly with the academic team leadership, Operations Manager, and the Executive Director.

The Construction Safety Research Alliance (CSRA) is a community of industry leaders and academic experts who collaborate to create and share new safety knowledge. The vision of the CSRA is to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities in the construction industry through transformative research and defensible science. The CSRA work involves industry-academic research teams with 20-30 members who meet virtually monthly and in-person quarterly. Research results are presented at an annual Safety Summit and are disseminated through diverse publication outlets. Founded in 2019, the CSRA has grown to over 80 companies and a dozen academic partners and is affiliated with the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Research Integration and Product Development:

• Participate in all CSRA research teams to ensure research outputs are designed with end-use in mind.
• Lead the development of practical deliverables (e.g., guidance documents, tools, media) that support implementation in industry settings.
• Collaborate with research leads to distill findings into concise, usable formats.
• Coordinate testing, piloting, or demonstration of research-based tools with industry partners.
• Maintain a repository of research-to-practice resources, ensuring accessibility, version control, and documentation.
• Ensure all products reflect CSRA’s standards for quality, clarity, and utility.
• Explore new forms of media and communications that keep the CSRA at the forefront of applied research.

Research Product Communication and Distribution:

• Coordinate layout, editing, and production of research-based materials (e.g., reports, videos, infographics) in collaboration with the Operations Manager and vendors.
• Lead the development of the Annual Review by shaping how research is represented and packaged.
• Support presentation of research outcomes at member meetings, the Safety Summit, and other CSRA-hosted events.
• Collaborate with the Director of Outreach to align messaging across platforms and audiences.
• Advise on communication strategies that increase the reach and adoption of CSRA-developed tools and methods.
• Collaborate with the Director of Outreach to deliver the community of practice (COP) by recruiting and coordinating CSRA members.
• Represent the CSRA in speaking engagements that are important to the internal CSRA community.
• Lead activities and research to practice initiatives at the annual safety summit.

Operational Redundancy and Support:

• Serve as a backup to the Operations Manager for communicating research-related updates to the CSRA community.
• Coordinate logistics for resource rollouts, web updates, and platform integration.
• Ensure alignment between research timelines and product development schedules.
• Serve as a thought partner for the CSRA research deployment strategy.

Miscellaneous:

• Lead decisions related to the design, quality, and deployment of research-based products.
• Serve as primary owner of product development standards and distribution practices.
• Collaborate closely with research leads and other Directors to align timelines and messages.
• Report to the Executive Director and support implementation of CSRA’s mission through practical translation of research.
• Undertake other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Participate in professional development activities and serve on unit, college or campus committees, as applicable.
• Stay apprised and current on relevant University and State of Colorado policies and procedures.

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work modality, consistent with the College of Engineering and Applied Science Hybrid Work Policy.

The starting salary range for this position is $115,000 - $130,000 annually. Relocation assistance is available within department guidelines.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction, Safety, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional experience, including meaningful industry exposure in the built environment.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex research into practical tools, guidance, or systems.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including development of technical resources and reports.
• Familiarity with construction safety principles, systems thinking, and evidence-based implementation practices.

• Experience leading industry research academic teams.
• Master's degree.

• A current resume.

• A cover letter that briefly describes how your background and experience align with this position.