CAREERS

About CDR Associates​

Collaborative Decision Resources (CDR) is a consulting firm that provides facilitation, mediation, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement services. Based in Boulder, Colorado and Portland, Oregon, we have four main practice areas: Transportation, Land Management, Water Resources, and Disaster Resilience. Our work is interdisciplinary and connects expertise across challenges and issue areas. We serve a variety of public, private, and non-profit clients, including local municipalities, regional organizations, state agencies, special districts, Tribal governments, universities, and foundations. We contract directly with clients and, when a project calls for technical expertise, partner with architecture, planning, and engineering firms. CDR is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.​

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About the Position

We are looking for an early career Program Associate to join our team and support the work of the entire organization. Our team works collaboratively, and we are looking for a highly-skilled and talented individual who is self-motivated to produce excellent work in a timely manner. This position may be based in either Boulder or Portland and will include work across both offices and all practice areas.​​

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As a Program Associate you will:

• Distill complex and technical information into engaging and plain language content and graphics. 

• Co-facilitate in-person and virtual meetings and trainings. 

• Engage directly with communities and project partners, including technical experts, public agency staff, members of the public, and community-based organizations. 

• Coordinate with clients on scheduling, meeting follow-ups, and day-to-day project needs. 

• Create and manage content for presentations, newsletters, social media, and websites.

• Provide support for communication materials and client deliverables, including close attention to detail to ensure accuracy, consistency, and good grammar. 

• Provide overall administrative and organizational support. ​

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Minimum qualifications: 

• A master’s degree and one year of experience or a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience or any combination of education, professional, volunteer, and other experience to perform the work described in the position description.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to make connections across differences, understand what motivates people, and communicate to connect with diverse interests.

• Strong writer and editor and ability to write plainly and succinctly.

• Adobe Creative Suite experience, particularly with InDesign. 

• Outstanding interpersonal skills and enjoys connecting with clients and community members in-person at meetings and trainings.

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Like to have qualifications: 

• Interest or experience with multi-modal transportation, community and regional planning, natural resource management, and/or environmental public policy issues. 

• Fluency in Spanish and experience engaging Spanish-speaking communities. 

• Experience working and engaging with Tribal communities. 

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Compensation

CDR offers a benefits package to employees including health insurance and paid vacation. Compensation will be determined based on the experience of the selected candidate but is expected to be in the $65,000 to $70,000 a year range, plus bonuses, with opportunities to advance.

 

How To Apply

Send us (1) a one-page resume and (2) an info-graphic, created by you, that describes something important to you or highlights your past work or experience. Please do not send a cover letter; a short email intro is fine.  

 

We will be reviewing and engaging with applicants on a rolling basis. Correspondence can be sent to careers@cdrassociates.org. Please write “CDR 2026 Program Associate Application_[First Name] [Last Name]” in the subject line of the email. 

 

Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.