USFS Silviculture Internship
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- An application
- A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
- Two educational or professional recommendations
All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.
*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
USFS Office/Lab and Location: The USDA Forest Service's Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station has internship opportunities focused on silviculture in the PNW region. The opportunity is based in Olympia, Washington at the Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory.
At the heart of the U.S. Forest Service's mission is their purpose. Everything they do is intended to help sustain forests and grasslands for present and future generations. Why? Because their stewardship work supports nature in sustaining life. This is the purpose that drives the agency’s mission and motivates their work across the agency. It’s been there from the agency’s very beginning, and it still drives them. To advance the mission and serve their purpose, the U.S. Forest Service balances the short and long-term needs of people and nature by: working in collaboration with communities and our partners; providing access to resources and experiences that promote economic, ecological, and social vitality; connecting people to the land and one another; and delivering world-class science, technology and land management.
Research Project: The intern will collaborate with a team of USFS staff on several long-term experiments and participate in the implementation of new studies. The team includes researchers in silviculture and genetics that are housed within the PNW Station. The intern will primarily assist with the implementation and maintenance of a new study focused on control of the invasive Scotch broom, and also assist with field and lab measurements for ongoing experiments related to assisted migration and climate adaptation. The opportunity will require periodic overnight travel for research at field sites located across the PNW region. The intern will also have an opportunity to develop or participate in new avenues of research or other interests related to natural resource management.
Learning Objectives: This project provides an opportunity to:
- Understand and facilitate interactions at the intersection between science and land management. The intern will have a tremendous opportunity to engage and interact with scientists at the research station, as well as a large and diverse group of stakeholders including the USDA National Forest System, state natural resource agencies, tribal entities, and forest industry.
- Learn about silvicultural and natural resource management issues in the Western United States while helping to implement and maintain several long-term, high-impact experiments
- Enhance collaborative skills as a member of a scientific team through development of questions, learning of data collection techniques, and methods for data assessment
- Gain first-hand knowledge of Forest Service Research & Development science and National Forest System management.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Robert Slesak (robert.slesak@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 3 months but may be extended upon recommendation of USFS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.
Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.
ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and USFS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, USFS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.
Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.USFS.PNWRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should be pursuing an associate's or bachelor's in one of the relevant fields (forest ecology, forestry, environmental science).
Preferred skills:
- Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and work with diverse individuals
- Experience working in forested settings under a variety of conditions
- Experience conducting literature reviews to summarize knowledge related to key topics
- Willingness to learn principles of data collection, experimental design, and data assessment
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to balance multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Capacity to research independently and prioritize activities to meet project schedules
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