To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

A complete application consists of:

• An application
• Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations. At least one recommendation must be submitted in order for the mentor to view your application.

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

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*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USDA Forest Service Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) within the Northeast Climate Hub at the Northern Research Station (NRS) based in Durham, New Hampshire.

At the heart of the USDA 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 USDA 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.

USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station: Deliver the best possible science on forests and related natural resources. We develop the knowledge and tools that landowners and land managers rely on to improve the health and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands, and ultimately, improve the lives of the people we serve.

Climate Hub Vision: Robust and healthy agricultural production and natural resources under increasing climate variability and climate change.

Climate Hub Mission: Develop and deliver science-based, region-specific information and technologies to agricultural and natural resource managers, and communities, that enable climate-smart decision making, and to help implement those decisions.

Research Project: The ORISE Fellow will engage in research and collaboration relevant to both Tribes and a wide range of end-users. The first project will focus on identifying climate data needs in the region using literature reviews, engagement with our audience, and other research methods. The ORISE fellow will communicate regional data needs and results to collaborators, and then engage with USDA scientists, ORISE fellows, Hub leadership, and partners to determine solutions and pathways for achieving resiliency.

This fellow will also engage on our project to develop and outreach tools for the Tribal Soil Climate and Analysis Network (TSCAN)”. In 2017, the USDA Northeast Climate Hub worked with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the US Bureau of Indian Affairs to fund extensions of the automated meteorological stations in the SCAN network onto Tribal lands. 

Presently, there are 22 TSCAN (Tribal-SCAN) sites with strong interest for additional sites among the 574 Federally recognized Tribes. The goal of this project is to 1) determine need for additional tools (that use SCAN and TSCAN network data), 2) to create tools that address identified needs, and 3) to provide education and outreach around the use and value of existing and new tools. Two audiences will be targeted in the needs assessment, tool development, and outreach. The first target audience is Tribal staff of the 22 Tribes presently operating TSCAN sites. The secondary target audience includes current (and future) SCAN users such as agricultural producers and conservation planners. The successful ORISE fellow will help engage both target audience groups in education and evaluation-based activities to disseminate SCAN and TSCAN tools.

The fellow will engage with Tribes to integrate indigenous knowledge into new tool development. Doing so will strengthen capacity for agricultural and forest production (including agricultural lands, soil health, forest resources and aquaculture) and resiliency support. In particular, the ORISE fellow’s research and engagement with Tribes will address concerns about the balance and trade-offs of managing Tribal lands for multiple objectives, such as forest and farm production, biodiversity, old growth management, and adaptation. The ORISE fellow also joins an established portfolio of projects in Northern Research Station and the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.

The ORISE Fellow will help conduct research, contribute to the TSCAN project, and engage in co-production of Hub programming. They will gain feedback from project partners on their research methods, program design, and meeting project objectives. The Fellow will support outreach activities that promote Hub-related projects, research results, and collaborations. The Fellow will also have opportunity to engage with project collaborators to develop and enhance their network of subject matter experts. Outreach may include travel.  

Learning Objectives: The USDA Northeast Climate Hub is a joint effort among USDA agencies. This ORISE Fellowship offers daily interaction with leadership, policies and staff of the USDA Forest Service, Agricultural Research Service, and Natural Resources Conversation Service. The fellow will also have the opportunity to collaborate with Land Grant University partners in our region and other natural resource professionals. Professional development activities as part of this fellowship include delivering presentations, participating in meetings, and engaging in research and outreach projects.

The ORISE Fellow will learn collaboration methods, partner and stakeholder engagement, and project design. Additionally, the Fellow will learn and experiment with various approaches for engaging Tribes and Tribal organizations, Tribal cultural competency and humility, and communicating science to a specific audience.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Jennifer Ballinger (jennifer.ballinger@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 2025.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year but may be extended upon recommendation of USDA Forest Service and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is part time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $100,000-$110,000 annually.

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 USDA Forest Service. Participants do not become employees of USDA, USDA Forest Service, 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.NRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields.

Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge, skills and experience working with Tribes and/or tribal organizations. 
• Experience in research, (weather) data management, and tool development
• Experience in science communications and/or outreach

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Doctoral Degree.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (3 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (51 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )