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A complete application package 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
• 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.

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USFS Office/Lab and Location: A fellowship opportunity is available with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) at the Pacific Southwest (PSW) Research Station located in Davis, California. 

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 USDA Forest Service's PSW Research Station has a fellowship opportunity in fire ecology, remote sensing, silviculture, spatial data analysis, and spatial data stewardship to collaborate with an interdisciplinary team researching strategies to integrate assisted migration during reforestation activities. The team includes researchers in ecology, silviculture and genetics that are housed both within the PSW Station and the Pacific Northwest Research Station. In collaboration with the team, the Fellow will assist in the development and initiation of a new experimental network focused on evaluation of post-wildfire rehabilitation and the use of novel silvicultural practices to increase reforestation success. The network is planned to span a large geographic range from northern CA to southern AK and encompass all land ownerships.

The Fellowship is organized around assisting on three primary tasks, which are: 1) locate historical ecological data including aerial photos, vegetation surveys, dendroecological data, and silviculture reports; 2) develop spatial databases and data collection and management protocols for use by researchers and land management organization partners, 3) Assess and evaluate the efficacy of existing remotely sensed fire severity data and modeled fire severity predictions. In essence, the Fellow will have an opportunity to develop or participate in new avenues of research related to natural resource management.

Learning Objectives: This appointment provides an opportunity to:

• Learn more about natural resource management issues in the California, Oregon, and Washington while helping to develop networks and tools that will facilitate implementation of strategies to increase reforestation success and future climate resilience.
• Develop and enhance GIS and remote sensing skills while contributing to the development of spatial datasets, maps, and other tools to support land managers tasked with managing national forest landscapes in light of changing climates and increasing fire frequency, intensity, and severity.
• Enhance collaborative skills as a member of a scientific team through development of questions, data collection planning and organization, and implementation of experimental treatments.
• Gain first-hand knowledge of Forest Service Research & Development science and National Forest System management.
• Understand and facilitate interactions at the intersection between science and land management.

The Fellow will have the opportunity to interact with scientists in Forest Service research stations, and managers in the National Forest System and other land management agencies and entities. The Fellow may explore options for future job or educational opportunities and take advantage of additional training opportunities.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Stacy Drury (stacy.a.drury@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Summer 2022.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for three years, 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. The stipend will range from $52,000-72,500 per year. A health insurance supplement and a travel allowance for research, meetings and/or conferences will also be provided.

COVID-19 Requirements: The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

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 USForestService@orise.orau.gov and include the reference code for this opportunity. 

The qualified candidate should have received a master's or doctoral (preferred) degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Forest Ecology, Forestry, Forest Mensuration, Natural Resources), or be currently pursuing one of the degrees with completion by June 22, 2022. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency in GIS
• Understanding of fire ecology 
• Quantitative skills with demonstrated experience in statistical analysis
• Understanding of silvicultural methods and treatments at the stand scale
• Ability to develop databases, data interfaces, and data integration tools (e.g, using R Shiny)
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously
• Capacity to work independently and prioritize activities to meet project schedules
• Capacity to publish scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals
• Ability to effectively communicate and work with diverse stakeholders

• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 6/22/2022 12:00:00 AM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (5 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (7 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (2 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (1 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 )
• Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).