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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.  Selected candidate must provide proof of completion of the degree before the appointment can start.  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 to engage with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS) Northeast Climate Hub located in Washington, D.C.

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.

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.

The Northeast Hub is building collaborations connecting stakeholders to climate-related resources and working to fill information gaps where needed.

Research Project: The ORISE Fellow will engage in research and collaboration for two projects. The first project will focus on identifying climate equity issues in the region using literature reviews and other research methods. Climate equity ensures the just distribution of benefits from climate resilience efforts and alleviates unequal burdens created by climate change.  We will define the scope and scale of these issues, communicate these results to our stakeholders, and collaborate with other scientists, Hub leadership, and partners to determine potential solutions and pathways for achieving climate equity.

The second project will involve developing a regional graduate student engagement network for emerging leaders working on climate adaptation and mitigation. Following a successful pilot program—GradCAP (the Graduate Student Climate Adaptation Program), the new network will include a focus on addressing equity. The Fellow will be actively involved in the design and execution of this new program.

The ORISE Fellow will conduct research, contribute to the design of a network, and engage in coproduction 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. 

Learning Objectives: The ORISE Fellow will learn collaboration methods, partner and stakeholder engagement, and program design. Additionally, the Fellow will learn and experiment with various approaches for engaging emerging leaders and communicating science to a specific audience.

The USDA Northeast Climate Hub is a joint effort among USDA agencies. The fellowship offers daily interaction with leadership, policies and staff of the US 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.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Erin Lane (erin.d.lane@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 13, 2023.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for eighteen 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 USForestService@orise.orau.gov and include the reference code for this opportunity.

The qualified candidate should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Candidate must be located in the Northeast Hub Region (ME, NH, VT, CT, RI, MA, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, DC)

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Discipline(s):
  • Business (11 )
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (13 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )
• Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).