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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 with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS) within the Forest Service Northern Research Station (NRS). This opportunity is remote, with a preference for the fellow to reside in the northeast region of the United States.

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.

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 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. 

The ORISE Fellow will conduct research, outreach, coordination, and communications contributing to multiple projects within the climate hub mission. They will gain feedback from project partners on their methods, product design and development, and meeting outreach objectives. The Fellow will support outreach activities that promote research results and collaborations. The Fellow will also have an opportunity to engage with project collaborators to develop and enhance their network of climate adaptation experts.

Under the guidance of a mentor, Specific components related to the engagement could include:

• Facilitate development of outreach and education forums such as workshops and webinars.
• Contribute research and writing efforts to factsheets, web content, and other digital and print materials.
• Develop and implement evaluation tools for outreach methods.
• Learning to contribute coordination related to outreach, workshops and management of projects.

Learning Objectives: The Fellow will learn to create effective evaluation tools to inform program strategy, to synthesize research into accessible and useable tools and resources for end-users, and to coordinate multiple activities for a diverse interdisciplinary team. The ORISE Fellow will learn collaboration methods, partner and stakeholder engagement, and project design. The ORISE Fellow will learn communication methods involving product design, co-production, partner and stakeholder engagement, product/tool development and evaluation. Additionally, the Fellow will learn and experiment with various approaches for engaging partners and communicating science to a specific audience.

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: April 2024. 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 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 current annual stipend ranges for this opportunity are $59,000-$67,000 for Masters and $72,000-$82,000 for PhD.

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.NRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

The qualified candidate should have received a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (2 )
  • 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 )