What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-ARS Fire and Plant Invasion Fellowship position at Zintellect?
*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
USDA Forest Service Office/Lab and Location: A fellowship opportunity is available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) within the Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNWRS) located in Corvallis, Oregon.
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.
The Corvallis Fire and Invasives Lab (CoreFIre) with the Pacific Northwest Research Station (Corvallis, Oregon) is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow to collaborate with scientists and land managers developing knowledge to inform the management and mitigation of threats in western forests.
Research Project: Research opportunities for the fellow will be organized around analyzing data for several projects designed to provide information to managers focused on: 1) urgent forest management and wildland fire work such as fuel treatments to mitigate wildfire risk and protect rural communities and resource values, and 2) the management and mitigation of invasive non-native plants that threaten timber production, forage for domestic livestock, and other resource values.
Other opportunities may include collaborating on ongoing projects within the CoreFIre Lab, such as analyzing wildfire model simulation output, helping with fire science outreach efforts, and grant writing. The fellow will also have an opportunity to develop or participate in new and emerging avenues of research related to fire, invasive plants, and natural resource management.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the fellow will be provided the following learning opportunities:
- Developing an understanding of the state-of-the-science around fire and invasive plant issues in the western US forests
- Advanced data management, statistical analysis, R-coding and GIS skills
- Authoring scientific papers
- Designing applied and operational forest management experiments
- Participating in and leading multi-partner collaborative research projects
- Networking across the science-management partnership landscape
- Developing targeted science materials
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Becky Kerns (becky.kerns@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 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 full time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Anticipated stipend range is 75,000-90,000 yearly.
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.PNWRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
