USFS Web Developer Internship

Organization
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Reference Code
USDA-USFS-2023-0050
How to Apply

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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.

Application Deadline
4/15/2023 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USFS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), within the Southern Research Station, Eastern Threat Center, Southeast Climate Hub located in Research Triangle Park, NC.

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.

The SE Climate Hub’s mission is to deliver resources that help producers build resilience to climate change and variability through adaptive management.  The Southeast Climate Hub shares space in the Southern Research Stations Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The facility houses approximately 50 research scientists and support staff and is the regional laboratory for Southern Research Station soil and plant material analysis. There are two small meeting rooms and one large conference room, each equipped with video-conferencing capabilities. There is adequate office space dedicated to visiting scientists and other collaborators.  Additionally, the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina is nearby and has large state-of-the-art conference rooms available for use. 

Research ProjectThe web developer will collaborate with project members and help support the Updated Silvics of North American Project (USNAP), an international, multi-year, high-impact project, by developing a dynamic, interactive, public-facing website where content (i.e., e-chapters) can be updated/edited by the USNAP project team. The Silvics of North America is the most cited forest management guide in the world but has not been updated in 30 years.  This project is a collaboration with scientists from US, Canada, and Mexico to update and expand the previous guide.  An external delivery system is needed to facilitate public access to the completed chapters.  In total, there will be over 200 individual species chapters once the project is complete.  Each of these chapters may require periodic updating as research results continue to evolve.  The web developer will collaborate with project coordinators from each of the three contributing countries, the project lead (mentor), and the USDA FS Southern Research Station Web Team.  Members of the SRS Web Team have agreed to collaborate with the web developer to educate and offer guidance and direction during the development of project deliverables.

Learning Objectives

  • Designs and develops layouts, graphics, video, sound and/or content for customers’ use in presentations, video productions, multimedia programs, online tutorials, and other electronic media;
  • Collaborates with Climate Hub staff to review and recommend design options, functionality, and programming needs;
  • Designs web interfaces;
  • Develops layout design and concept, selects and secures appropriate materials to be used. 
  • Ensures consistency, accuracy and compliance with required standards. 

MentorThe mentor for this opportunity is Steven McNulty (steven.mcnulty@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 LengthThe appointment will initially be for two years but may be extended upon recommendation of USFS and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of ParticipationThe appointment is full-time.

Participant StipendThe participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 

Citizenship RequirementsThis 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 InformationThis 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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the relevant fields or be currently pursuing one of the degrees with completion before June 15, 2023.

Preferred Skills:

  • Knowledge of HTML, CSS required. 
  • Knowledge of Bootstrap, Javascript and PHP beneficial.
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree.
  • Overall GPA: 3.00
  • Discipline(s):
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (8 )
  • Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).
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