USFS Bioacoustics Laboratory Fellowship
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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) located in Corvallis, Oregon.
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: Participants will be offered opportunities to receive hands-on experience that complements the participant’s educational and professional background and help the participant gain knowledge in processing and analyzing large volumes of bioacoustics data. As an educational opportunity, activities will include reviewing audio recordings for vocalizations of target wildlife species and other sounds, recognizing wildlife vocalizations visually by examining spectrograms, annotating recordings for presence of target species, and learning to identify unfamiliar sounds independently with the aid of online databases and other resources. Participants will use a range of spatial and analytical software for data analysis to include, ArcGIS, Kaleidoscope Pro, and R. Other activities will include entering data, transferring acoustic files, data management, keeping accurate notes, and documenting progress on data processing. Opportunities may also be available to participate in field data collection at various locations in the Pacific Northwest.
Learning Objectives: As a result of this training the participant will improve their skills in processing and managing large bioacoustics datasets that will exceed 2 million hours of sound and 1 petabyte of data. The participant will also improve skills in identifying forest wildlife by sound and analytical tools that are applicable to many different modern ecology projects.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Damon Lesmeister (damon.lesmeister@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 2023. 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.
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 bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in one of the related fields (e.g. Silviculture, Forest Ecology, Forestry, Ecosystem Science).
An interest in research addressing applied management questions and a publication record in the field is desired.
Preferred Skills:
- Familiar with vocalizations of Pacific Northwest wildlife species or able to learn.
- Adequate hearing to differentiate between similar sounding species.
- Experience in collecting, processing, and analyzing bioacoustics data.
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