Connect with ORISE...on the GO! Download the new ORISE GO mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to help you stay engaged, connected, and informed during your ORISE experience and beyond!

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 postdoctoral research opportunity is currently available with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), within the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center (WWETAC) at the Northwest Climate Hub and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station located in Olympia, Washington.

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: The Fellow will participate as a part of the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center (WWETAC), the USDA Northwest Climate Hub and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station. The PNW Research Station is a USDA Forest Service research center that develops and delivers knowledge and innovative technology to improve the health and use of the Nation’s forests and rangelands—both public and private. WWETAC, which is housed at the PNW Research Station, is a Forest Service center that focuses on applied science and tools related to fire, drought, insects, invasive species, and climate change across the western United States. The Northwest Climate Hub, also housed at the PNW Station, is focused on delivering science-based knowledge and practical information to farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and Tribes that will help them to adapt to climate change. WWETAC and the Climate Hub comprise a vibrant group of research scientists and technical specialists located around the Pacific Northwest.

In collaboration with WWETAC and Northwest Climate Hub team members, the Applied Climate Change Research Fellow will facilitate science-management partnerships to develop climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation options for western landscapes. Under guidance of the WWETAC/Hub Director, the Fellow will also conduct research and develop tools and syntheses that help policymakers and land and watershed managers understand the effects of climate variability and change on natural resources, and to identify and describe adaptive land-management practices under changing climate with respect to water, vegetation, carbon, wildlife habitat, recreation, and other ecosystem services. The Fellow will assemble, interpret, and disseminate data and information to provide options and priorities for managing natural resources in a changing climate. The Fellow will also assemble technical information, perform analyses, contribute to technical reports, and provide leadership in writing peer-reviewed journal papers.

A key role for the Fellow will be to collaborate with WWETAC and Hub team members to build effective relationships with information users, who range from governmental to non-governmental institutions and include (among others) federal and state natural resource management agencies; Tribes; industrial and non-industrial private landowners; and national and international policymakers addressing natural resources. The Fellow will present concepts and research results to diverse groups, such as scientists, federal and state agency managers, tribal representatives, universities, and non-governmental organizations. This fellowship will play a critical role in bridging the gap between science and land management by facilitating development of accessible climate change vulnerability reports and adaptation options and developing tools to aid adaptation implementation. This research will help promote the use of the best available science in natural resource management in the western U.S.

Learning Objectives: This fellowship provides an opportunity to:

• Learn about climate change science and natural resource management issues in the West while helping integrate climate change information into national forest planning and projects.
• Gain first-hand knowledge of Forest Service Research and Development science and National Forest System management.
• Understand and facilitate interactions at the intersection between science and land management.

The Fellow will have the opportunity to interact with scientists in Forest Service research stations, and managers in the National Forest System and other land management agencies and entities. The Fellow may explore options for future job or educational opportunities and take advantage of additional training opportunities.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Jessica Halofsky (jessica.halofsky@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 1, 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 equal to $76,860/year. A health insurance supplement will also be provided.

Citizenship Requirements: This 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 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 doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Ecology, Biology, Environmental Science, Forestry, Fisheries/Wildlife Management). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience applying scientific analyses and results to resource management issues.
• Extensive knowledge related to climate change effects on ecosystems.
• Familiarity with climate impact models that project ecosystem changes with climate change. Experience in applying model output to explore how climate change effects might play out in localized areas.
• Experience with climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to write clearly and effectively for technical and non-technical audiences.
• A record of publishing scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to communicate highly technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Experience with convening workshops.
• Ability to effectively synthesize scientific information.

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Discipline(s):
  • Earth and Geosciences (2 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (10 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (10 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 )