*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 Southwest Research Station (PSWRS) located in Davis, California.

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.

Research Project: A legacy of fire exclusion and past management in our Western U.S. Forests, coupled with rapid changes in climate, have led to dramatically more frequent and large-magnitude disturbances, including massive, high-severity stand-replacing fires. The increasing scale and severity of disturbances affects forest successional trajectories and in turn presents a challenge for forest managers to meet economic and forest recovery goals. The goal of the current research project is to quantify change in forest habitat following large-scale fires in California, Oregon, and Washington to better understand where managers most need to apply fire and fuels treatments, promote future forests, and protect the remaining high-value forest refugia necessary for the persistence of key wildlife species. Currently, this project has collected data across 7 wildfires including data on stand structure and condition, understory cover and species composition, the spread of invasive plant species, and use by wildlife species. This data was collected primarily in upland habitats, but a subset of the data focuses on changes in meadows over time.

Learning Objectives: The selected fellow(s) in this project will have the opportunity to contribute and advance their knowledge and skills in forest and meadow ecology, disturbance ecology and wildlife research that can inform natural resource management. The fellow(s) will interact with a variety of forests managers, and a team of research staff, including leading scientists in the fields of forestry and wildlife management. The fellow(s) will have the opportunity to enhance their communications skills via participating in various formal and informal meetings, learning new quantitative techniques, and writing of manuscripts and reports for possible publication. 

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Angela White (angela.white2@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: February 2026.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year and ten months (22 months total) 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. The anticipated stipend range is $4,500 - $6,500 monthly.

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

Qualifications

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

Preferred skills:

• Enthusiasm to learn new knowledge and skills relevant for the project.
• Basic knowledge of U.S. forests and wildlife, statistics, emerging data science tools and techniques
• A demonstrated ability to use a statistical programming language such as R and spatial statistics

Stipend$4,500.00 – $6,500.00 MonthlyPoint of ContactMicheleEligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree.