*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) within the Forest Service Northern Research Station (NRS).

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.

• USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station: Deliver the best possible science on forests and related natural resources. We develop the knowledge and tools that landowners and land managers rely on to improve the health and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands, and ultimately, improve the lives of the people we serve.
• Climate Hub Vision: Robust and healthy agricultural production and natural resources under increasing climate variability and climate change.
• Climate Hub Mission: Develop and deliver science-based, region-specific information and technologies to agricultural and natural resource managers, and communities, that enable climate-smart decision making, and to help implement those decisions. The Northeast Hub is building collaborations connecting stakeholders to climate-related resources, and working to fill information gaps where needed.

Research Project: The ORISE Fellow will engage in outreach, research, and collaboration on climate mitigation and climate equity. The first project will focus on identifying climate mitigation and equity issues in the region using  literature reviews, collaboration, listening sessions, and other research methods. In this context, climate mitigation includes reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving soil carbon, and increasing GHG sequestration on working lands by supporting the awareness and implementation of agriculture and agroforestry practices. We will define the scope and scale of these issues, communicate these results to our stakeholders, and collaborate with other scientists, other ORISE fellows, Hub leadership, and partners to determine potential solutions and pathways for achieving climate mitigation.

Learning Objectives: The Fellow will build skills in:

• Building relationships with stakeholders
• Climate literacy of mitigation options for working lands and waters
• Creating educational materials
• Synthesizing needs of stakeholders
• Evaluating success of literacy trainings
• Presenting to stakeholder groups

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Erin Lane (erin.d.lane@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The 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 Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience, anticipated to be between $59,000 - $68,000.

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 ORISE.USFS.NRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.