*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USDA Forest Service Office/Lab and Location: Three fellowship opportunities are available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) within the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSWRS). Opportunity is remote but in-person meetings may take place in Arcata, California. Some travel (within the U.S.) will be required for this opportunity.

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.

The Pacific Southwest Research Station is a world leader in natural resources research through our scientific excellence and responsiveness to the needs of current and future generations. https://research.fs.usda.gov/psw 

Research Project: Recent White House memos and U.S. Forest Service (USDA-FS) guidance have emphasized the need to strengthen collaborative relationships with tribes around co-stewardship and inclusion of traditional ecological knowledge. Agency implementation is in active development, while research linking new guidelines to existing collaborations is limited – preventing strategic alignment between tribal priorities and USDA-FS efforts. Our research seeks to engage with and learn from tribally led, landscape-scale restoration efforts across the western U.S. We aim to leverage recently available resources to speak to needs identified by tribal collaborators (including capacity issues, cultural competency, and data sovereignty, among other questions), while addressing USDA-FS knowledge gaps in real-time.

We invite applications for three (3) master’s level research fellows to help conduct and coordinate this research. The fellows will work closely with Drs. Martin and Hoagland as well as university partners, tribes, and environmental collaboratives, contributing to research design, analysis, and product development. Fellows will support literature review and policy synthesis, and carry out fieldwork through participant observation, workshops, and semi-structured qualitative interviews.

Start date, location, and hours per week are negotiable. Research will require some travel. Possibility of extension to two years pending funding availability. 

Members of Indigenous communities are highly encouraged to apply.

Learning Objectives: 

• Fellows will work closely with Dr. Martin and Hoagland in conducting interdisciplinary literature reviews and synthesis of research and policy around traditional and indigenous knowledge and co-stewardship, as well as develop relationships with agency, university, and Tribal partners.
• Fellows will develop skills in mixed qualitative research methods (interviews, participant observation, project coordination) and communication skills (written and verbal, including through publication and presentation development), and gain experience as a research fellow with the U.S. Forest Service (furthering professional development in the human dimensions of natural resource management).
• Fellows will address complex challenges faced by federal and tribal collaborators with a goal of strengthening ITEK inclusion in R&D. Full project objects can be provided upon request. 

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Jeffrey Martin (Jeffrey.Martin4@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 2024.  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 USDA Forest Service and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is part 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, 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 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 be currently pursuing or have received a master's degree in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years, or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2025.

Members of Indigenous communities are highly encouraged to apply.

Preferred skills:

• Qualitative social science methods and research design experience, including semi-structured interviews
• Excellent written and verbal communication and team collaboration skills
• Experience and interest in working with Tribes/Indigenous communities and/or around natural resource issues