*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 Forest Service Washington Office located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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 mission of the Caribbean Climate Hub is to address climate change as one of the pressing issues of our time. The changes in the climate such as higher ocean temperature, severe droughts among other issues are affecting social and ecological systems directly and indirectly. Key needs to address these issues in the region include increasing climate awareness; understanding specific climate risks and vulnerabilities; reducing GHG emissions; learning from climate disasters to improve planning, preparation, response, and recovery; and increasing climate resiliency through risk mitigation, climate adaptation, and building back better following climate disasters. 

Research Project: This research internship opportunity contributes to the Caribbean Climate Hub research projects. The Climate Hub research projects focus on studying climate change extremes to develop and provide practices to mitigate and/or recover. The candidate would participate within the research agenda including: field work, interviews and questionnaires based on the project's needs. The intern will assist to perform statistical analysis on data collected and interpret results. The intern will assist to contribute to the redaction of reports and articles. The intern will assist to help with the development of outreach materials such as presentations or factsheets for research projects to share with agencies and NGOs. The intern will assist in selected team outreach activities.  

Learning Objectives: 

• The participant will gain experience planning and conducting social and environmental research, writing results, and communicating science to the public.
• The participant will gain experience collaborating with a multidisciplinary team addressing climate change.
• The participant will engage in outreach activities with a wide range of stakeholders, from scientists, to agency personnel, to farmers and ranchers.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is William Gould (william.a.gould@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

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

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 11 months 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. The stipend is $1,600 per month at 20 hours per week.

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

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student pursuing one of the relevant fields (Environmental Sciences).

Preferred skills:

• Experience with science communication.  
• Experience with scientific method and scientific writing.   
• Experience designing and analyzing surveys and interviews.  
• Experience and organizing outreach activities 
• Experience with software such as: RStudio, Qualtrics, Dedoose, Canva, Microsoft's Office suite. 
• Preferably but not necessarily, familiar with climate change, tropical forestry and agriculture 
• Written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish (fluency preferred). 
• Ability to prioritize tasks, research independently and as part of a team.