USGS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is available with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), located in Anchorage, Alaska or may be remote.

The USGS mission is to monitor, analyze, and predict current and evolving dynamics of complex human and natural Earth-system interactions and to deliver actionable intelligence at scales and timeframes relevant to decision makers. As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides science about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems.

The mission of the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center (AK CASC) is to use science to help people, land, water, wildlife, and fish adapt to climate change. Established in 2010, the Alaska CASC provides scientific information, tools, and techniques to resource managers and communities in Alaska. Hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks' International Arctic Research Center with a USGS-hosted office in Anchorage, the Alaska CASC works with natural and cultural resource managers, policy makers, Alaska Native Tribes, and researchers across the state to produce actionable, user-informed science. They prioritize making climate models Alaska-relevant and informing communities through research.

Research Project: The selected participant will use existing high-resolution climate data and/or projections to develop forest and fire impacts models and actionable scenarios; develop summary products for resources identified by resource management partners; and communicate results in practitioner and scientific forums. Collaborative, use-inspired research is a core component of the AK CASC, and this participant will leverage existing partnerships and established needs for climate impacts information on climate and related resource changes. Results of this research will fill important gaps in understanding of climate-driven disturbance in boreal and other regions of Alaska.

The objective is to help the AKCASC increase its capacity to provide actionable climate impacts information to collaborators and refine that information to meet agency management needs. Through this fellowship, the participant will have the opportunity to learn about leadership through research on regional climate impacts pathways in Alaska, engage with federal and non-federal decision makers and researchers, and gain valuable experience being a part of a partnership-driven program within a federal science agency.

Learning Objectives: Specific learning activities include, but are not limited to: 

• Participates in dialogues with management partners to assess research needs
• Performs research and quantitative analysis of climate observations and model projections to evaluate climate impacts on natural resources
• Performs analysis and synthesis of large volumes of point and gridded climate data to create value-added products, such as maps, data layers, and models.
• Partners with a collaborative, interdisciplinary team of experts to summarize data, design analysis methods, and develop communication products
• Prepares and delivers oral and written summaries syntheses, reports, documents, briefing materials, fact sheets, handouts, and summaries of climate science relevant to fish and wildlife management partners

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Jeremy Littell (jlittell@usgs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: November 1, 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 renewed upon recommendation of DOI and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: Stipend rates may vary based on numerous factors, including opportunity, location, education, and experience. The stipend range is $62,107 - $98,232 annually. If you are interviewed, you can inquire about the exact stipend rate at that time and if selected, your appointment offer will include the monthly stipend rate.

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 USGS. Participants do not become employees of USGS, 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: If you have questions about the application process please email USGS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (Ecology, Environmental Science, Climate Science, or related field). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

• Research experience at the post-graduate level;
• Data science and/or statistical computing skills (R, Python, or similar) and experience with geospatial and/or time series data;
• Experience communicating results with stakeholders/rightsholders and collaborating with managers to develop research priorities.
• Experience with remote sensing helpful.