MUST APPLY VIA ZINTELLECT: https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/USDA-FS-PSWRS-2024-0274 *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 Placerville, California, but may be placed on a number of field sites. 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: The ORISE fellow will be engaged with the ENAMES project (Experimental Network for Assisted Migration and Establishment Silviculture) at the Post-Baccalaureate level. As a member of the ENAMES project, the ORISE fellow will have the opportunity to participate in the following activities: Initiate a new experimental network focused on assessing the effect of assisted population migration and silvicultural practices on the short- and long-term success of reforestation activities. Develop a system of readily accessible data sharing and data visualization tools to promote continued exchange and use of information related to postfire reforestation among managers, scientists, and policy makers. The increasing severity and frequency of wildfire in Western U.S. forests, combined with changes in climate, has created an urgent need to develop effective reforestation strategies for these lands that increase short-term establishment success and long-term resilience to changing conditions. The decision on where to plant, what to plant, and how to plant is becoming increasingly challenging, underlying a need for information to determine where we need to prioritize activities or adjust management objectives, the species and genotypes most adapted to a future climate, and the silvicultural practices that will facilitate forest establishment and provide resilience into the future. This project addresses the above information need with a multidisciplinary approach that was directly informed by scientist-manager discussions that identified the most relevant and impactful research questions. To address the questions of what and how to plant, we are establishing a new network of experimental sites that test the effect of assisted population migration (movement of seed sources outside their existing climate) to determine the species and genotypes best suited for future climate and evaluate a series of silvicultural strategies designed to increase establishment success and long-term forest resilience. Twenty sites will be established across CA, OR, and WA in partnership with forest managers across all land ownerships (federal, state, private, etc). Assisted migration treatments installed at each site will include the planting of four genotypes of a given species that represent Current seed zone associated with the site, The current climate of the site, The mid-century climate, and End of century climate. Each AM treatment will be crossed with silvicultural treatments that represent adaptation strategies analogous to the Resist-Accept-Direct framework. The silvicultural adaptation treatments installed at a given site will be developed cooperatively between manager partners and the research team to ensure that tested practices are relevant to operational practice and align with management objectives and the resources available to achieve them. Over time, the network will provide information to managers on climate transfer distances for genotypes within a species, and the practices best suited for reforestation under changing conditions. The network will also serve as a nexus that will bring together managers and scientists to exchange ideas and information that will guide adaptive management and related research into the future. The Fellow will have access to a well-equipped Molecular Genetic laboratory, a greenhouse, and multiple field sites. They will interact with both Genetics and Silviculture researchers in California, Oregon and Washington. Learning Objectives: To better understand how genetics and silvicultural management can be combined to improve reforestation success and future forest resilience under climate change To enhance collaborative skills as a member of a scientific team by helping to formulate policy-relevant research questions, plan, implement, monitor, and analyze field studies, and identify other potential avenues for research applying existing long-term data To cultivate greenhouse plant culturing skills To gain experience analyzing and modeling, organizing, and securing project geospatial information, data, metadata for use in current and future research To extend natural resource information-sharing capabilities by collaborating on the preparation of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and communicating study results to scientists and forest managers via meetings, presentations, webinars, and field tours The mentors for this fellowship are committed to providing an opportunity that will help the fellow pursue a career in research in Forestry, Genetics or related fields in academics or government agencies. Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Jessica Wright (jessica.w.wright@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor. Anticipated Appointment Start Date: September 3, 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 full 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 have received a bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields (preferably in Forestry, Genetics, Natural Resources, Plant Sciences, Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Biology, or a related field). Degree must have been received within the past three years. In order to participate fully in the project, they need to be able to hike 3 miles carrying 20 pounds and enjoy the outdoors and rugged natural landscapes. All candidates must have a valid driver's license. Preferred skills/experience: While few candidates would necessarily have this full breadth of experience, the ideal candidate will have some of the following skills: Demonstrated experience in statistical analysis of ecological datasets and data management Experience with geospatial data collection and management, including fluency in ArcGIS Experience conducting ecological field research Experience with greenhouse studies Capacity to perform both independently and as part of a team Ability to prioritize multiple projects and activities within project deadlines Knowledge of climate science as it applies to forest ecology and management under climate change Zintellect Opportunity Request (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)