Type: Fellowship
Location: Missoula, Montana
Salary: $60,000 - $74,000 yearly
A fellowship opportunity is available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) within the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) located in Missoula, Montana.
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.
This opportunity is with the USDA Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), a global leader in forestry and fire-related research. One of RMRS's laboratories is the world-renowned Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, located in Missoula, Montana. The Fire Lab contains a chamber for experimental burns as well as computing facilities, but its most valuable resource is its researchers. This fellowship presents an opportunity to be at the Fire Lab and take advantages of its resources. https://www.firelab.org/
Research Project: We have an opportunity for an ecologist, forester, or physical scientist to join a group participating in mapping of vegetation, carbon, and fire risk at the scale of the United States. Spatial information about terrestrial carbon and risk to it from wildfire is in high demand from partners in both the public and private sectors. This information must be frequently updated in order to stay abreast of changes in landscapes due to disturbance, harvesting, etc. Research takes place at the Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula, Montana. Research into fire behavior and fire risk have been ongoing for decades at the US Forest Service Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory.
The participant will gain exposure to researchers at the Fire Lab as well as through minimal travel to conferences and to meet with collaborators.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant may engage in a number of different learning research activities to:
Leverage machine learning to produce imputed maps of forest and rangeland plot data (a.k.a. the TreeMap, FuelMap, and RangeMap datasets),
Utilize forest growth and yield modeling to simulate the effect of wildfire on carbon, and
Run fire simulation software to estimate fire likelihood and severity under current and future climates.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Karin Riley (karin.l.riley@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 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. The stipend range is between $60,000 - $74,000 yearly.
