Location: Utah State University
Pay: The student will receive a nine-month academic year research assistantship for two years that includes an annual stipend between $24,000 and $27,000 depending on experience plus a summer stipend at a similar monthly rate in 2028, health insurance, and a full tuition waiver.
Application Deadline: Initial review of applications will begin November 16th 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Additional materials, including references and a writing sample, may be requested from shortlisted candidates.
Description:
Utah State University is the state's land-grant institution, serving more than 28,000 students across a statewide system. Its main campus is located in Logan, Utah, surrounded by mountains, forests, and abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Logan is within easy access of numerous national forests, parks, and public lands throughout the Intermountain West.
Dr. Catrin Edgeley has funding available to support one M.S. student in the Department of Environment and Society at Utah State University. The student will contribute to a Joint Fire Science Program-funded research project focused on strengthening the scientific foundations of wildland fire investigations within federal and state land management agencies. This project is a collaboration between Utah State University, the Forest Stewards Guild, and USDA Forest Service researchers at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. Our interdisciplinary team will integrate social science, fire science, and practitioner expertise to improve understandings of the tools and indicators used to determine wildfire origin and cause. The student will play a key role in documenting the current state of wildland fire investigation science and practice by:
Conducting a review of federal fire investigation training materials, guidance documents, and related resources.
Designing and administering a national survey of wildfire investigators across agencies and organizations to understand current training needs and opportunities.
Spending several weeks at the Missoula Fire Lab during the summer of 2028 working with US Forest Service scientists on experimental research designed to evaluate fire pattern indicators and improve the scientific basis of wildland fire investigations.
The student will have opportunities to engage directly with practitioners and conduct to research with clear applications for wildfire prevention, management, and policy. They will contribute to peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, fact sheets, conference presentations, and other practitioner-oriented project deliverables.
The ideal candidate would be available to begin in Fall 2027, although there is some flexibility for a Spring 2027 or 2028 start date. This position is based at Utah State University's Logan campus and requires the student to attend in-person for the duration of their degree. The student will receive a nine-month academic year research assistantship for two years that includes an annual stipend between $24,000 and $27,000 depending on experience plus a summer stipend at a similar monthly rate in 2028, health insurance, and a full tuition waiver. The student will enroll in the M.S. Environment and Society program at Utah State University and develop a research-based thesis using data from tasks described above.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in natural resources, environmental studies, sociology, environmental policy, forestry, fire ecology, geography, criminal justice, or a related field before the start date.
Willingness to travel for fieldwork, trainings, professional meetings, or collaborator meetings, for up to several weeks at a time.
Preferred Qualifications:
Demonstrated interest in wildfire science, fire management, fire investigations, environmental policy, or applied social science.
Experience with qualitative and/or quantitative social science research methods.
Familiarity with software such as NVivo, Qualtrics, SPSS, ArcGIS Pro, or similar analytical tools.
Prior experience working for a federal or state agency in a role related to wildfire.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Please note that eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents due to project funding and participation requirements.
To apply, please email the following materials to catrin.edgeley@usu.edu:
A brief (<1 page) statement of interest for this position describing your background, qualifications, career goals, and interest in wildfire investigations or related topics.
A current CV or resume.
Unofficial transcripts.
Initial review of applications will begin November 16th 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Additional materials, including references and a writing sample, may be requested from shortlisted candidates.
