USGS Code Development for Dryland Simulation

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USGS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) located in Detroit, Michigan.

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. 

Research Project: The participant will be researching code development and maintenance for a set of coupled ecohydrological and dryland plant community simulation models.  The models are used in research conducted by USGS researchers at the Dryland Ecohydrology Team and collaborators at universities.  The research is focused on quantifying spatial and temporal patterns of drought in dryland ecosystems and assessing the consequences of changing drought for dryland plant communities and the ecosystem services that they provide.  

Learning Objectives: 

• The participant will learn to utilize ecological simulation models and to design and conduct geospatial analysis of model results to characterize potential climate change impacts on ecosystems.  
• The participant will have the opportunity to engage in collaborative teams that include research scientists to learn about actionable science that informs climate adaptation plans.
• The participant will be a part of a collaborative team of researchers, and will have the opportunity to strengthen their understanding of research-grade code development, version control, data manipulation, and simulation experiments.   
• The participant will learn about scripting and coding in C to maintain simulation models, build and improve workflows to integrate input climate, weather and vegetation datasets and to format complex model output into appropriate structures, troubleshoot errors and independently develop solutions, communicate and coordinate with research team members via github, email and other platforms.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is John Bradford (jbradford@usgs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s). 

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 2, 2026. 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. 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. The anticipated stipend range is $4,500 - $4,600 monthly.

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 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 bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

• Experience in a collaborative team of researchers, and understands research-grade code development, version control, data manipulation, and simulation experiments.   
• Experience with scripting and coding in C to maintain simulation models, building and improving workflows to integrate input datasets and to format output datasets.

Stipend

$4,500.00 – $4,600.00 Monthly

Point of Contact

Rachel

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 month(s).