USGS Postdoctoral Fellowship on Carbon Storage in Sagebrush Rangelands

USGS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center located in Corvallis, Oregon. 

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 USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center's (https://www.usgs.gov/centers/forest-and-rangeland-ecosystem-science-center) mission is to provide scientific understanding and the technology needed to support sound management and conservation of our nation's natural resources, with emphasis on western ecosystems.

Research Project: The postdoctoral fellow will be hosted at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC) in the research group of Dr. Madelon Case, Supervisory Research Ecologist, based in Corvallis, OR. The Case research group investigates how global and local stressors - especially climate variability, grazing, and fire - interact to shape ecosystem structure and function in rangelands.

The postdoctoral fellow will conduct research to synthesize data from the SageSTEP experimental network (www.sagestep.org) and other data sources to quantify how land treatments and site conditions influence above and belowground carbon storage in sagebrush rangelands. Following from this research, the fellow will be part of a broader effort to develop a spatially explicit map of rangeland soil organic carbon across the Great Basin, and to relate carbon resilience to conservation priorities for land management. 

Learning Objectives: Dr. Case will provide research mentorship and training in line with the fellow’s professional goals, including writing for scientific publication and communication with land management partners. The fellow will have opportunities to interact with a core group of project collaborators (listed below), with the broader SageSTEP researcher network, and with other researchers in the region collaborating to synthesize rangeland carbon data.

Collaborators: Benjamin Rau (USFS), Rory O’Connor (USDA-ARS), Lisa Ellsworth (Oregon State University), Beth Newingham (USDA-ARS), Matthew Reeves (USFS)

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

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 2023.  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 for up to two more years upon recommendation of USGS 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 based on education and experience.

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.

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields listed in the eligibility requirements section, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion before June 30, 2023. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred Skills: