USFS Water Quality Monitoring Data Analyst Fellowship

USFS Office/Lab and Location: A fellowship opportunity is available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS) within the Forest Service Washington Office located in Washington, D.C. If the selected candidate is local to that location, they can report there, do a hybrid virtual/in-person, or be all virtual.

Research Project: The mission of the USDA Forest Service is summarized in its motto: Caring for the Land and Serving the People. As stewards of more than 193 million acres of land in 37 states, our mission is to help sustain forests and grasslands for present and future generations. In our founding document, the Organic Act of 1897, one of the purposes for the designation of the forest reserves was “to establish favorable conditions of water flow”. More water originates from National Forest System lands than from any other ownership in the continental United States – 18 percent of the Nation’s water supply. More than 60 million people rely on National Forest System lands for their drinking water. Clean and abundant water also supports irrigation, industry, aquatic communities, and water-based recreation including fishing. The goal of the Forest Service national watershed program is to provide resources and tools for field staff on National Forest and Grassland units to protect and restore the water resources under our care. This project is to conduct research on one of those tools, to help the units improve water quality protection.

The Forest Service uses Best Management Practices (BMPs) as the means to protect water quality from nonpoint source pollution. Our strategy for BMPs is to implement BMPs, monitor BMPs and then adjust BMPs and management activities in response to the monitoring results. To that end we have established a National BMP monitoring program. Since 2014, BMPs have been monitored at more than 4,500 sites on National Forest System lands across the country. These sites encompass nearly all types of activities that occur on National Forests and Grasslands – timber management, recreation, mining, grazing, wildland fire, roads, and aquatic restoration.

This project is to analyze this monitoring data to answer questions such as: are BMPs implemented as intended; are those BMPs effective at protecting water quality and related resources; are trends in BMP implementation or effectiveness improving over time; and what lessons can be learned to help the agency improve water quality protection during management activities. This project will provide a learning opportunity for the participant to use statistical data analysis tools on real world data and help create a product that will assist in science delivery to improve management of National Forest System lands. 

Learning Objectives: The learning objectives for the participant will be:

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Joan Carlson (joan.carlson@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 1, 2023; start date is flexible (earlier or later).

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year but may be extended upon recommendation of USFS 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 current stipend for this opportunity is $80,000 per year.

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 USFS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, USFS, 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 USForestService@orise.orau.gov and include the reference code for this opportunity.

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields.