[ES_JOBS_NET] USDA Forest Service Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forest Watershed Resources

Fri Apr 17 09:42:46 MDT 2026

https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/USDA-FS-SRS-2026-0105

Organization
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Reference Code
USDA-FS-SRS-2026-0105
How to Apply

*To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and
click APPLY.*

A complete application consists of:

   - An application
   - Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy
   of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic
   advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. Click here
   <https://www.orau.org/internships-fellowships/documents/transcript-guidelines.pdf>
for
   detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
   - A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history,
   relevant experiences, and publication list
   - Two educational or professional recommendations. At least one
   recommendation must be submitted in order for the mentor to view your
   application.

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

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 or Google Play Store
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to
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and beyond!
Application Deadline
4/24/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USDA Forest Service Office/Lab and Location: A fellowship opportunity is
available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS)
Southern Research Station (SRS) located in Otto, North Carolina.

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.

The mission of the SRS is to create the science and technology needed to
sustain and enhance southern forest ecosystems and the benefits they
provide. SRS is part of the Nation's largest forestry research
organization—USDA Forest Service Research and Development—the leading
organization for research on natural resource management and sustainability
in the United States. Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, the
Southern Research Station serves 13 southern states and beyond.

The fellowship will be located at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in
Otto, NC in the beautiful southern Appalachians of western North Carolina.
Coweeta is the longest-running experimental forest in the Nation, including
continuous climate and streamflow records extending back to the 1930s.
There are abundant recreational and cultural activities in the area
including hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and skiing. Nearby cities
include the thriving town of Franklin, NC about 20 minutes from Coweeta,
Asheville, NC about 1.5 hours away, and Atlanta, GA about 2 hours away.

Research Project: The quantity and quality of water delivered by forest
watersheds are influenced by forest management and natural processes,
including extreme meteorological events.  Over long timescales, water
quantity (yield) reflects the balance between precipitation and
evapotranspiration, the latter being strongly controlled by the amount,
type, and growth of above-ground biomass (i.e., carbon stocks). Recent
catastrophic flooding in the Southern Appalachian’s associated with
Hurricane Helene highlights the need to better understand  how interactions
between management, forest disturbance, and precipitation patterns
influence the ability of forests to attenuate flooding in mountainous
landscapes.

This research fellowship will use long-term (since 1934) experimental data
(meteorology, streamflow, stream chemical exports, forest composition) at
the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory to assess trends and variability in water
yield and chemistry as affected by multiple underlying drivers.  Analyses
will consider watersheds throughout the Coweeta basin including a range of
historical and recent treatments and their paired reference watershed.
There will be significant flexibility for the fellow, in collaboration with
the mentor and other project members, to refine the focus of these
activities based on the knowledge base, skill sets, and interest of the
participant.

Learning Objectives: The fellow will be mentored by a Research Physical
Scientist/Project Leader in the Southern Research Station Center for Forest
Watershed Research. The fellow will also learn from and collaborate closely
with other research scientists at the Coweeta Hydrologic
Laboratory. Specifically, the fellow will be able to:

   - Apply statistical methods to assess changes in precipitation
   characteristics and water yield over time, with focus on increasing
   variability and extreme events in watersheds.
   - Expand knowledge of process-based modeling approaches to assess
   relationships between forest species composition, biomass, and water yield
   - Develop techniques for spatial prediction and mapping of forest
   species composition at the watershed and larger scales.
   - Develop novel analyses to assess the effects of prescribed fire and
   understory removal on forest regeneration, water quantity and quality.
   - Strengthen data management and analysis competencies through
   processing and management of large long-term datasets.
   - Understand how environmental monitoring and research operations uses
   legacy and modern methods
   - Understand the role of harvesting, prescribed fire, and other
   practices on water quantity and quality and forest productivity.
   - Document, present, and publish research activities

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is John T. Walker (
john.walker3 at usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the
research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 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 SRS and is contingent on the availability
of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full-time at the Coweeta
Hydrologic Laboratory.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend
commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated
stipend is $8,200 monthly.

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  <https://orise.orau.gov/immigration/>of the
program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that
are acceptable for program participation. Foreign national candidates may
have a mandatory in-person requirement depending on visa status.

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 USDA Forest Service. Participants do not become
employees of USDA, USDA Forest Service, 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 <https://orise.orau.gov/usfs/>.
After reading, if you have additional questions about the application
process, please email ORISE.USFS.SRS at orau.org and include the reference
code for this opportunity.
Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a
doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been
received within the past five years or anticipated to be received
by 5/31/2026.

Preferred skills:

   - R, Python, and Microsoft software
   - Statistical analysis tools.
   - Familiarity with ArcGIS
   - Familiarity with data post-processing, quality control, and management
   of environmental datasets such as meteorology, streamflow, soil and stream
   chemistry, and vegetation biometrics
   - Familiarity with forested ecosystems and watershed hydrology
   - Possesses the oral and written communication skills necessary to
   document research activities, to communicate clearly and effectively with
   other researchers, present and report results, and generate manuscripts for
   peer-reviewed publication.

Stipend
$8,200.00 Monthly
Point of Contact
Michele <ORISE.USFS.SRS at orau.org>
Eligibility Requirements

   - Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or
   currently pursuing.
   - Discipline(s):
      - Earth and Geosciences (2  <https://www.zintellect.com/#>)
      - Environmental and Marine Sciences (3  <https://www.zintellect.com/#>
      )
   - Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last
   120 month(s).
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