Deadline: Fri, 06/28/2024 - 12:00pm Employer: USDA Forest Service - Northern Research Station Job Field: Forestry Job Type: Full Time Location: Missouri Location Detail: Columbia, Missouri Job Description: Research Project: The fellow will use previously produced regional documents as a foundation to modernize the synthesis of available literature with data sets from existing studies (e.g., tree-rings) and national inventory data to establish the state-of-knowledge on old growth forests in the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region. This will include quantitative summaries and minimum thresholds of old growth forest attributes by forest type and expanded to include attributes of mature forest systems, important for managing forests across varied social-ecological contexts into the future. From the synthesis, we will identify key parameters that define mature and old growth systems as well as assess the effectiveness of inventory and monitoring data to accurately capture these metrics across the appropriate spatial scales. Learning Objectives: Participate in synthesizing information detailing the structural characteristics of mature and old growth forests across forest types, land ownership, land-use history, and geographic region. Enhance collaborative skills by participating as a member of a multidisciplinary team of research scientists, land managers, and natural resource specialists from federal and state agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations. Strengthen their research, analysis, and writing skills in spatial analysis, science synthesis, and assessments of forest assets and conditions. Enhance their communication skills through participating in workshops and creating presentations for local and national conferences. Qualifications: The qualified candidate will have earned or be pursuing a Doctoral degree in forestry, ecology, biology, geography or a related field at the time of starting the appointment. Degree must have been earned within the last five years or is anticipated to be received by June 1, 2024. Preferred Skills: Prior experience working with land management agencies, An aptitude for research, oral and written scientific communication, attention to detail, and ability to work independently and as a team. Strong statistical analyses skills, and publication record. Salary: $78,949 Benefits: 75% stipend supplement toward cost of medical insurance, including dental and vision How to Apply: https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/USDA-USFS-NRS-2023-0467 If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentors for the position, Christel Kern (christel.c.kern@usda.gov) and Jacob Fraser (jacob.fraser@usda.gov).
