USDA-ARS Fuel Treatment and Grazing Effects on Sagebrush Ecosystems Fellowship

*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Reno, Nevada.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency with a mission to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. ARS will deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions for American farmers, producers, industry, and communities to support the nourishment and well-being of all people; sustain our nation’s agroecosystems and natural resources; and ensure the economic competitiveness and excellence of our agriculture. The vision of the agency is to provide global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence.

Research Project: You will have the opportunity to collaborate with an interagency research team to understand the effects of fuel treatments and grazing in woodlands using the Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP; Sagestep.org). SageSTEP is a long-term fuel treatment experiment where herbicide, mechanical, and prescribed fire treatments were implemented ~18 years ago at 21 sites across the Intermountain West. This project focuses on: 1) Evaluating the effects of various fuel treatments on forage production across soil and climatic gradients by using biomass data collected over the past 18 years, and 2) Determining the long-term effects of livestock grazing on soil and plant properties using plots inside and outside of exclosures. Additionally, this long-term data set allows for examination into invasion dynamics over the past two decades. You will engage with project partners to obtain historical data and collect recent field data to better understand the interactions among grazing and fuel treatments. You will have the opportunity to participate in field and lab activities; data management, analysis, and presentation; as well as preparing manuscripts.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, you will have the opportunity to learn and/or enhance your skills in the following areas:

• Evaluation of the long-term effects of fuel treatments and grazing on ecosystem dynamics.
• Analysis of vegetation, soil, and biomass trends to better understand treatment outcomes.
• Develop collaborative skills by learning from partners to integrate historical and newly collected field data.
• Experience in field research, laboratory procedures, and ecological data management.
• Strengthen analytical and communication skills by contributing to data interpretation, presentations, and manuscript preparation.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Beth Newingham (beth.newingham@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will be for two years but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS 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 anticipated stipend range is $72,000 – $76,000 annually.

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 ARS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, 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 ORISE.ARS.HQPostdoc@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (biology, ecology, natural resources, or related field). Degree must have been received within the past four years.

Preferred skills:

• Field ecology research experience.
• Experience with soil and plant sampling and lab analysis, including plant identification and soil sampling to examine soil chemistry, infiltration, and compaction.
• Knowledge of field plot establishment, monitoring, and experimental design.
• Ability to participate in field campaigns, including in remote locations.
• Experience with field and laboratory safety protocols, including basic analytical chemistry skills and relevant equipment.
• Experience with data management, graphing, and statistical analysis using Excel and R, including large data sets.
• Experience using GPS and GIS (ArcGIS or QGIS)
• Ability to contribute to peer-reviewed manuscripts and presentations at scientific conferences.
• Willingness and ability to camp and research in varied field conditions for extended periods.
• Strong communication skills

Stipend$72,000.00 – $76,000.00 YearlyPoint of ContactJaneenEligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 48 month(s).