USDA-FS Bioacoustics Laboratory Fellowship

*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) within the Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNWRS) located at the Corvallis Forestry Sciences Laboratory that sits on Oregon State University Campus, Corvallis, Oregon.

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.

Research Project: This fellowship will offer opportunities in the PNW Bioacoustics Lab to receive hands-on experience that complements the participant’s educational and professional background and help the participant gain knowledge in processing and analyzing large volumes of bioacoustics data. Participants will use a range of spatial and analytical software for data analysis to include ArcGIS, Kaleidoscope Pro, and R. Other activities will include entering data, transferring acoustic files, data management, keeping accurate notes, and documenting progress on data processing. Opportunities may also be available to participate in field data collection at various locations in the Pacific Northwest. Participants are offered an opportunity for an independent research project using lab data to gain experience conducting ecological data analysis, manuscript writing, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. 

Learning Objectives: As an educational opportunity, learning objectives for the participant include:

• Develop basic proficiency in reviewing audio recordings to detect vocalizations of target wildlife species and other relevant sounds.
• Gain evaluative skills of wildlife vocalizations by interpreting spectrograms.
• Acquire the ability to annotate audio recordings to document the presence of target species
• Enhance sound identification abilities by introducing to the participant online databases and other resources to classify unfamiliar sounds.
• Improve analysis and writing ability through independent research suitable for submission in peer-reviewed journals.
• Receive training on how to use ArcGIS, Kaleidoscope Pro, and R
• Develop skills in communication and cooperative organization in a collaborative team environment

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Natalie Rugg (natalie.rugg@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentors.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: April 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 extended upon recommendation of USDA Forest Service and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The opportunity is full time. 

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $3,500 – $3,600 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 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. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.USFS.PNWRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (wildlife science, biology, computer science, or closely related field). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

• Familiar with vocalizations of Pacific Northwest wildlife species or able to learn
• Adequate hearing to differentiate between similar sounding species.