Opportunity

A research opportunity is available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Climate Hubs located in Davis, California.

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.

The mission of the USDA Climate Hubs is to develop and deliver science-based, region-specific information and technologies, with USDA agencies and partners for agricultural, forestry and natural resource managers that support climate-informed decision-making.

In the last decade, California has experienced large fires, drought, and insect outbreaks that have severely impacted the health and resilience of forests and shrublands across the state. These and other disturbances are a result of, or exacerbated by, climate change. In response, the California Climate Hub is working closely with federal and state agencies, the Governor of CA’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, technical assistance providers, and academic researchers, on several distinct but interrelated efforts.

The selected fellow will focus on efforts to integrate climate science into reforestation and to support end-users’ application of science products to increasing wildfire resilience. The Fellow will collaborate closely with the Hub’s program managers and director, as well as key partners. 

Specifically, the fellow will contribute to:

• Designing and delivering expert and stakeholder engagement workshops 
• Synthesizing and communicating existing research to help managers and landowners respond to climate change 
• Developing regionally-focused trainings on data and decision-support tools for socio ecological resilience to wildfire and climate change 

This fellowship offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to efforts addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing California’s communities and ecosystems. Over the course of the fellowship, the participant will gain firsthand experience in science delivery, stakeholder engagement, and applying scientific research to management issues. The Fellow will collaborate with state and federal agency scientists and managers, academic researchers, and stakeholder groups, and can expect to gain knowledge in diverse disciplines, including ecology, climate change, and forest and fire sciences. There may be opportunities for professional development, including training and travel for field visits.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Steven Ostoja (smostoja@ucdavis.edu). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Apply online. A complete application consists of:

• An application
• Transcripts
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations

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