USFS Effectiveness of Fire Prevention Programs on Human-Caused Wildfire Ignitions on Tribal Lands

*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 Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) located in Durham, North Carolina. The opportunity may be remote.

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 United States Forest Service (USFS) Southern Research Station (SRS) is to create science and technology needed to sustain and enhance forest ecosystems and the benefits they provide. The Center for Economics and Social Science (CESS), located within USFS-SRS, includes the Forest Economics and Policy Unit (RWU-4804). The research mission of the unit is to advance the science between natural and human-caused disturbances and economic values, and how those disturbances can be managed to reduce undesired impacts on society and ecosystems.

Research Project: The Forest Economic and Policy Unit is seeking an ORISE participant to help quantify the economic effectiveness of wildfire prevention programs (and their associated “activities”) at reducing human-caused wildfires on Tribal lands in the United States. The purpose of this experience will be to quantify temporal and spatial effects of fire prevention programs on human ignitions by including individual management practices from a time series dataset. We expect that the participant will use econometric methods to approach this research objective.

Learning Objectives: The ORISE participant will learn about relevant fire prevention programs, fire prevention activities, and associated datasets. In addition, the participant will receive guidance with novel econometric techniques, and receive support with scientific writing.

The participant will have the opportunity to collaborate and receive mentorship from scientists and mangers in USFS and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The participant will develop scientific writing and econometric skills, as well as increase proficiency using statistical software (such as STATA or R). The mentor will encourage dissemination of results among managers and research groups.  

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Sonia Bruck (sonia.bruck@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 2025.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be until December 30, 2025, but may be extended upon recommendation of USDA Forest Service and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is part time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $3,000-$3,500 per month.

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.SRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's or postdoctoral degree in the one of the relevant fields (Forestry Economics or Applied Economics). Degree must have been received or be currently pursuing by the start date.

Preferred skills:

• Experience with econometric methods, and some knowledge in forestry or wildland fire science.