What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-FS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Wildland Fire Social Science position at Zintellect?
*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 Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), located in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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: The focus of this project overall is to conduct social science research at the intersections of wildland fire preparedness, response, and recovery. This research project places practitioners at the forefront of identifying research needs and provide USFS fire managers and line officers with practical research from peer-reviewed findings in the form of research briefs and other materials to better understand their role, communicate, and cultivate social science across diverse landscapes and communities. Under the guidance of a mentor, the fellow will have the opportunity to collaborate with a team of seasoned practitioners and well-established social science researchers to identify, engage with, and study wildland fire across multiple landscapes in the United States. They will help contribute academic research through accessible media and non-media based learning platforms such as websites, webinars, newsletters, conferences, peer-review journals, and meetings for the US Forest Service and locally-based communities of practice to help navigate systemic barriers to wildfire risk mitigation and communication. Through this learning experience, the fellow will be exposed to a new generation of social science students and early career professionals who are invested in the wildland fire crisis from convergent perspectives that are problem-focused and solutions-based.
Learning Objectives:
- Develop skills in collaborative, interdisciplinary research with experienced practitioners and social science scholars to study wildland fire preparedness, response, and recovery across diverse U.S. landscapes.
- Gain experience engaging practitioners to identify applied research needs and translating peer-reviewed findings into accessible, practical products (e.g., research briefs) for USFS fire managers and line officers.
- Strengthen science communication skills by disseminating research through multiple platforms (websites, webinars, newsletters, conferences, peer-reviewed journals, and meetings) tailored to agency and community audiences.
- Build capacity to analyze and address systemic barriers to wildfire risk mitigation and communication in partnership with the US Forest Service and local communities of practice.
- Develop collaborative research skills with other students and early career professionals on problem-focused, solutions-oriented approaches to the wildland fire crisis.
- Enhance the ability to integrate diverse perspectives and convergent methods in addressing complex social dimensions of wildland fire management.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is David Flores (david.flores2@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 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 appointment is full time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $80,000 – $83,000 annually.
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.
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.RMRS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Salary : $80,000 - $83,000