Description
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS), through partnership with The Wildlife Society (TWS), is offering research assistantships for Native American undergraduate or graduate students as part of the TWS professional development program for Native Americans. The program will facilitate student mentoring opportunities with USFS Research & Development (R&D) scientists and promote student advancement and training for careers in natural resource and conservation-related fields. A paid stipend of at least $6,700 will be provided to cover living expenses during the assistantship time-period. The Forest Service uses an ecological science-based approach to make informed decisions on the multiple-use management of the National Forests and Grasslands.
Research projects potentially available for 2022 assistantships include:
- A Delicate Balance: Supporting white-tailed deer (waawaashkeshi) habitat and forest sustainability on Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) lands
- Bison grazing and grassland birds: Evaluating prairie restoration on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
- Long-term monitoring of treated and untreated Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) territories on tribal lands
Only a limited number of projects will be funded and are dependent on a suitable student/mentor match.
Requirements
Applicants must be a member of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, First Nations, or a Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or have another indigenous identification, and be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program from an accredited academic institution. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in wildlife biology, ecology, forestry or other closely related natural resource discipline is preferred. Students with associate’s degrees from tribal colleges or universities or other community colleges are also eligible. Recent graduates will be considered.
The ideal candidate will have strong verbal and written communication skills with demonstrated capabilities in science writing, ability to work both independently and as a productive member of a research team, and an ability to work under adverse field conditions (possible extreme weather, difficult terrain, venomous snakes and biting/stinging insects). Submission of a writing sample is optional.
Students with a GPA above 3.0 are preferred, and students with a minimum 2.5 GPA will be considered.
Current membership with The Wildlife Society is not required; however, please note if you are a current TWS member.
Application Instructions:
All application materials must be received at jblake@wildlife.org by JANUARY 17, 2022.
To apply, please submit:
- A cover letter indicating to which research project you are applying. Please list your research project preferences in the order of most to least interested.
- Resume/CV
- Official or unofficial academic transcripts
- Verification of Native American ethnicity (e.g. tribal member enrollment)
- Two letters of recommendation
Application packages can be emailed as a single PDF to Jamila Blake, TWS Professional Development Manager, at jblake@wildlife.org.
Applicants can expect to receive a decision in March 2022.