USGS Strategies to Support Energy Development, Invasive Species Control, and Resilient Rangelands

USGS Office/Lab and Location

A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) located in Flagstaff, Arizona. This opportunity may also be remote. The USGS mission is to monitor, analyze, and predict current and evolving dynamics of complex human and natural Earth-system interactions and to deliver actionable intelligence at scales and time frames relevant to decision makers. As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides science about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems.

You will train with the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, which provides sound science, specialized expertise, and objective and timely tools to Federal and State agencies and the public to inform land management decision-making, and support thriving landscapes for the Southwest’s abundant natural resources and vast public lands. This research helps those who manage, conserve, and rehabilitate rivers and arid regions of the nation.

Read more: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). A Ph.D. degreed participant is sought to gain experience with research aimed at strategies that support energy development, reduce invasive species, and help maintain productive and resilient rangelands. Rangelands make-up over 400 million acres in the U.S. and primarily occur on federally managed lands that provide multiple uses for the American public. As the need to unleash American energy continues to grow on these lands (Executive Order 14154, Secretarial Order 3418), increased focus on innovative strategies that improve the supply of energy and minerals can benefit our Nation.

The activities will seek to support energy producers and land managers by understanding opportunities to improve outcomes and efficiency of energy development, including studies that: help streamline and reduce regulatory burden, understand how energy development can thrive while promoting conservation of productive lands, and find successful methods to reclaim land after energy production is complete. The provisioning of natural resources on rangelands faces a large economic and ecological threat of invasive species, including flammable non-native grasses that increase risk to public health and safety.

You will train to determine the effect of invasive species on the condition of natural resources and new treatment strategies to reduce their abundance and encourage the recovery of native rangeland conditions. You will train with a supportive science team to create actionable information for supporting decisions related to energy development, invasive species, and rangeland condition for land managers, energy producers, and ranchers by using field surveys and experiments, remote sensing, literature reviews, and meta-analysis.

These approaches will be used to develop information and tools that support energy development and the conservation of rangeland natural resources. You will collaborate to publish findings with mentor in peer-reviewed scientific journals and information briefs intended for science end-users. You will meet regularly with the mentor, science team, and other project participants and present findings at meetings and conferences on what they have learned.

• Gain confidence in critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and conducting applied science to conserve and improve land condition to provision natural resources.
• Develop research into scientific journal articles and presentations that effectively communicate and interpret study findings.
• Regularly meet with other scientists, post-docs, students, and technicians associated with project to engage in a scientific community on project goals and objectives.
• Gain experience engaging land managers, energy producers, ranchers, restoration practitioners, and other science end-users and learn to enhance communication skills and perform outreach on science findings.
• Participate in lab group meetings and Science Center seminars to learn collaboration skills and gain insight into new approaches and results applicable to project.
• Attend weekly check-ins with mentor to have clear guidance, and to go over the experience and potential ways to improve future training.

The mentor for this opportunity is Seth Munson (smunson). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

November 1, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of DOI and is contingent on the availability of funds.

The appointment is part time or full time participation.

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of…