THIS OPPORTUNITY HAS CLOSED.

About NCASC: NCASC is located at USGS headquarters in Reston, VA, and manages a network of eight regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) located across the U.S. Together, the National and Regional CASCs fund and conduct science to understand how changing climate conditions impact fish, wildlife, ecosystems, and communities. Through this work, we aim to provide on-the-ground natural resource managers and other stakeholders with scientific information and decision-making tools to help them respond and adapt to these changes. 

Project Background: This project aims to synthesize the distribution of evidence on the documented and projected impacts of climate change on ungulate population dynamics and migration in western North America. The project team is conducting an evidence synthesis to collate, describe, and map the state-of-the-science on this topic, with the goal of identifying data gaps and research needs. The successful applicant will be a core member of a 3-5 person team completing this review.

Activities:

• Assist with testing and refining a database that will be used to collect information on ungulates and climate change available in journal articles;
• Review journal articles and populate database with relevant information;
• Assist with initial data analysis
• Participate in regularly scheduled project team meetings
• Other activities as needed

Eligibility: This position is open to current part-time or full-time undergraduate or graduate students and recent graduates (must have graduated within the last 12 months). If an undergraduate, the student must be within two years of receiving their degree. The applicant should be available for 20-40 hours per week for the months of August-October. There will be some flexibility with the exact start date, and it may be possible to extend the position, contingent on the availability of funds. Hours and schedules are also flexible, within reason, to accommodate educational commitments.

Required Skills:

• Education in terrestrial ecology and/or biological sciences
• Self-starter and willingness to take initiative with minimal guidance
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Comfortable learning new technologies and tools
• Familiarity with basic computer operations and “office” software

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with ungulate ecology
• Familiarity with the topic of climate change and its impacts on wildlife and ecosystems
• Experience conducting systematic literature reviews
• Experience in basic database design and management

Duty Station: NCASC is a unit at USGS Headquarters in Reston, VA. However, we are a virtual center and this position may be completed remotely from anywhere in the U.S.

Compensation: The successful applicant will be paid $16-40 per hour, depending on level of education and geographic location. This is a student contract position, and as such, taxes are not automatically taken out of the student contractor’s paycheck (the student contractor will be responsible for paying quarterly taxes). Student contractors do not accrue paid leave, but will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. This position may be used for course credit or to meet internship requirements, should the student receive approval from their academic advisor to do so.

Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter describing your education, work experience, and relevant skillsets to Kate Malpeli (kmalpeli@usgs.gov). Applications will be accepted until April 24, 2020 or until 50 applications have been received.