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USFS Conservation Genomics Spring Internship

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

Two research opportunities are currently available at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Forest Service (USFS) at the National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation located in Missoula, Montana.

At the heart of the U.S. 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 U.S. 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 National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation is a state-of-the art facility for advanced research providing expertise in DNA sequencing and environmental and forensic DNA sampling. The Center is designed for cross-agency partnerships to provide cost-effective and reliable genetic and genomic data for species monitoring. The Genomics Center has its roots in the genetics laboratory managed by the USDA Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station and is located on the University of Montana campus in Missoula. Scientists conduct research at the genetics laboratory with a focus on delivering science that addresses the needs of land managers. Founded in 1998, the laboratory has grown into a national resource for states, tribes, universities, and private groups that need answers to pressing wildlife management questions for more than 60 species, including wolverines, lynx, and sage grouse. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/ngc

The opportunity is to participate in ongoing research on wildlife genetics at the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station’s National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation. The participant will receive training in and contribute to research projects using genetic tools including qPCR, HT-qPCR, amplicon sequencing, and genotyping-by-sequencing to assess biodiversity from environmental samples, determine diet composition, and understand neutral and adaptive genetic structure in wild populations. In addition to these technical laboratory skills, the participant will have opportunities to practice and receive feedback on their ability to communicate complex topics, both written and oral. The participant’s training program will be orchestrated by the mentor to match the participant’s strengths, skills, and career development needs to available research projects at the National Genomics Center, but the participant will have the opportunity to collaborate with several research team members.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 2021; start date is flexible

If you have questions, send an email to USForestService@orise.orau.gov. Please include the reference code for this opportunity (USDA-USFS-2021-0038) in your email.